Daf 43 — Menachos 43 Summary

Menachos 43 – Good Morning Raboisai Can You Use Blue Strings Found in the Street? The Gemara discusses whether one may use found blue strings for תכלת . Havah Amina: There is no reliable test to determine whether the dye is real תכלת or fake קלא אילן (indigo). Therefore, one must purchase תכלת only from a מומחה . The Gemara challenges this: There are chemical tests: Test 1: Soak in a mixture of: • Alum • Fenugreek juice • Fermented urine (aged ~40 days) If the color fades → invalid (likely קלא אילן ). If it remains strong → valid. Test 2: Bake it with a yeast starter. If the color strengthens → kosher. If it weakens → invalid. The conclusion: These tests determine whether it is real תכלת — but they cannot test לשמה . If dyed for testing purposes (without intent for mitzvah), the wool is פסול . Thus: אין בדיקה ללשמה You cannot verify intent. Buying Tzitzis from Non - Jews If one buys a garment with tzitzis: • From a Jew → presumed kosher. • From a non - Jew merchant → valid (protects reputation). • From an individual non - Jew → invalid. Reason: Concern that invalid strings were used or improperly made. Rav Yehudah and Women’s Obligation Rav Yehudah placed tzitzis on his wife’s garment. This implies he held: ציצית אינה מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא Since women are exempt from time - bound mitzvos. The Gemara questions: If so, why did he make a new bracha every morning? Answer: He would change garments in the daytime — creating a new חיוב . Who Is Obligated in Tzitzis? The Gemara lists: • כהנים • לוים • ישראלים • גרים • נשים (according to one view) • עבדים Rav Shimon exempts women because he holds: ציצית מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא Why time - bound? Because of: וראיתם אותו At night you cannot see it — therefore nighttime garments are exempt. Blind Person vs Night Garment Two possible exclusions: • Blind person (cannot see) • Night garment (cannot be seen) The Gemara concludes: Blind person is obligated — since others can see it. Night garment is exempt — since no one sees it. Four Corners – What Is Excluded? The Torah says: על ארבע כנפות כסותך Does this exclude: • A 3 - cornered garment? • A 5 - cornered garment? Conclusion: A 3 - cornered garment is exempt. A 5 - cornered garment is obligated (since it contains four corners). Why Tzitzis Reminds Us of Mitzvos וראיתם אותו וזכרתם Seeing tzitzis leads to remembering mitzvos. Different drashos: • Reminder of קריאת שמע • Reminder of איסור שעטנז • Reminder of all תרי"ג מצוות Gematria: • ציצית (600) • 8 strings • 5 knots = 613 Surrounding Ourselves with Mitzvos A person is surrounded by mitzvos: • תפילין של יד • תפילין של ראש • ציצית (four corners) • מזוזה David HaMelech once stood in a bathhouse and felt “naked” of mitzvos — until he remembered ברית מילה , which accompanies a person always. Why Techeles Is Blue תכלת דומה לים ים דומה לרקיע רקיע דומה לכסא הכבוד Techeles creates a visual chain upward to the כסא הכבוד . White vs Blue Strings Which is more severe to neglect? Analogy: If a king orders: • One servant to bring a gold ring • Another to bring a clay ring Both fail — the one assigned the simpler task is more culpable. So too: White strings (common) are no less important than תכלת . Ilui Nishmas Imi Morosi Ruth Bas Harav Menachem Mendel