Techeiles in private?!

[Nosson]

I don't understand wearing Techeiles "in private", as we know certain chachamim do or did (also with Radzhin).

The importance of the whole discovery isn't to wear Techeiles in tzitzit anyway, since tzitzit itself is anyway just a midas chassidus (Rambam Tzitizit chapter 3 in the last halachos) unless wearing garments of 4 or more corners.

Rather it is to say we should STOP wearing tzitzit entirely unless we wear Techeiles, so as not to violate the positive commandment of wearing 4 corners with only lavan when Techeiles is available, as it is today if true. (By contrast, donning Tefillah shel Yad alone even without oness of shel Rosh isn't active bittul asei.)

So my question is, how can someone hide his tallis katan Techeiles strings in pants or long jacket ["nignaz" as the joke goes] while still wearing an additional small tzizit or a tallit gadol of 4 corners missing Techeiles?

It's like Esau adding Jewish wives, but without divorcing the goyish ones... not of course to compare!

[Mr. Genugshoin]

Tzitzis is a mitzvah even though one is not obligated. Tzitzis with techeiles is a bigger mitzvah, whether it's hidden or not.

[Nosson]

Tzitzis is a mitzvah even though one is not obligated. Tzitzis with techeiles is a bigger mitzvah, whether it's hidden or not.

 

Reread.

[Mr. Genugshoin]

If one is trying to get the mitzvah, there is a point of wearing an additional pair. If it's because he is worried of transgressing you are absolutely correct that there is no point in wearing 2 pairs (most people who hide just hide the blue strings)

[Nosson]

Either the Techeiles in question is wrong, in which case the hidden blue strings are vanity of vanities, ZERO additional sechar.

Or the Techeiles is genuine, in which case every single pair worn MUST have it, or else.

There is no middle ground.
 

[Mr. Genugshoin]

Either the Techeiles in question is wrong, in which case the hidden blue strings are vanity of vanities, ZERO additional sechar.

Or the Techeiles is genuine, in which case every single pair worn MUST have it, or else.

There is no middle ground.
 
 

 
Some hold that you do not transgress anything by wearing white without techeiles.

[rhecht]

Either the Techeiles in question is wrong, in which case the hidden blue strings are vanity of vanities, ZERO additional sechar.

Or the Techeiles is genuine, in which case every single pair worn MUST have it, or else.

There is no middle ground.
 

 

 
Some hold that you do not transgress anything by wearing white without techeiles.

 

Depends. R' Schachter makes the most sense in that, if you think you might have the right Techeiles (even if it's just might) and choose not to wear it, you are being Over Bal Tigra. Furthermore it's a Machlokes Rishonim whether Tzitzis is one mitzva or five. With white, we are all doing the mitzva BeDieved, since according to some the mitzva can't be fulfilled at all without Techeiles.


 

[Mr. Genugshoin]

Many great people disagree with you and Rabbi Shachter.

[Nosson]

Rafi writes --

Depends. R' Schachter makes the most sense in that, if you think you might have the right Techeiles (even if it's just might) and choose not to wear it, you are being Over Bal Tigra. Furthermore it's a Machlokes Rishonim whether Tzitzis is one mitzva or five. With white, we are all doing the mitzva BeDieved, since according to some the mitzva can't be fulfilled at all without Techeiles.

But there is no need to resort to Bal Tigra or some Rishonim (which we anyway pasken against למעשה) or the count of how many mitzvot.

There is a simple bittul Aseh every second according to everyone when Techeiles is available, as every Jew says twice a day!

(See, too, Maharil regarding a garment missing Titzit on Shabbos, and the gemara on Chotam shel zahav and more.) 

[Mr. Genugshoin]

Rafi writes --

Depends. R' Schachter makes the most sense in that, if you think you might have the right Techeiles (even if it's just might) and choose not to wear it, you are being Over Bal Tigra. Furthermore it's a Machlokes Rishonim whether Tzitzis is one mitzva or five. With white, we are all doing the mitzva BeDieved, since according to some the mitzva can't be fulfilled at all without Techeiles.

But there is no need to resort to Bal Tigra or some Rishonim (which we anyway pasken against למעשה) or the count of how many mitzvot.

There is a simple bittul Aseh every second according to everyone when Techeiles is available, as every Jew says twice a day!

(See, too, Maharil regarding a garment missing Titzit on Shabbos, and the gemara on Chotam shel zahav and more.) 

 

I believe not everyone agrees to that (e.g, Rav Belsky didn't wear it on his tallis)