Question: Did Rebbe Nachman have a certain method for tying tzitzit?
August 27th, 2009
ASK A BRESLOVER
Question:
Did Rebbe Nachman have a certain method for tying tzitzit?
Answer:
I know some in Tzfat are influenced by the Ari-Kabala customs but besides for that, I don’t believe there are any specifically Breslov ways of tying the tzitzit! The following article discusses known Breslover Customs: http://www.nachalnovea.com/breslovcenter/articles/The_Practice_of_Breslov_Chassidus.pdf
Is it appropriate to have techlet in your tzitzit? I see some do and others do not…..
The following has already been written about by R’ Dovid Sears http://www.nachalnovea.com/breslovcenter/
Techeles / The Blue Thread
When the ‘inyan of techeles began to be debated during the late 1800s, due to the efforts of Rabbi Gershon Henich Leiner, the Radzyner Rebbe, to restore this mitzvah, Rabbi Nachman Goldstein, the Tcheriner Rov, took objection. He argued that the Rebbe states in Likkutei Moharan I, 7, that tzitzis today are white. This is reiterated by Reb Noson in Likkutei Halakhos, where he relates the wearing of techeles to the Final Redemption. Reb Avraham Sternhartz also rejected wearing techeles bi-zman ha-zeh, as did another prominent descendant of Reb Noson, Reb Michel Sternhartz (son of Reb Yitzchak, to whom most of the letters in ‘Alim le-Terufah are written).
(Cf. Si’ach Sarfei Kodesh III, 338. As for the connections Reb Noson makes between techeiles and le-asid lavo, see Likkutei Halakhos, Netilas Yadayim Shacharis 4:12; ibid. Tzitzis 1:1; ibid. Tzitzis 5:7. There are other mekoros, as well.)
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Reb Gedaliah Kenig said in the name of Reb Avraham Sternhartz that the premature restoration of this custom could bring harsh judgments upon the world, since the blue thread is kabbalistically bound up with the forces of din.
(E.g. see Likkutei Moharan I, 49:7, citing Zohar III, 152a).
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However, Reb Gedaliah added, if one has impeccable yiras Shomayim – perfect fear of Heaven – he may wear techeiles. (This remark also suggests why the mitzvah of techeiles may have been lost.)
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Another great figure in the Breslov community at the turn of the 20th century was Reb Avraham ben Nachman Chazan, author of Biur ha-Likkutim on Likkutei Moharan and other seforim. He accepted the Radzyner techeles. Some say that he did so based on secret traditions from the Rebbe’s Megillas Sesarim (”Hidden Scroll”).
(Si’ach Sarfei Kodesh III, 559)
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Therefore, today some Breslover Chassidim wear the techeles, while others do not. Moreover, there is a difference between the Radzyner techeiles and the techeiles dye developed more recently in Eretz Yisrael, based upon the research of the late Rav Herzog, each shittah having its own advocates. The custom of the Tzefat Breslover community is not to wear techeles, although we all hope to do so with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.
Thanks. What do you do Yossi?
I thought the general practice is to tie with chulyot on a standard chasidishe beged?
I would imagine most Breslovers two use the Chasideshe Beged (two holes) but who ever told you “chulyot” there may be some who have it but for sure not the vast majority of Breslovers!
I have a question, is it appropriate for a Breslover to tie RamBam without the Techeles? Or do they commonly tie the 7,8,11,13 (radzyn) method?
We have a mesorah that at least some Breslover Chassidim in Ukraine tied their tzitzis with chulyos (like Skver and Chabad, among others). Reb Gedaliah Kenig popularized a certain way of tying the chulyos so that the shammes is part of the bundle and dioesn’t show on the outside; which turned out to be like the method of his teacher in Kabbalah, Rav Mordechai Sharabi. Later I spoke with one of the Morozovs in Chabad, who had an uncle, I believe, who used to tie tzitzis for the Lubavitcher Rebbe, zatzal. This fellow discovered that they also had a mesorah of tying the chulyos with the shammes concealed in the bundle. So the next time he tied tzitzis for the Rebbe, he offered him two pairs, one tied the usual way and the other so that the shammes doesn’t show. And the Rebbe chose the second way (mestame similar to that of Reb Gedaliah). At least, that’s what I was told.
As for techeles, the Radziner persuaded Reb Avrohom b’Reb Nachman of his shittah and that’s how techeles became somewhat popularized in Breslov (during the 1890s, I think). However, the Tcheriner Rov did not accept the Radzyner techeles, nor did Reb Avraham Sternhartz and other Breslover gedolim in Uman. So today some Breslovers do, some don’t. (Of course, we now have new contenders for the “real techeles,” so that remains unexplored territory…)
Don’t know if Reb Avraham b’Reb Nachman died the techeiles like the Rambam or the Raavad. I believe all Askenazim tie 7/8/11/13. Nothing unique to Breslov about that minhag.
While we’re on the subject of Tzitzis, in Torah zayin at the end, there is the posuk about Yosef which it says in Pri Etz Chaim refers to Tzitizis. So my question is on the explanation given in the BRI translation. How does the last mathematical formula given work out? Where is the number 16 coming from when there are 8 fringes on each corner?
I have seen another variety of tzitzit in the Safed community besides Ari,it looks like the Rambam’s tying method but I don’t think it is the exact same as his.