Blue in Judaism
Encyclopedia
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
, because blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
is the color of the sky and sea. It can also represent equilibrium, since its hue suggests a shade midway between white and black, day and night.
In the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, the Israelites were commanded to put fringes, tzitzit
Tzitzit
The Hebrew noun tzitzit is the name for specially knotted ritual fringes worn by observant Jews. Tzitzit are attached to the four corners of the tallit and tallit katan.-Etymology:The word may derive from the semitic root N-TZ-H...
, on the corners of their garments, and to weave within these fringes a “twisted thread of blue (tekhelet).” The oral law requires that this blue thread be made from a dye extracted from a sea creature known as the hilazon. Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
claimed that this blue was the color of “the clear noonday sky”; Rashi
Rashi
Shlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
, the color of the evening sky.
According to several rabbinic sages, blue is the color of God’s Glory. Staring at this color aids in meditation, bringing us a glimpse of the “pavement of sapphire, like the very sky for purity,” which is a likeness of the Throne of God. Many items in the Mishkan
Mishkan
Mishkan is the Hebrew word for the dwelling place of God, or the Tabernacle. It may refer to:*The Israelite Tabernacle...
, the portable sanctuary in the wilderness, such as the menorah, many of the vessels, and the Ark of the Covenant
Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant , also known as the Ark of the Testimony, is a chest described in Book of Exodus as solely containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed...
, were covered with blue cloth when transported from place to place.
See also
- Green in IslamGreen in IslamGreen is considered the traditional color of Islam.-Significance and symbolism:The Arabic word for "greenness" is mentioned several times in the Quran, describing the state of the inhabitants of paradise...
- Flag of IsraelFlag of IsraelThe flag of Israel was adopted on October 28, 1948, five months after the country's establishment. It depicts a blue Star of David on a white background, between two horizontal blue stripes...
, which contains two blue stripes and a blue Star of DavidStar of DavidThe Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
.
Further reading
- Zvi Ruder (1999): The National Colors of the People of Israel: Tradition, Religion, Philosophy, and Politics Intertwined ISBN 965-293-059-8
External links
- The Ptil Tekhelet Organization dedicated to the manufacture and distribution of tekhelet fringes.