* Shafunei Temunei Chol – the first book by Rebbe Gershon of Radzyn, son of the Admo”r of Izhbitza, in which he ‘dropped the bomb’ that he rediscovered techeilet . First edition. Warsaw, 1887.
This book provoked one of the largest controversies known to Jewry in the generation before the Holocaust. All of Chareidi Jewry was amazed at his introduction of the possibility of renewing the lofty mitzvah of the ‘ techeilet tassel’ on tzitzit, held three times a day while reciting kriyat shema , which was hidden – according to sources – until the coming of Mashiach . There were those who became enthusiastically caught up in it and saw in it signs of the coming of Mashiach . But there were also many who opposed it – with the same degree of enthusiasm.
19 leaves, 20 cm.
* Petil Techelet by the Admo”r of Ruzhin. First edition. Warsaw, 1888.
Ma’amar Petil Techelet “Part II of Shafunei Temunei Chol. It elaborates upon the possibility of finding techeilet in these times.” In this part, the gaon, the author, elaborates about the chilazon ‘s blood, which was previously used to dye techeilet . It was found in our times per the signs indicated by our Sages with important details regarding the chilazon : Its great value then, when it disappeared and why, details of the look of techeilet , dying and examination, and the laws of casting the techeilet on tzitzit .
88, [1] leaf, 21 cm.
* Petil Techeilt by the Admo”r of Radzyn. Second edition. Lublin, 1903.
25 leaves, 21 cm.
Refer to the Hebrew catalog text for a brief biography of the Admo”r Rabbi Gershon Chanoch Henich Leiner .
In 1883, Rabbi Gershon Chanoch Henich visited the maritime museum in Italy, and was exposed to the cuttlefish dying industry. He acquired from an Italian professor the knowledge required to produce a bluish dye from cuttlefish. His activities in this area created a controversy that mainly centered on his book on the topic, Shafunei Temunei Chol and the accompanying booklet, Petil Techeilet . In these works, he disputed the reactions to reviving techeilet . In the preface to his book, he wrote that every Jew has the right to innovate Torah thoughts, and Torah novellae are not to be limited to a select few. He also used scientific knowledge when dealing with these matters.
Overall condition: Fine. Many antique signatures, stamps, and notations from the period of printing. Provenance: Yudlov Collection.