In a talk from the late 1970's, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik spoke about the two colors in Tzitzis: the white threads, and the Tekheles sky-blue threads.
*Each color of Tzitzit is a metaphor for how the world reveals itself to us. *
Sometimes we see the world in a logical, rational way - this is "לבן" white.
But sometimes the world is mysterious and perplexing - this is "תכלת" - the color of the infinite sky.
We need to be able to cope with both aspects of life.
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Rabbi Joseph Ber Soloveitchik (1903-1993), scion of a legendary rabbinic family, renowned as a Talmudist and philosopher, celebrated for his insightful synthesis of Torah ethos into the modern world.
As a rosh yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University in New York City, Rav Soloveitchik ordained close to 2,000 rabbis over the course of half a century. He served as advisor, guide, mentor, and role-model for tens of thousands of Jews, both as a Talmudic scholar and as a religious leader. He is regarded as a seminal figure by Modern Orthodox Judaism.
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10 сен 2024