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When examining the cases for and against Techeiles, I came across an hour-long video on Radziner vs. Murex Tekhelet: the Truth by Michael Shelomo Bar Ron (MSBR). While the author makes some valid points, I found some holes in it. Here are some of the points in the video and holes. The points I echoed aren’t word for word but sum up what’s being said in each slide. All opinions and responses stated belong solely to the author and to no one else.

I would also like to add that the presenter made a very detailed analysis supporting the cuttlefish Techeiles and, no matter if one wears Techeiles or not, let alone what creature it’s from, we should all strive to respect each other’s opinions.

Warning: this post is long!

Point 1: What we can know about the definition of the murex based on basic dictionary definitions.

MSBR Point(s):

The Chilazon of Argaman was a sea-dwelling snail that had a thick, convoluted shell, producing a reddish purple used for Argaman. Belonging to the Argaman family was two types: Argaman and Argamanith (Avraham Even Shoshan Hebrew Dictionary, HaMilon).

Counterpoints:

a. If we understand Chilazon to be a species of sea creature, it’s either cuttlefish or snail, can’t be both.
b. Also, the cuttlefish has its “shell” inside its body called a cuttlebone, whereas the snail has it outside. As an aside, there’s a Midrash stating that the clothes of Bnei Yisrael in the desert grew on them the same way a Chilazon’s Nartik (shell/bone) grows on it, so there’s that.

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c. Also, the Talmud mentions that Techeiles was made from a Chilazon. In Greek, Purpura, while it sounds very similar to purple (hence the misconception), is the source of a range of colors going from orange to blue. It might have been associated with purple since that was the most popular color at the time to dye for royalty. Also, Chazal when translating the Septuagint translated Techeiles as purfira.
d. Playing devils advocate, the majority of Rishonim understand Argaman to mean crimson, as it’s transliterated by numerous sources as Kermes, the forbear to the word crimson. Only through Josephus do we understand that Argaman means purple, which has crimson red embedded with the blue to make a reddish-purple.

Point 2: The Species of Chilazon Itself

MSBR Point(s):

a. The Chilazon (Menachos 44a, and Mishneh Torah Hilchos Tzitzis 2:2) is a “dag” which swims, as opposed to a Shablul (snail) or “Sheretz Yam” (teeming sea-creature). Based on this, cuttlefish trumps the murex snail.

b. The Chilazon’s color is that of the sea. It camouflages itself. The cuttlefish camouflages.
c. The Chilazon’s body resembles the sea.
d. One is liable for capturing the snail on Shabbos. The murex doesn’t need to be trapped since it’s a snail.

e. The Mishnah calls a particular hook at the end of a chain a “hilazon-hook” (Mas. Keilim 12:1), which are either long tentacles that are bent-like hooks, or the overall shape of the creature, which is hook-like. The cuttlefish meets this criteria but not the murex snail.

f. The hilazon has a “malbush” (garment) that grows with it (Devarim Rabbah 7:11 ). The murex only has an assymetrical shell – the cuttlefish wears a prominent “jacket” of sorts.

g. Hilazon-fish rise to to the shore every 7 or 70 years and embed themselves into the sand (Megilla 6a & Chullin 99a). Murex snails never rise to the shore. Due to mass-strandings every 2-3 generations, the cuttlefish does.

h.The Murex population cannot meet the needs of a large Torah public. Dozens of sea snails must die to produce one set of Techeiles. Over-harvesting has already extirpated it from the coast of Israel and Lebanon. Mass demand would drive it extinct within a short time. Over 100 strings can be dyed from a single cuttlefish.

Counterpoints:

a.
Shablul: This is a land snail, not a sea snail.

Sheretz Yam: teeming sea creature. Tzarich Iyun.

What the text actually reads:

Gemara: Briyaso Domeh LeDag.

i. There’s the halacha of a dag.

ii. The image of the grown murex trunculus shell looks like the profile view of a “hard” standard fish.

iii. “Briyaso” means it’s creation: just like a fish creates by laying eggs, so too does a snail (R’ Avraham Twerski).

Mishneh Torah: Link Here to Chabad.org.

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