In the Jewish Faith is there a special name for the blue of the sky. What is the significance?

Question

In the Jewish Faith is there a special name for the blue of the sky. What is the significance?

Answer 1

Light blue or sky blue is in both modern and biblical Hebrew "t'khelet", which is also the name of the color prescribed in the bible for a thread in the tassels Jews are supposed to wear on a four-cornered garment.

Also, the holy ark was wrapped in a t'khelet cloth and the tabernacle had t'khelet curtains.  The High Priest's clothes had a lot of t'khelet.

No one is entirely sure what the particular dye was that was originally used for the t'khelet in the fringes.  The extract of a certain sea snail is one theory, as blue foot indicates above.

The Karaite Jews believe the dye was indigo, which may or may not be correct -- but in any case, the particular shade it should be, they determine by reference to the color of the sky in Israel.

So, at least according to the Karaites, the biblically-prescribed fringes on our garment should be that particular shade of sky blue (though they don't think it matters if you get that shade by indigo or other dyes).

Rabbinic sources looking for the original dye also refer to ocean and sky blue, as t'khelet in color, to help figure out what tkhelet the dye would have been.

As far as modern uses of sky blue in a Jewish context, there are some good answers above.

Answer 2

I've never heard of this before.

Answer 3

On the Prayer Shawl (Tallis) there was a Blue Dye that was made from a creature in the sea and used to create the blue on one string in the tzitzi (Fringes)  as it says in our prayer (Shema) that is commanded to do. However, the creature cannot be found, or is extinct, so the one string is not dyed.

Blue is also the color of the Stripes upon the Israeli Flag, which consequently the flag is also in actuality a Prayer Shawl as well. The stripes represent the stripes up on the Tallis. The original flag had fringes as well, but now they don't add it.

Answer 4

Not that I know of, but I'll be happy to be corrected by my fellow Jews. It's now Shabbat for Jews in some countries, so you won't get as many answers as normal; leave the post up until Sunday.

Blue does feature quite a bit in Judaism; the Israeli flag is blue and white, and the shield of david is usually shown as blue. Try these links:

To ask a Rabbi directly: http://www.chabad.org/

and http://www.askmoses.com

http://www.ajewwithaview.com

Answer 5

As already stated by Paperback Writer, it is almost Shabbos (we start at 7:34pm EST here in Fla), so I will have to be brief, but will star this question for after Shabbos.

As she stated, the color of our flag is blue and white.  

Blue in Judaism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Because blue is the color of the sky and sea, it has often symbolized divinity, as well as height and depth.

It can also represent equilibrium, since its hue suggests a shade midway between white and black, day and night.[1]

read more here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_in_Jud...

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Good luck!

Answer 6

No idea - not heard this.  However, there is a deeper blue used on the  tallis strings, that is specific.