Responsa su Numeri 15:44

This can be understood as an a priori argument from the techaylet of tzitzit¹⁸⁷Techailet is the special blue dye (made from the tropical sea snail murex trunculus) for the wool fringe of the tzitzit which is a biblical requirement (Num. 15:38) of placing fringes on any four-cornered garment, in this case of linen, with one wool fringe., which the Torah was very specific about and quite stringent in its method of production¹⁸⁸See Tractate Menachot 42b-43b. Despite that one places various chemicals into the blood of the khilazon (Murex snail) as explained in tractate Menachot 42b¹⁸⁹See the appendix. The Tosafot wrote, loc. cit. ‘Ingredients (chemicals)’ were indeed perplexed by this and wrote that perhaps those chemicals could be [part of what is] called ‘techaylet’- the blue-ish dye.

They responded: "O Generation! See the word of God!" "Why do you argue about Me? You have all sinned before me!" (Jeremiah 2:29-31) They explained their words as follows: "O Generation" - are you as the generation who crossed the desert, which argued about the techelet dye?³See Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 2, quoted by Rashi on Numbers 16:1 Why then do you argue then about wool and linen? "You have all sinned before me!" - for neither will wool nor with linen [techelet threads] do you come. "See the word of God!" - See what is written in the Torah. Does is not say "see... and recall... and perform" (Numbers 15:39)? The time of performing this commandment of tzitzit is the entire day ⁴i.e, throughout the daylight hours, when one can 'see'., yet you rid yourself of this obligation after a single hour. The early pious ones are testimony to the habit of not walking even one moment without wearing tzitzit. All this they truly responded to me, and my heart was disturbed over this response. I gathered my strength and asked again before the King, that he might instruct them to inform me whether a woolen tallit is more acceptable than a linen one, or whether they are equal, or whether linen is invalid. They responded: the halacha is well-established among us that wool and linen are equal, and for each one, the threads are valid for the garment of that type. The reason comes from what is written (Numbers 15:38) "They shall make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments." Why does it specify 'for themselves'? It means that any garment that is common among them. For the Torah does not want to be oppressive and require something that not everybody has. Rather, it allows whichever of these two materials their garment is made of, wool or linen. Some time later they responded again: "It is because of the anger replaced in our bags, to make us roll and to condemn us." (cf. Genesis 43:18) They were precise about this word 'anger', spelling it out to me ⁴The original verse has the word 'kessef', money, while here they say 'ketsef', anger. They explained that the Great King is angry with us on this matter of tzitzit, that we should have paid attention to and have worn it on the corners of our garments. Now we are being brought to the Day of Judgement, 'to make us roll and condemn us'.

They responded: "O Generation! See the word of God!" "Why do you argue about Me? You have all sinned before me!" (Jeremiah 2:29-31) They explained their words as follows: "O Generation" - are you as the generation who crossed the desert, which argued about the techelet dye?³See Midrash Tanchuma, Korach 2, quoted by Rashi on Numbers 16:1 Why then do you argue then about wool and linen? "You have all sinned before me!" - for neither will wool nor with linen [techelet threads] do you come. "See the word of God!" - See what is written in the Torah. Does is not say "see... and recall... and perform" (Numbers 15:39)? The time of performing this commandment of tzitzit is the entire day ⁴i.e, throughout the daylight hours, when one can 'see'., yet you rid yourself of this obligation after a single hour. The early pious ones are testimony to the habit of not walking even one moment without wearing tzitzit. All this they truly responded to me, and my heart was disturbed over this response. I gathered my strength and asked again before the King, that he might instruct them to inform me whether a woolen tallit is more acceptable than a linen one, or whether they are equal, or whether linen is invalid. They responded: the halacha is well-established among us that wool and linen are equal, and for each one, the threads are valid for the garment of that type. The reason comes from what is written (Numbers 15:38) "They shall make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments." Why does it specify 'for themselves'? It means that any garment that is common among them. For the Torah does not want to be oppressive and require something that not everybody has. Rather, it allows whichever of these two materials their garment is made of, wool or linen. Some time later they responded again: "It is because of the anger replaced in our bags, to make us roll and to condemn us." (cf. Genesis 43:18) They were precise about this word 'anger', spelling it out to me ⁴The original verse has the word 'kessef', money, while here they say 'ketsef', anger. They explained that the Great King is angry with us on this matter of tzitzit, that we should have paid attention to and have worn it on the corners of our garments. Now we are being brought to the Day of Judgement, 'to make us roll and condemn us'.

They responded: 'Such an argument need not enter here' (Bava Metzia 16a:18), since the Torah says "In order that you shall remember" (Numbers 15:40).³Therefore there is a positive commandment to perform an action of remembering, namely, to wear tzitzit. "Nonetheless, leave the Jews alone, it is better than they sin unintentionally than intentionally." (Bava Batra 60b:21)

Questions that R. Ovadia the Proselyte asked our master Moshe, of blessed memory, and his responses. Said Moshe b. Maimon, among the exiles of Jerusalem in Spain, of blessed memory. We have received the question of the teacher and master Ovadia, the wise and learned proselyte, may God compensate him for his efforts, and may his reward from the Lord, God of Israel, under Whose wings he has sought protection, be complete. You have asked whether, when you recite blessing and prayers alone or on behalf of the congregation, you should say: “Our God and God of our fathers,” “Who has sanctified us with His commandments,” “Who has separated us,” “Who has chosen us,” “Who has granted to us,” “Who has brought us out of the land of Egypt,” “Who has made miracles for our fathers,” and more of this kind. You should say everything as prescribed. Do not change anything. Rather, you shall bless and pray in the same way that every natural-born Jew blesses and prays, whether as an individual or when leading the congregation. The principle of this matter is that our patriarch Abraham taught all the people, illuminated their minds, and brought them knowledge of true faith and God’s singularity. He rejected idolatry and abolished its worship; he brought many under the wings of the divine presence; he taught and instructed them, and he ordered his sons and the members of his household after him to keep the ways of God, as it is written: “For I have known him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of God…” (Bereishit 18:19). Thus, anyone throughout history who converts, and anyone who declares the unity of God’s name as the Torah states, is a disciple of our patriarch Abraham and a member of his household. He has returned them to the proper path. Just as he returned his contemporaries with his words and teachings, so too he has returned every future proselyte through the instruction that he gave to his sons and household for posterity. Thus, the patriarch Abraham is the father of his worthy progeny who follow his path and is father of his disciples, of all proselytes who convert. Therefore you shall recite: “Our God and God of our fathers,” because Abraham is your father. And you shall recite: “Who has granted to our forefathers,” for the land was granted to Abraham, as it is stated: “Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I will give to you” (Bereishit 13:17). However, “Who has brought us out of the land of Egypt” and “Who has made miracles for our fathers” you may change if you wish, and say “Who has brought Israel out of the land of Egypt” and “Who has made miracles for Israel.” But if you do not alter them, it does not matter. Since you have come under the wings of the divine presence and joined yourself to Him, there is no difference between you and us. It is as though all the miracles were done for us and for you. It is stated in the book of Isaiah: “The stranger, that has joined himself to God, must not say: ‘God has separated me from His people…’” (56:3). There is no difference at all between you and us. You shall recite, “Who has chosen us,” “Who has granted to us,” “Who has given to us,” and “Who has separated us,” for the Creator has indeed chosen you and separated you from the nations and given you the Torah. For the Torah has been given to us and to the proselytes, as it is said, “One law shall be for you of the congregation and for the proselyte who sojourns with you—an everlasting law for all generations. As you are, so shall the stranger be before God” (Bamidbar 15:15). Know that our ancestors who came out of Egypt were mostly idolaters; they had mingled with idolaters in Egypt and learned from their ways, until the Holy One sent our teacher Moses, the master of all prophets, who separated us from the nations and brought us under the wings of the divine presence—us and all proselytes—and gave to all of us one law. Do not consider yourself to be of inferior pedigree. Whereas we are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, you are traced directly to the Creator. As Isaiah said explicitly: “One shall say, I am the Lord’s, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob” (44:5). Everything we have told you regarding keeping the blessings unaltered can be proven from m. Bikkurim (1:4), which teaches: “A proselyte brings [the first fruits] but does not make the recitation, for he cannot state ‘which God swore to our ancestors to give us.’ And when he prays alone, he recites ‘Our God and the God of the Israelite patriarchs.’ And when he prays on behalf of the congregation, he recites: ‘Our God and God of our fathers.’” This is an anonymous mishna, and accords with Rabbi Meir. However, this is not the law. Rather, as explained in the Yerushalmi: “It was stated there that there is a teaching in the name of R. Yehuda: A proselyte himself may bring and recite. Why? ‘For I have made you father of a multitude of nations.’ At first, [Abraham] was a biological father. Henceforth he was father of all creatures. R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: The law accords with R. Yehuda. A case came before R. Abahu, and he ruled in accordance with R. Yehuda.” It is thus clear that you should recite “which God swore to our ancestors to give us,” and that Abraham is father to you, to us, and to all the righteous who follow his path. The same applies to all blessings and prayers. You should change nothing. Moshe b. Maimon