SILK - PARSHAS HASHOVUA

 

לזכות נשמתה הטהורה של אמי מורתי מרת געלא בת ר' אברהם אשי ע"ה יום השנה ד' אדר א אמרה לי אם   ''Der tag hat nicht genug stunden  was man braucht zu loben,danken und Davenen zum Ribono Shel Olam" (translation from German) The day doesn't have enough hours for the amount needed to praise, thank, and Daven to the Ribono Shel Olam   -  Parshas Hashavua תרומה וצפית אתו זהב טהור---- ועשית עליו זר זהב סביב             The ר' בחיי, ( Parshas Terumah) writes We don’t find in the נדבת המשכן any silk because for building the משכן we may not use materials that come from non-kosher animals. (silkworms are non-kosher) The dye of תולעת שני (red wool) does not come from a worm. It comes from a red seed that has a worm in it. (Rambam Parah Adumah 3:2 – Rashi  Yeshayahu1:18) The ספר חסידים ס' ער"ה writes,that for 'חפצי ה (holy objects) one is obligated to store them in elegant containers etc. For this reason, they made the mantles of ספרי תורה with silk. (Velvet wasn't common then) The שו"ת חתם סופר או"ח ל"ט  is struggling to find a היתר for using silk mantles on the פרוכת- ספרי תורה etc. Perhaps, the reason why many Rebbes use for their Tallis/Tefillin bag, cow/deer leather with the hair still attached, is to show that it's made from a kosher animal (not pig- alligator skin, etc.) .אמבצי