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M. M. NINAN<br />
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A description <strong>of</strong> its appearance: Menachot 44a<br />
It is only found once in 70 years: Menachot 44a<br />
The Chilazon was found in Zevulun's portion in Israel: Megillah 6a<br />
Gr<strong>and</strong> Rabbi Gershon Henoch Leiner <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> cuttle fish<br />
The first concerted scientific effort in identifying Chilazone was done by Gr<strong>and</strong><br />
Rabbi Gershon Henoch Leiner, <strong>the</strong> Radziner Rebbe, (1887 AD) who concluded<br />
that <strong>the</strong> Sepia <strong>of</strong>ficinalis (common cuttlefish – ink fish) met many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> criteria. It<br />
hides in s<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> has blue blood, unlike regular fish. (The blue color <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blood<br />
is because it is copper-based, unlike <strong>the</strong> vertebra's red blood, which contains<br />
hemoglobin <strong>and</strong> is iron-based.) Within an year, Radziner chassidim began wearing<br />
tzitzit dyed with a colorant produced from this cephalopod. The Breslov Hasidim<br />
also adopted this custom (Breslov is a branch <strong>of</strong> Hasidic Judaism – A Piety<br />
Movement - founded by Rebbe Nachman <strong>of</strong> Breslov (1772 – 1810) a greatgr<strong>and</strong>son<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Baal Shem Tov, founder <strong>of</strong> Hasidism.)<br />
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