As we have already pointed out, all colours seen in dreams signify good things, with the exception of purple-blue (techeleth), and that is because it symbolizes the Throne from which souls are judged. But has it not some white in it? Truly; but when the judgement takes place it appears to be only purple-blue, as we have said.
The sight of that colour reminds a man that he must keep the commandments of his Lord. So it was with the Brazen Serpent in the wilderness: they who looked upon it were filled with awe and fear of the Holy One and kept themselves clear from sin, and therefore they were healed in that moment. And who was it that instilled in them fear of the Holy One? The instrument of punishment-that Serpent at which they so fixedly gazed. The same is true of “the thread of blue”, that they were bidden to put upon the fringe of their garments (Zizith), concerning which it is written, “that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord” (Num. 15, 39). Therefore it was ordained that this colour should be in the Tabernacle.’
Said R. Isaac: ‘The Master has told us that this colour symbolizes the Throne when it becomes the seat of judgement. When, then, is it the seat of mercy?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘When the Cherubim turn their faces the one towards the other, and gaze each into the face of the other, then all colours are merged-purple-blue becomes something else, and green or blue is turned into white.
With the changing of colours judgement was changed into mercy, or vice versa. And so with all other colours. All depends on the way in which Israel orders her prayers; hence it is written: “Israel in whom I will be glorified” (lit. beautified) (Isa. 49, 3), to wit, in those colours which merge into one another and contain all beauty.’
כָּל גַּוְונִין טָבִין לְחֶלְמָא, בַּר תִּכְלָא, כְּמָה (קל"ט ע"א) דְּאִתְּמַר. בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ כֻּרְסְיָיא, לְמֵידָן דִּינִין דְּנִשְׁמָתִין. וְהָא הַאי דַּרְגָּא (נ"א חדא) חִוָּורָא אִיהוּ. אֶלָּא בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּדִינֵי דְּנַפְשָׁאן, כְּדִין אִיהוּ גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא.
As we have already pointed out, all colours seen in dreams signify good things, with the exception of purple-blue (techeleth), and that is because it symbolizes the Throne from which souls are judged. But has it not some white in it? Truly; but when the judgement takes place it appears to be only purple-blue, as we have said.
בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְהַאי גּוָֹון, אִדְכַּר בַּר נָשׁ לְמֶעְבַּד פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארֵיהּ. כְּגַוְונָא דִּנְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דַּהֲווֹ חֲמָאן לֵיהּ, הֲווֹ דַּחֲלֵי מִקַּמֵּי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּמְנַטְרָן גַּרְמַיְיהוּ מִכָּל חוֹבִין, וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּהַהוּא דְּחִילוּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סַלְּקָא עָלַיְיהוּ, מִיָּד אִתָּסְיָין. מַאן גָּרִים לוֹן לְדַּחֲלָא מִקָּמֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַהוּא נָחָשׁ, הַהִיא רְצוּעָה דְּמִסְתַכְּלָן בָּהּ. אוּף הָכִי תְּכֵלֶת (במדבר ט״ו:ל״ט) וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ וּזְּכַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת יְיָ'. מֵהַהוּא דְּחִילוּ דִּילֵיהּ, וְעַל דָּא תְּכֵלֶת בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא.
The sight of that colour reminds a man that he must keep the commandments of his Lord. So it was with the Brazen Serpent in the wilderness: they who looked upon it were filled with awe and fear of the Holy One and kept themselves clear from sin, and therefore they were healed in that moment. And who was it that instilled in them fear of the Holy One? The instrument of punishment-that Serpent at which they so fixedly gazed. The same is true of “the thread of blue”, that they were bidden to put upon the fringe of their garments (Zizith), concerning which it is written, “that ye may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord” (Num. 15, 39). Therefore it was ordained that this colour should be in the Tabernacle.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, הַאי דְּאָמַר מַר תְּכֵלֶת כֻּרְסְיָיא דְּדִינָא אִיהִי, וְכַד אִיהִי קַיְּימָא בְּגַוְונָא דָּא, כְּדֵין אִיהִי כֻּרְסְיָיא לְמֵידָן דִּינֵי נַפְשָׁאן. אֵימָתַי אִיהִי בְּרַחֲמֵי. אָמַר לֵיהּ, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דִּכְרוּבִים מְהַדְרָן אַנְפַּיְיהוּ דָּא עִם דָּא, וּמִסְתַּכְּלָן אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין. כֵּיוָן דְּאִינּוּן כְּרוּבִים מִסְתַּכְּלָן אַנְפִּין בְּאַנְפִּין כְּדֵין כָּל גַּוְונִין מִתְתַּקְנָן, וְאִתְהַפָּךְ גּוָֹון תִּכְלָא לְגָוְון אַחֲרָא. מִתְהַפָּךְ גּוָֹון יָרוֹק, לְגָוְון זָהָב.
Said R. Isaac: ‘The Master has told us that this colour symbolizes the Throne when it becomes the seat of judgement. When, then, is it the seat of mercy?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘When the Cherubim turn their faces the one towards the other, and gaze each into the face of the other, then all colours are merged-purple-blue becomes something else, and green or blue is turned into white.
(נ"א חוור) וְעַל דָּא, בְּהִפּוּכָא דִּגְוָונִין, אִתְהַפַּךְ מִדִּינָא לְרַחֲמֵי, וְכֵן מֵרַחֲמֵי לְדִינָא, וְכֹלָּא בְּהִפּוּכָא דִּגְוָונִין. כְּמָה דִּמְסַדְרִין יִשְׂרָאֵל תִּקּוּנַיְיהוּ לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הָכִי קַיָּימָא כֹּלָּא, וְהָכִי אִתְסָדַר. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב (ישעיהו מ״ט:ג׳) יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר בְּךָ אֶתְפָּאָר, בְּאִינּוּן גַּוְונִין דִּכְלִילָן דָּא בְּדָא, שְׁפִירוּ דְּכֻלְּהוּ. (חסר כאן)
With the changing of colours judgement was changed into mercy, or vice versa. And so with all other colours. All depends on the way in which Israel orders her prayers; hence it is written: “Israel in whom I will be glorified” (lit. beautified) (Isa. 49, 3), to wit, in those colours which merge into one another and contain all beauty.’