Numbers 15:38-41 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them
fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put
upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: 39 and it shall be unto you for a fringe,
that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them;
and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a
whoring: 40 that ye may remember, and do all My commandments, and be holy unto your
Elohim. 41 I am YHWH your Elohim, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your
Elohim: I am YHWH your Elohim.
Deuteronomy 22:12
Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture,
wherewith thou coverest thyself.
Twice in the Torah the children of Israel are commanded to place fringes upon the corners of their garments as a reminder of the commandments of YHWH. The word "fringes" in these two passages is actually translating two different Hebrew words. In the first reference, the word "fringes" is translating the Hebrew word
tzitzit (tsade, yud, tsade, yud, tav), which may be translated as "floral or wing-like projection," "a forelock of hair," "fringe," or "tassel."1 The exact etymology of this word is debatable. It is possible that the root of the word
tzitzit is the word tzitz (tsade, yud, tsade), which means "bloom" or "flower."2 From this we may understand that the
tzitzit were to be a form of ornamentation or decoration. It is also possible that the word
tzitzit is part of a play on words. The word tzutz (tsade, vav, tsade), which in some grammatical forms becomes tzitz (tsade, yud, tsade), may be translated as "to look" or "to gaze upon." The word metzitz is used, for example, in the Song of Solomon.
Song of Solomon 2:9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth
behind our wall, he looketh (metzitz) forth at the windows, shewing himself through the
lattice.
Regardless of which of these two words
tzitzit is derived from, we should recognize that both are
references to things that involve our eyes seeing. Flowers, blossoms, ornamentation, and decorations are all meant to be looked at or gazed upon. It is clear from the commandment that the
tzitzit or fringes were to be seen by the children of Israel. Thus the word
tzitzit, while referring to a flower, blossom, tassel, or fringe, may, when looked at or gazed upon, remind the children of Israel of their covenant with YHWH.
Numbers 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and
remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them; and that ye seek not after
your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring.
While the word for "look" in this passage is ra'a, not tzutz or metzitz, the name
tzitzit may still indicate that these ornaments were to be visible to the children of Israel.
The second word translated as "fringes" is the Hebrew word gadyl (gimmel, dalet, yud, lammed), which may be translated as "thread," "twisting," "tassel," "festoon," or "wreath."3 Here we may think of something braided.
Deuteronomy 22:12 Thou shalt make thee fringes (g'dilim) upon the four quarters of thy
vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
Once again, we are commanded to place braided threads upon the corners of our garments. We may ask why the Torah uses a different word in this instance. I would suggest that it is to give us greater detail. The word gadyl comes from the root word gadal (gimmel, dalet, lammed), which may be translated as "great," "large," "grow," "expand," or "become great."4 This same root may also mean "plaited" or "braided." Here we may think of a thread growing large or great by being braided with other threads until the thread becomes a rope. By using the word gadyl, the Torah gives us another detail concerning the fringes or tassels that are to be worn. From the word gadyl we may understand that the fringes are to be braided.
The idea that the fringes are to be braided is further supported by a third word that is used in conjunction with the tzitzit - the Hebrew word patyl (pey, tav, yud, lammed), which means "a thread," "twine," or "twisted or braided cord."5 We are commanded that the tzitzit should have a patyl of blue upon it.
Numbers 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them
fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put
upon the fringe of the borders a ribband (patyl) of blue.
While the English word "ribband" evokes images of a thick stripe of satin cloth, the Hebrew simply means twisted, braided thread or twine. Thus it would seem that the threads of the tassel are to somehow be braided with or bound by a thread of blue. < href="http://www.michaelroodministries.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ARA&Product_Code=T100&Category_Code=NEW">tzitzit. The first is a tunic-like garment that was worn over another outer garment. This tunic-like garment had four corners and was clearly visible to others. A second blanket or cloak-like, outer garment was often worn to protect against the elements of wind, sand, dust, rain, and heat. This larger garment was often used as a
tent for shade or a blanket to keep one warm at night. It is this outer garment that is referred to in the above passages from Ruth as well as in the teachings concerning the receiving of a pledge.
Exodus 22:26-27 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it
unto him by that the sun goeth down: 27for that is his covering (kesut) only, it is his
raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? And it shall come to pass, when he crieth
unto Me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
Deuteronomy 24:12-13 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: 13in
any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may
sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before
YHWH thy Elohim.
Deuteronomy 24:17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the
fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge.
Both of these garments are still with us today, but they have changed over time. The larger, blanket-like outer garment is evident today in the modern tallit or prayer shawl. While this large, four-cornered garment was a standard piece of clothing in days gone by, the tallit or prayer shawl of today has been relegated to times of prayer. An adaptation of the tunic-like garment has been preserved for us in the tallit katan or little prayer shawl with the tzitzit attached that is worn as a four-cornered undergarment. This later garment was developed during a time of persecution when it was illegal to wear
tzitzit. By wearing the tallit katan concealed beneath other clothing, the believer could still fulfill the commandment to wear tzitzit without overtly endangering his life. While this practice is understandable in times of persecution, the commandment of the Torah requires that the tzitzit be visible. It is possible that the cloak and the tunic, as well as any other four-cornered garments, were festooned with tzitzit. Since neither cloaks nor tunics play much part in our modern wardrobe, we may ask how we are to wear tzitzit today. Putting on a tallit or prayer shawl for prayer is indeed a fulfilling of the commandment to wear tzitzit. But is this limited usage truly consistent with the spirit of the Torah?
If the purpose of wearing tzitzit is to encourage one to remember the covenant, keep the covenant, and avoid the temptation to follow one's own eyes and heart to chase after other elohim, then it would seem that the spirit of the Torah is commanding that tzitzit should be worn continually, not just at times of prayer. The spirit of the Torah seems to suggest that the tzitzit are to be visible as we walk through the temptations of the world. That the tzitzit are to be on the "four corners" of our garments seems to indicate that no matter which direction we turn or to which corner of the earth we are sent, the tzitzit would remind us that we are always to keep the covenant, even to the four corners of the earth.
Fulfilling the spirit of the commandment to wear tzitzit may be accomplished in several ways. The tzitzit may be worn on a tallit katan or little prayer shawl worn under the clothing like a tunic with the tzitzit themselves still being visible. Tzitzit may be directly tied on belt loops or pinned to the hem of a garment.
It is also fitting to create an appropriate, tunic-like garment to which
tzitzit may be attached to wear over one's clothing. There are also shirts that have splits up each side to create four corners that will accommodate tzitzit being tied onto them. What seems to be most important is that tzitzit be worn and that they be visible. The length, manner of tying, and color(s), other than blue, used to make the
tzitzit are left to the imagination of the children of Israel. What is commanded, however, is that we wear them.
Another question that may be raised at this time is who is to wear tzitzit. The rabbis have declared that the large, blanket-like outer garment as well as the smaller tunic are to be considered men's clothing. Therefore, the rabbis reason that both the larger prayer shawl as well as the little prayer shawl that are derived from these ancient garments are likewise men's garments. Since tzitzit belong to the prayer shawls, and since the Torah forbids women from wearing men's clothing, the rabbis reason that women should not wear
tzitzit.
Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither
shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto YHWH thy
Elohim.
This rabbinic teaching has caused many of the children of Israel to stumble and violate the Torah's clear commandment to wear tzitzit. The Torah does not designate that tzitzit be tied only to the garments of the men. The Torah is very clear on this matter. The children of Israel are to wear tzitzit. "The children of Israel," as a title, refers to ALL of those who would identify themselves as a part of the covenant people of YHWH regardless of bloodline, age, or gender. Wearing tzitzit is a part of keeping the covenant. Since all of the children of Israel are called to keep the covenant, then all of the children of Israel should wear tzitzit. It is, therefore, appropriate for men, women, and children to don
tzitzit. Men, as well as women and children, are vulnerable to temptation, and, therefore, should avail themselves of every encouragement to remember the covenant and to keep it.
By wearing tzitzit, we also make it possible for our brethren identify us. Since those who seek to keep the covenant seem few and far between, it is always a joy and a blessing to identify another Torah-keeper. Seeing that we are not alone in the world is, in itself, a great encouragement to keep the Torah.
Therefore, if not for our own sake, then for the encouragement of our brethren, we should all faithfully fulfill this simple commandment and wear
tzitzit on the corners of our garments.
1 The New Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D., Thomas Nelson Publishing, Pg. 767
2 Ibid., Pg. 766
3 Ibid., Pg. 396
4 A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language For Readers of English, Ernest Klien,
MacMillan Publishing, Pg. 92
5 Ibid., Pg. 758
