The mystery of the Tallit

                                                                                 The Tallit
This article originally appeared in the 1:5754 (1993) Jews for Jesus Newsletter

Visit a Saturday morning synagogue service, and you will notice that all the men and many of the boys are draped in white, fringed prayer shawls that are bordered with either blue or black stripes. The prayer shawl is the tallit. Jewish people who use the East European Hebrew dialect usually pronounce the word "TAH-liss" (plural tallesim, "tah-LAY-sim"). The
modern Israeli pronunciation, however, is "tah-LEET" (plural tallitot, "tahlee-TOHT"). The tasseled fringes on the tallit are the tzitzit (pronounced TSI-tsit).

The Origin and Significance of the Tallit and Tzitzit
Originally the tallit was a four-cornered outer garment to which were attached the fringes, or tzitzit. Though the wearing of the tallit has its basis in Old Testament Scripture, the word itself is not found in the Bible. The tzitzit (tassels), however, are: Again the LORD spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their
garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners.
"And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them...and be holy for your God" (Numbers 15:37-40).
You shall make tassels on the four corners of the clothing with which you cover yourself (Deuteronomy 22:12).
The real significance of the tallit is not in the garment itself, but in the fringes. In modern terms, it might be likened to a sweatshirt or stadium jacket, where the importance lies not in the actual piece of clothing, but in the slogan or school emblem it carries. Like many objects of Old Testament times, fringed garments were also found in non-Hebrew cultures such as Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Midianite. The fringes of the other nations probably were worn as decorations or amulets to keep away evil spirits. But, as with many other Old Testament laws, God took the
already known and gave it a new significance for Israel. The tassels or fringes were to remind Israel of His commandments.
Along with the primary purpose of the tzitzit based on the Pentateuch, we find another, later meaning. In ancient times, tassels were part of the hem of a garment, and the hem symbolized the wearer's authority. When David spared Saul's life in the cave at En Gedi, he cut off the comer of Saul's robe, symbolically demonstrating that the king's authority would be cut off. This is seen in Saul's response: And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand (1 Samuel 24:20).
Tassels added to the hem were not worn by commoners, but by the nobility or royalty.1 The second significance of the tzitzit, then, is that they showed the wearer to be more than a commoner. He was a noble, or a royal personage.
Not just the presence of the tzitzit but their colors also carried meaning. The color was white, but among the white cords on each tassel there was to be one blue strand. This color combination was part of the trappings of royalty, as were the colors blue and purple:
... Who were clothed in purple, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men ... of Assyria... (Ezekiel 23:6-7).
There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and...couches ... of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble (Esther 1:6).
Now Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, with a great crown of gold and a garment of fine linen and purple... (Esther 8:15a).
Blue was also used in settings where God's kingship was proclaimed. Blue was to cover the ark (and other tabernacle objects) whenever they were moved, and blue was also used with the curtains of the tabernacle where God dwelt "enthroned" between the cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 6:2; 2 Kings 19:15; 1 Chronicles 13:6; Psalm 80: 1; 99: 1; Isaiah 37:16).
Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles (Numbers 4:6).
You shall make a veil woven of blue and purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen thread. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim (Exodus 26:31).
You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven of blue and purple and scarlet yam, and fine linen thread, made by a weaver (Exodus 26:36).
The third significance of the tzitzit, therefore, was in their colors. They spoke of royalty and kingship. Even today we talk of "royal blue" and "royal purple" from the custom of Roman emperors who wore purple mantles. If the color symbolized royalty, the fabric of the fringed garment stood for priestly holiness. According to Deuteronomy 22:11 and Leviticus 19:19, the common Israelite was forbidden to wear a garment of mixed wool and linen, a combination called sha'atnez (SHAT-nez). The reason, not stated in the text, is apparently because the priestly garments were made of that
blend (the "thread" that is not designated as linen below is wool).2
... and they shall make the ephod of gold and blue and purple and scarlet thread, and fine linen thread... (Exodus 28:6).

... and a sash of fine linen and blue and purple and scarlet thread woven as the LORD had commanded Moses (Exodus 39:29).
Although sha'atnez was a "holy" combination, that did not mean it had special qualities or that the wearer became more spiritual. It simply marked the wearer as being separated for God's service. Early rabbinic sources, perhaps reflecting the still earlier biblical practice, taught that the tzitzit were made of this very combination of wool and linen.
The blue cord was wool, the other threads linen. In other words, for this purpose only, the common Israelite would wear a garment similar to that of the priests. The fourth significance of the tzitzit is that they stood for the priesthood and its holiness. The high priest's garments had a blue thread, again a reminder of the color symbolism: And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban (Exodus 28:37).
It is understandable that the tzitzit would be used to remind Israel of God and His commandments. But why would a common Israelite wear garments of royalty, priesthood and holiness? God had said: Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; ... And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation... (Exodus 19:5-6).
Just as Israel had priests who mediated between God and the people, the people as a whole were to be a "kingdom of priests" to mediate between God and the nations. The continuation of this role, however, depended on Israel's obedience to God, her King. Therefore the tzitzit reminded the Israelites of who they were, who God was and what He required of them.
New Testament Mention of the Tallit and Tzitzit In the New Testament we find the tallit and tzitzit mentioned as an ordinary all-day garment. Condemning the ostentatious religious practices of some people, Jesus referred to the extreme length of their tzitzit.
But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments (Matthew 23:5).
Sick people touched the hem of Jesus' garment, that is, the tassels themselves.
And suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:20).
... came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped (Luke 8:44).
... and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well (Matthew 14:36).
Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might just touch the border of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well (Mark 6:56).
These verses support the earlier theory concerning the Old Testament account of David and Saul, i.e. that the hem or edge of a garment stood for the wearer's authority. The woman believed that if she could only touch the hem of Jesus' garment, she would experience the power of His person and authority. Her act was not a matter of superstition,
but a silent cry for Jesus to grant her His personal attention and healing power. In contemporary terms the account might be likened to the public appearance of a popular politician or musician where people want to shake hands or in some way touch and connect with a celebrity. Jesus allowed those who "connected" with Him by touch to experience who He was: the Great Physician.
                                        History of the Tallit and Tzitzit
Eventually the tallit was no longer worn as an outer garment but an inner one. Some think this change took place after Israel was exiled from the land because the tallit wearer, clearly marked as a Jew, would have been subject to persecution or discrimination. Very religious Jews still wear the "innerwear" tallit, with only the fringes visible. In this way they fulfill the
commandment of Numbers 15:39, which requires the wearer to "look upon" the fringes. This inner tallit is called the tallit katan (tah-LEET ka-TAN) or small tallit.
The outerwear tallit of ancient times developed in yet another way that is more commonly known today. It is not the allday inner garment described above, but a shawl to be worn only during certain times of prayer. In modern Jewry only males wear the tallit and tzitzit, but rabbinic sources tell us that in earlier times tzitzit were also worn by women. The tzitzit originally
contained a cord or thread that was dyed blue. According to some, after the two Roman wars (67-70 and 132-135 A.D.), the dye industry suffered a recession. The community became poor, and the requirement of the blue cord was dropped. According to others, the color was changed to all white because a dispute arose as to what shade of blue the cord should be.

Some Laws of the Tallit and Tzitzit

The rabbis have developed many laws pertaining to the tallit and tzitzit that are not found in the Bible. Among these are:
 The minimum size for a tallit is that which can clothe a small child who is able to walk.3
 The tallit is generally worn by men during morning prayers and during all Yom Kippur services.
 The following benediction is recited before donning the tallit:
Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, Who hast sanctified us by Thy commandments, and hast
commanded us to wrap ourselves in the fringed garment.

 One should not recite this blessing if he has borrowed a tallit for a short period during the service, nor should the lender recite it upon donning the returned tallit.
 The tallit must be removed before using a rest room.

Some Customs of the Tallit and Tzitzit

 The fabric of the modern tallit is either wool, cotton or silk.
 As a reminder that the tzitzit were to have blue cords, blue stripes are usually seen on modern tallitot. From the time of
the final fall of ancient Jerusalem until Israel once again became a state in 1948, however, black stripes were prevalent on the
tallit to symbolize mourning.
 In older tradition the usual way to put on the tallit was to cover the head first letting it fall naturally into position.
More recently, the tallit has been handled like a scarf, i.e. first placed around the neck, then draped over the shoulders.
 Very observant Jews pray with the tallit covering the head, symbolic of being surrounded by the holiness of God's
commandments and submitting to His will. Most Jewish people today, however, pray with the tallit covering only the
shoulders.
 Ashkenazim--Jews of East European descent--allow the wearing of child-sized tallitot for children who have not yet reached bar mitzvah age (13). In some cultures only males past the age of 13 wear the tallit, while still others restrict its use to
married men. In contemporary America, most boys begin to use the tallit after the bar mitzvah, but some parents and teachers
encourage its use even prior to that as a way of educating the children in their Jewishness.
 It is customary to touch the tallit to the Torah Scroll as it is carried in procession around the synagogue, or to touch the
tallit to the passage in the Law over which the benediction is recited. One then kisses the tallit to show reverence for the Law.
 Many synagogues provide a tallit, along with a yarmulke (skullcap, pronounced YAR-mul-keh) and siddur (prayer
book pronounced si-DUR), for worshipers who do not own these items. These must be returned after the service.
 In some cultures a Jewish bridegroom wears a tallit during the wedding ceremony.
 When not worn, the tallit is kept in a special bag, usually of richly embroidered velvet.
 It is customary to bury a Jewish man in his tallit with the tzitzit removed or torn, symbolizing that the deceased can no
longer observe the Law.

Spiritual Lessons From the Tallit and Tzitzit

One writer compares the tallit with its fringes to an "ethical string-around-the-finger."4Another compares it to a soldier's
uniform, which makes us "mindful to whom one owes one's allegiance."5What is seen affects what one does.
The symbolism of the tallit can remind believers in Y'shua of who they are in Christ. Now not only Israel, but all humanity has the opportunity through Messiah Y'shua to become a "kingdom of priests" interceding in prayer on behalf of the
world. Of course, as in ancient times, such a privilege is only of effect as we have committed our lives in obedience to God.
... [Y'shua] has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1. Jacob Milgrom, Numbers. The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation (Philadelphia and New York: Jewish Publication Society, 1990), p. 411. Much of the following material on the significance of the tzitzit is based on Milgrom's discussion.
2. Ezekiel 44:17 does not contradict this, because many of the regulations described for Ezekiel's temple are different than the laws found in the Five Books of Moses. The Mishnah (Kilayim 9:1) confirms that the priests who served in the Temple in
the time around Christ wore the linen-and-wool mixture.
3. Shulchan Aruch, OH 16: 1.
4. Joseph Telushkin, Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know about the Jewish Religion, its People, and its
History (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1991), p. 659.
5. Hayim Halevy Donin, To Pray as a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service (New York: Basic Books, Inc. 1980), p. 155.
                                     Tzitzit and Tallit
                                   By Carl J. Stevens

An explanation of the history and practices of the tzitzit and the tallit
Messianic Channel, Christianity.com -
A man wrapped in a prayer shawl during prayer is a common image of Judaism. How did this practice develop, and what is the significance of the long fringes hanging fromthe corners of the shawl? An explanation of the history and practices of the tzitzit and the tallit
A tzitzit is a fringe, and a tallit is a long, rectangular-shaped, usually striped prayer shawl, both developed in accordance with B’Midbar (Numbers) 15: 37-41:

Adonai said to Moshe, ”Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitzityot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at, and,
thereby, remember all of Adonai’s mitzvoth and obey them, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; but it will help you remember and obey all My mitzvoth and be holy for your God. I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your God. I am Adonai your God.” (Complete
Jewish Bible)
The purpose of the tzitzit, the fringe mentioned in the above passage, was to be a visual reminder to the Israelites of their covenant with God. Specifically, they are reminded to bring to mind the mitzvoth (commandments) of God and to comply with them. It serves in the same way as a note on the refrigerator or a string tied around a finger. The root of the word, tzutz, means
“to gaze.” So the Jew is to gaze upon the tzitzit and, in that gazing, remember and obey the commandments.
The tzitzit also serves as a type of bumper sticker. Hopefully, a person with a bumper sticker reading, “I’m a Believer” will not exhibit road rage on the highway or park in a way so as to take up multiple parking spaces. This would bring disrepute to God in the eyes of third parties observing these behaviors. Likewise, wearing tzitzit on the garments proclaims to others that
the person is a Jew, a monotheist. If the Jew goes into a place which would dishonor God, others might ask him “what is a Jew
doing in a place like this?” The embarrassment might serve as a deterrent from participating in wrongful activities.
The blue thread in the tzitzit is making a comeback. A custom arose that the dye for this thread could only be obtained from a snail-like creature living in the Mediterranean Sea. When that source became unobtainable, some Jews refrained from dying one thread blue — hence the phenomena of the completely white tzitzit. The snail has again been identified, so the inclusion of a blue thread is now more common.
The tzitzit is traditionally wound and knotted in a particular manner in order to symbolize the 613 commandments of the Torah. This commandment was given at the time when men wore four-cornered outer garments, so attaching tzitzit to this garment was easy. After Jews were dispersed throughout the world, cornered garments were not the common dress. Therefore,
other customs have developed to maintain the commandment. Some sects of Jews developed the arba kanfot or the tallit katan, a smaller version of the four-cornered cloak which fits over the head and is worn under the shirt. The tzitzit attached to this undergarment are either worn inside, or hang over, the trousers as a visual reminder to the Jew. Another garment
developed to which the tzitzit were attached. The tallit (or tallis to some European Jews) developed as a rectangular prayer shawl. Some are decorated with black stripes in remembrance of the destruction of the Temple. Some have blue stripes, like the tzitziyot (plural of tzitzit) which are attached to them. Still others have a colorful decor. Some are rather small, to be draped around the neck like a scarf. Others are large, so that one can wrap himself inside. Many Jews are buried in their tallitot.
Traditionally, the tallit is only worn at Morning Prayer because of the command to “see” the tzitzit.                                                                During late afternoon
and evening services, it was considered too dark to properly “see” the tzitzit, so the tallit was not worn. (The exception is at the evening service during Yom Kippur— Day of Atonement —because that is considered to be a single, continuing day). It is
common practice, however, for the prayer leader to wear a tallit at these services. A tallit is not usually worn by mourners between the time of death and the funeral of loved ones, and during the morning services at Tishah B’Av (the 9th of Av, a day of mourning). In some traditions, a boy is given his first tallit at his Bar Mitzvah; in others, the first tallit is worn after
marriage. A tallit has been commonly used to create the chuppah under which couples are married. The flag of the State of Israel has stripes which are reminiscent of a tallit. Although some traditions limit the wearing of the tallit to males, more liberal traditions allow women to wear them during worship.
When one dons the tallit he recites a blessing: “Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with commandments, and has commanded us to wrap ourselves in tzitzit.”
In this way, an ancient command to the Jews has survived to the present day.
                                                               Israeli Flag

The flag of Israel is based on the design of the tallit, the prayer shawl worn by Jewish men (and by some women in Reform and Conservative congregations) during certain services. The tallit is worn during all morning services. In addition, it is worn on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The tallit is also worn when reading the Torah during Shabbat
(Sabbath) afternoon services and by the person leading evening services. (Jews pray three times a day: the morning service is called shacharit; the afternoon service is called minchah; and the evening service is called ma'ariv or aravit.) There are two basic traditions regarding who wears the tallit. According to one tradition, any Jewish adult should wear the tallit (at the
appropriate times). A Jewish adult is one who is thirteen years of age and older (a Bar Mitzvah, or "Son of the Commandments.") According to another tradition, only married Jews wear the tallit. In addition to the exterior tallit, there is also a tallit katan ("small tallit"), which pious Jews wear all day under their clothes.
Because the tallit is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Jewish people, it was chosen to be the basis of the flag.
(Indeed, in coming up with a design for the flag, the early Zionists came to the realization that the Jewish People had had a flag all along - the tallit - and there was thus no need to design a flag from scratch.) In the center of the flag is the Magen David, or "Shield of [King] David," better known in English as the "Star of David" or "Jewish Star," another recognizable Jewish
symbol.
                                                          P'til Tekhelet
The Association for the Promotion and Distribution of Tekhelet; Jerusalem, Israel
Tekhelet Tidbit
Tisha b'Av and Tekhelet
The Shulchan Aruch (555:1) states: It is customary not to lay Tefillin on Tisha b'Av at Shacharit, and not a Tallit. Rather, one should wear a Tallit Katan beneath his clothes, without a blessing. And at Mincha, we put on Tzitizit and Tefillin, with the blessings.
The Mishna Brura explains the custom of delaying the wearing of the Tallit, based on a Midrash on Eicha, The Book Of Lamentations 2:17.
- "He carried out His decree" is interpreted as - "He tore His Royal garments". [This is
the Tallit.]. The word porphyra, connoting "royal garments", refers to garments dyed with purpura snails (Murex). As a sign bemoaning the rending of the Royal garments, we delay donning the Tallit, which includes strings dyed in this manner.
Rabbi Shimon Eider, in his "Summary of Halachos of the Three Weeks", explains that this Midrash is also the source of the halacha to remove the parochet (curtain) from the Ark containing Torah scrolls on the eve of Tisha b'Av. The torn "Royal garments" in the Midrash refer to the parochet of the Beit HaMikdash partitioning off the Holy of Holies. This curtain, made from fine textiles, including those dyed with purpura, was brazenly pierced by Titus.
                                                                               What is a tallit?
The tallit (also pronounced tallis) is a prayer shawl, the most authentic Jewish garment. It is a rectangular-shaped piece of linen or wool (and sometimes, now, polyester or silk) with special fringes called Tzitzit on each of the four corners. The purpose of the garment is to hold the Tzitzit. Most tallitot (alternative plural: talleisim) have a neckband, called an Atarah,
which most often has the blessing one recites when donning the tallit, embroidered across it.
                                                                                    Why wear a tallit?
The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I, the Lord, am your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God. [Numbers 15:37-41]
The purpose of the tallit, then, is to hold the Tzitzit, and the purpose of the Tzitzit (according to the Torah) is to remind us of God's commandments. The tallit is worn for morning prayer, during the week as well as on Shabbat and other holy days. It is not worn for afternoon and evening prayers because of the commandment that one should see the Tzitzit, which has been
interpreted as meaning to be seen by the light of the day. The Shaliach Tzibur (who leads the prayer) usually wears a tallit, as well, even in the afternoon and evening.
                                                                       Who wears a tallit?
Generally, a Jew who has reached the age of majority (in most communities, this is 13, though in some communities, girls reach the age of majority at 12) wear a tallit. There exists a custom, not widely practiced, of not wearing a tallit prior to
marriage: This custom was explained by the Maharil (Rabbi Yaacov Mollen, 1356-1427) based on the juxtaposition of two verses in the Torah. The first, Deuteronomy 22:12 articulates the commandment concerning the wearing of tzitzit. It is followed by Deuteronomy 22:13, which says, "If a man takes a wife..." This custom is not widely practiced, however, in large
measure because it prevents one from fulfilling a commandment between the age of 13 and the time one marries.
In congregations where a tallit is generally worn, you will find a rack of tallitot available for use by visitors near the entrance to the sanctuary.

                                                               How are the Tzitzit tied?
Tying Tzitzit is a Jewish art, a form of macrame. A hole is carefully made and reinforced in each corner of the tallit.
Through each hole, four strands are inserted: three short strands and one long strand. The longer stranded is called the shammash and this is the one which is used for winding around the others. To tie the Tzitzit, line up the four stands so that the three of equal length are doubled evenly, and the four strand is lined up at one end with the other seven ends. With four strands
in one hand, and the other four in the other, make a double knot at the edge of the fabric. Then take the shammash and wind it around the other seven strands seven times in a spiral motion. Make a second double knot, with four strands in one hand and
four strands in the other. Then wind the shammash around the seven strands eight times and make another double knot. Wind the shammash around eleven times and make a double knot. Finally, wind the shammash thirteen times around the remaining seven strands and make one final double knot. When done correctly, the Tzitzit will have 7-8-11-13 winds between the double knots.
                                         What does the 7-8-11-13 windings pattern mean?
There are a number of wonderful interpretations for this pattern of windings.
One interpretation is that each set of windings corresponds to one of the four letters in God's name.
Another interpretation employs Gematria, Jewish numerology, which assigns to each Hebrew letter a numeric value: aleph is 1, bet is 2, gimmel is 3, and so on. In this second interpretation of the windings of the Tzitzit, the numbers 7-8-11-13
have special meaning: 7+8=15, which in Hebrew is written yod-hay, the first two letters of God's name (the Tetragrammaton); 11=vav+hay, the third and fourth letters of God's name. Hence the first three windings "spell" God's holy name. Thirteen, the last set of windings, is equivalent in value to the word "echad" which means "one." Hence, all four windings can be interpreted
to say, "God is one." Yet another interpretation holds that when we consider the windings between the knots, 7, 8, 11, and 13, the first three numbers equal 26, which is numerically equivalent to the Tetragrammaton and the remaining number, 13, is equivalent to "echad" ("one). Hence the windings tell us that God is One. If we take the sum of the first three numbers (7+8+11) and equate that with God's Name, then the 13 which remain can also be interpreted to reflect the 13 attributes of
God, as articulated by Moses Maimonides and set to verse in the Yigdal.
By still another interpretation, the Gematria value of the word "Tzitzit" (tzadi-yod-tzitzit-yod-taf) is 600. To this we add the eight strands plus the five knots, totaling 613 in all. According to tradition, God gave us 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. Just looking at the tallit with its Tzitzit, therefore, reminds us of the commandments, as the Torah says, "You should see them and remember all God's commandments and do them."
                                           
                                                                    The Tallit
                                                         (Jewish Prayer Cloth)

                                                       The Making of the Tallit:
God’s prayer tent for his people. When Paul was noted as being a “tent” maker, these are what he made.
Jewish boys and girls receive their first Tallit on their Bar/Bat mitzvah. They get married with it, boys are circumcised with it and eventually, they are buried with it.
It is a symbol of authority and healing.
God commanded His people to wear them.
A person wraps him/herself in prayer and celebration. Matt 6 discusses closing in oneself to prayer with God.
You close yourself in and close the world out.
You say a blessing before you put it on, holding it over your head at shoulder’s width:
Blessed are you, Lord our God, Master of the Universe, who sanctifies us with His commandments and commanded us to wrap ourselves in tzitzits.
Most important element of the Tallit is the tzitzit. It is to have tassels on the 4 corners.
Numbers 15:39 Blessing of the Shamah
Deut. 22:12 Reminds you of God’s commandments (613 Commandments)
The tzitzit has 8 strands (4 strands, folded over), 3 of white and one, the longest one, of blue. There is a particular method for tying the knots in the tzitzit. That method is the Ashkenaz (Chabad). It is certified as being Kosher if a Rabbi oversees the tying of the knots and pronounces it to be Kosher.
Jews see Gentiles wearing Tallits and are pleased and complemented by that.
“Christians recognize that Yeshua is the word of God made flesh and so, when they wrap themselves in the tallit, they are reminded that they are covered in the righteousness of Jesus and that He alone can heal their brokenness and woundedness.” Yeshua wore one as well.
The 8 strands must pass through the aperture (which is known as the “light”). The 4 strands it is made from, represent, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit plus man. We are twisted in (grafted into) his 3- stranded chord. It is symbolic of Christ’s authority. Wrapped tzitzit around fingers, Lord is taking over and he won’t let go. It is a point of identity.
Isaiah 40:31…Rise up with Wings as Eagles (Eagles wings lock into place and soar without use of their muscles to keep them soaring—Represents “No Work” when you mount up with wings like eagles and allow the Lord to do the work).
The tzitzits are known as the “Hem of a garment” and the Tallit is known to the Jewish community as “wings of the Lord” Matt. 9:21 Woman understood the meaning of “touching the Hem of the Messiah’s garment”. She had learned that the “Hem of His garment” and his coming with “Healing in His wings” were the same thing.
The woman pushed into the crowd to chase after the authority of Christ. She had been ill for 12 years (12=divine government/authority). Jesus was on his way to Jarius’ house to heal his daughter who had not yet had her batmiszvah, but was coming into her 12th year. (The authority was chasing after her).
The tallit is symbolic of the tabernacle: Without the Tabernacle, there was no sacrifice
Without the sacrifice, there was no Redemption of sins Without Redemption of sin, there was no protection because, “The wages of sin is death” It is symbolic of Christ’s authority.
Matt. 14:34-36 Jesus crossing over the Sea of Galilee. When everyone who heard that he was come into their land, rushed to see him, desiring just to touch the “hem” of his garment; all who did were made perfectly whole. Hosea 4:6 …“People destroyed for lack of knowledge”
Numbers 24:5 How beautiful are your tents… There is an anointing in praying under the “tent” Tallit.
They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles…
They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint… While one is in prayer under the tallit, they are praying, making decrees and proclamations.
Key of David: Isa 22:21-22 Clothe him with they robe…
…Lay upon his shoulder….
Anointing is irrevocable
Isa 10:27 Anointing destroys the yoke…