ציצת Tzitzit
What are the strings (Tzitzit) that hang from the corners of our tallits (prayer shawl) and our shirts and why do we wear them?
Numbers 15:37 - 40 HaShem also spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tzitzit of each corner a cord of techelet. "It shall be a tzitzit for you to look at and remember all the commandments of HaShem, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your G-d.
The Bible states that wearing tzitzits is a reminder of G-ds commandments. It is not only a commandment for all Jewish generations, but also a reminder of salvation that comes from G-d. Beyond that, to really understand what tzitzits are, you have to break down their individual elements.
In Hebrew, there are numerical values for each different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, א = 1, ב = 2, ג = 3, etc. It is interesting to note that the word tzitzit has a numerical value of 600 and when you add to that the number of stings and knots you come up a total of 613, which is the number of commandments found in the Tanakh (Old Testament).
The eight stings that make up a tzitzit represent the eight areas of our lives in which we sin. We sin with our eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, sexuality, head and heart.
There are five knots that are on the tzitzits, and these are a reminder of the commandments found in Exodus 20. When looking at someone wearing tzitzits you will notice that you can always see two sets of tzitzits no matter what side you are on. This reminds us that five of the Ten Commandments pertain to our relationship with G-d and the other five pertain to our relationship with each other.
Between each knot there is a group of windings. Between the first and second knot there are seven windings, between the second and third there are eight windings, between the third and forth there are eleven windings and between the fourth and fifth there are thirteen windings. Seven is the number of perfection or completeness. Eight is the number of circumcision or new beginnings. Eleven is the number of forgiveness. Thirteen is the numerical equivalent of the nature of
G-d, found in the Shema, which is אחד (One). When you add seven, eight, eleven and thirteen, you get 39, which is the number of mercy.
The deeper lesson from the tzitzits, summarizing all their components, is that even though we sin in the eight areas of lives and break the commandments of G-d, G-d is perfect. He wants us to have a new beginning. We can experience His forgiveness because of His nature, and we can be saved because of His mercy.
Since tzitzits pertain to holiness and have nothing to do with righteousness, wearing them has nothing to do with the sins associated with breaking the 10 commandments. Tzitzits fall into the holiness category of the commandments and since that is the case, it is only by the prompting of the Holy Spirit that one should wear them. Wearing tzitzits because you believe that doing so will earn you merit and salvation is contrary to scripture. We are only saved by the grace of HaShem through faith in the Messiah Yeshua. Beyond wearing tzitzits as a part of the eternal commandment for all Jewish generations, my prayer for those who are called to wear tzitzits, is that they would use them as an object lesson to lead others to salvation, found only through faith in Yeshua Jesus.
What are the strings (Tzitzit) that hang from the corners of our tallits (prayer shawl) and our shirts and why do we wear them?
Numbers 15:37 - 40 HaShem also spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tzitzit on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tzitzit of each corner a cord of techelet. "It shall be a tzitzit for you to look at and remember all the commandments of HaShem, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your G-d.
The Bible states that wearing tzitzits is a reminder of G-ds commandments. It is not only a commandment for all Jewish generations, but also a reminder of salvation that comes from G-d. Beyond that, to really understand what tzitzits are, you have to break down their individual elements.
In Hebrew, there are numerical values for each different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, א = 1, ב = 2, ג = 3, etc. It is interesting to note that the word tzitzit has a numerical value of 600 and when you add to that the number of stings and knots you come up a total of 613, which is the number of commandments found in the Tanakh (Old Testament).
The eight stings that make up a tzitzit represent the eight areas of our lives in which we sin. We sin with our eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet, sexuality, head and heart.
There are five knots that are on the tzitzits, and these are a reminder of the commandments found in Exodus 20. When looking at someone wearing tzitzits you will notice that you can always see two sets of tzitzits no matter what side you are on. This reminds us that five of the Ten Commandments pertain to our relationship with G-d and the other five pertain to our relationship with each other.
Between each knot there is a group of windings. Between the first and second knot there are seven windings, between the second and third there are eight windings, between the third and forth there are eleven windings and between the fourth and fifth there are thirteen windings. Seven is the number of perfection or completeness. Eight is the number of circumcision or new beginnings. Eleven is the number of forgiveness. Thirteen is the numerical equivalent of the nature of
G-d, found in the Shema, which is אחד (One). When you add seven, eight, eleven and thirteen, you get 39, which is the number of mercy.
The deeper lesson from the tzitzits, summarizing all their components, is that even though we sin in the eight areas of lives and break the commandments of G-d, G-d is perfect. He wants us to have a new beginning. We can experience His forgiveness because of His nature, and we can be saved because of His mercy.
Since tzitzits pertain to holiness and have nothing to do with righteousness, wearing them has nothing to do with the sins associated with breaking the 10 commandments. Tzitzits fall into the holiness category of the commandments and since that is the case, it is only by the prompting of the Holy Spirit that one should wear them. Wearing tzitzits because you believe that doing so will earn you merit and salvation is contrary to scripture. We are only saved by the grace of HaShem through faith in the Messiah Yeshua. Beyond wearing tzitzits as a part of the eternal commandment for all Jewish generations, my prayer for those who are called to wear tzitzits, is that they would use them as an object lesson to lead others to salvation, found only through faith in Yeshua Jesus.