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HIDDEN MYSTERIES OF THE TALLIT

The Revelation Concerning The Prayer Shawl

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Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness mighty to save. (Isaiah 63:1)

The Jewish custom of the prayer shawl and fringes, figures prominently into many Old Testament and New Testament stories, giving us insight or revelation into the person of many bible stories and people, including Messiah.

When Messiah came to Israel, He came to His own. Those who came to hear Him speak. The ones that worked with Him. That came to Him to be ministered to by Him; understood what he was about, for they saw Him in light of their own ancient customs. This is the way in which God spoke to them by revelation.

The blood atonement made by Yeshua/Jesus is the focal point of our salvation. For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. This study of the tallit, in no way is intended to supplant this truth of God's so great salvation, but rather to show forth certain aspects of Messiah in the "Hidden Mysteries of the Tallit."

OLD TESTAMENT LAW CONCERNING THE TALLIT OR PRAYER SHAWL:

"Ha Shem said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites saying:

Throughout the generations to come, you are to put a blue thread in the tassels on the corners. And you shall have the tassel that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord to do them, that you may obey them and not yourselves by going after the of your own heart and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commandments and to be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.

Numbers 15:37-41

"You shall make for yourselves twisted threads on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself." (Deuteronomy 22;12)

The word tallit is pronounced TAH-LISS by those who use the East European Hebrew dialect. The plural, "tallesim," is pronounced as TAH-LAY-SIM." The more modern Israeli pronounciation you will hear most often, is "TAH-LEET." The plural is "tallitot." Pronounced as TAHLEE-TOHT." The fringes on the talit are "tzitzit." And you say this as "TSI-TSIT."

The term Tallit, or talith is two Hebrew words, "TAL, meaning "tent" and ITH, meaning "little." The tallit, when wrapped around the shoulders and pulled over the head,forms for the owner a "little tent" or "prayer closet where he may meet privately with God. The Psalmist writes:

I will dwell in your tent for all ages; I will take refuge in the shelter of the corners of your Tallit."

HEAR O ISRAEL: THE LORD YOUR GOD IS ONE

Bound in the threads of the fringe of the tallit or "prayer shawl," is SHEMA found in Deut. 6:4, in which God commands: "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord."

How do we know this? The Hebrew words Yevovah Echad, meaning "God is one;" are numerically formed by the number of knots and wrappings in the tzitzit or fringe, which God said to "look at," and remember His laws and not to sin against Him.

The knots and wrappings themselves, also spell out SHEMA. Messiah Yeshua, the God manifest in the flesh, is the garment or tallit of our souls. In Romans 13:14 we read: "...Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its s." When we receive His forgiveness, and obey His commands we are wrapped in the shekinah glory of God. We are sons of light, filled with God's "light." Yeshua said: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father..." (John 14:9)

The tzitzit with it's the blue thread represents first of all that God is one! Messiah is not an appendage. The great God Himself, robed Himself in the flesh of Messiah. Through proper relationship with God, through the atoning of Messiah Jesus, God's precious Lamb, which takes away the sins of the world, (Romans 3:23-26, Romans 6:23, Acts 2:38, 2 Cor. 10:3-7, I John 2:2, I John 2:1, 4:10, ) we walk in His power and authority.

One of the things Messiah Yeshua taught us, is found in Matthew 6:6:

"But you, when you pray; enter your prayer closet and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father which is in secret; and your Father which is in secret will reward you openly."

In I Cor. 11:15, we read:

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory for her, for her hair is given her for a covering."

The Greek term PERIBOLAION, meaning "a covering," carried with it the connotation of "Something thrown about one, such as a mantle or veil."

THE FRINGE FOR A REMINDER:

Like all Jewish men, but unlike many Gentile painters have painted Jesus Christ, Yeshua hamashiach wore a prayer shawl, (tallit) for prayer shawls were worn at all times and not just when in prayer. Yeshua demonstrated to us and as the pattern for us to follow, dependance upon His Heavenly Father, as the God-man.

Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and he also likewise took part in the same: that through he might destroy him that had the power of , that is the devil; and deliver them that were all their life-time subject to . For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham." (Hebrews 2:14-16, Hebrews 2:17)

The term tzitzit is related to the word "hatzatzah," or "Looking at." For God said:

"You will make these garments, and put fringe on the borders, and you will look at this, and remember that you must not do what your own heart and desires dictate, but remember that I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and I am the Lord your God."

When the SHEMA was said, the fringe was grasped in the hand. The SHEMA was a declaration of the nature of God. God is one. He is not like the heathen concept of a plurality of deities in the Godhead. This focus upon God's nature and obedience to His commandments, kept the heart "fixed." The numerical value of the knots and wrappings literally spelled out SHEMA. This was an additional reminder that God is one, and He will never change.

God's instructions in Numbers 15:37-41, were that every prayer shawl was to fringes, and among the fringes; would be blue fringe. This custom figures prominently into many Old Testament and New Testament stories.

THE TALLIT'S SHAMESH:

The blue thread of the fringe, is called the "SHAMESH," meaning "servant." This is similar to the white "servant candle" that stands in the midst of the other candles, and is used to light the menorah.

In this "SHAMESH thread," we see Messiah, our King; as the "Suffering Servant." It was necessary that He suffer as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It was as He humbled Himself, becoming obedient, even to on the cross, that God highly exalted Him, giving Him a name above every name." (Philippians 2:9)

As I was meditating on the picture of Messiah Jesus praying at Gethsemane, I saw Him praying earnestly there, wrapped in His tallit as he prayed long into in the night. He sweat great drops of , agonizing in prayer, the mixing with those tears that fell, rolling onto the rock at which he prayed, saying: "Father: If you be willing, remove this cup from me...nevertheless, not my will but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

As as His cries ascended before the Father's face, the drops of fell on those weathe s, wind burned by salty sea air, and scorched by the sun. Calloused hands that worked with His stepfather Joseph in his carpentry shop. He lived and worked among fishermen on the sea of Galilee. As He grasped the fringe of His tallit, He knew within Himself: I am not alone in this. The father stands with Me. I and My Father are one. The scriptures evidence within themselves, that this "oneness" was always foremost in His mind.

This agony of Messiah's soul was for you and for me. He who knew no sin was about to "become sin." As He made sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He knew Isaiah the Prophet prophesied of Him:

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He will see His seed, He will prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." (Isaiah 53:10)

Never once since the Rock of Israel was born, had He experienced separation from His Heavenly Father. Not since that night in Bethlehem, when that same star filled sky that Abraham looked into and was shown descendants as the sands of the sea...was suddenly filled with angels, crying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace and good will toward men.

The atmosphere over His head seemed dark now, as the principlalities and demonic powers waged war for the control of destiny of the souls of nations hanging in the balance. (Eph. 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 10:5)

WATCH, WATCH, WATCH HE SAID:

Yeshua/Jesus rose to his feet, and drawing His tallit tightly about his shoulders, he came to His disciples. They were asleep. And He said to them: Why are you asleep? " Arise and pray, or you will enter into temptation!"

Then suddenly, the chief priests, and captains of the temple were there with Judas. The Lord rebuked them for coming for the one who had been called "rabbai" by the people, with swords and staves, like a common thief. For when he taught in the temple daily, no one stretched forth their hand against him. But this was their hour and the hour of the power of darkness.

Everything about the tallit commands us to be "watchers," who stand by day and by night. Watchmen, whom God has set on the walls of Jerusalem; which shall never hold their peace, day nor night. Those that make mention of the Lord shall not keep silent! We will give Him no rest, till He establishes, and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. (Isaiah 62:6)

"Son of Man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them a warning from me, says the Lord."

If you do not watch, how can you see, and how can you warn with accuracy? Do not compare your "watch" to that of others. Watch faithfully as the Son of Man watched, and be sober and vigilant, for your adversary, watches says your God, and stalks like a roaring lion, it's prey. (1 Peter 5:8)

  • Yeshua always prayed prior to praying for the sick.

    "And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." (Luke 6:12)

  • He prayed after healing the sick. "And when he had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when evening was come, He was alone." (Matthew 14:23) And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. Mark 6:46 Luke 22:45

THE FRINGE & SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY:

In speaking of the tallit, or four-cornered garment with fringe, the outer edge is called in Hebrew, "kanaf" or kanaph," which is usually translated as "hem," this term carries the more accurate meaning of "corner or wing." The fringes or tassels of a man's robe, were symbolic of his authority. There is a lovely illustration of this in Ezekiel 16:6," in which God speaks of entering into covenant with Israel:

I spread my skirt over you and covered your ness: Yes I sware to you and entered into covenant with you; says the Lord God and you became mine."

With His arms He will cover you, and under the corners of His talit you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart." (Psalm 91:4)

Obviously the Sovereign God is omnipotent, and does not need to pray wearing a tallit. Messiah's nature was two-fold, as the God-Man. As a humble man, dependant upon His Father, He established a pattern for us to walk in. It is us who must be dependant upon the Lord. God speaks after the manner of men at times, using human "terms" which are familiar to us, such as "the right hand," which is a phrase speaking of the position of power and authority.

The story of Ruth provides a further illustration of covenant as seen in the spreading of the skirt over the betrothed. Ruth, a widow; went to Boaz her nearest kinsman and asked that he perform the custom of the kinsman redeemer. i.e. Marry her) In the book of Ruth, chapter 3:9, we read:

I am Ruth thine handmaid. Spread therefore your skirt (Hebrew, the corner of your garment over your handmaid; for you are my near kinsman."

The Hebrew term "kanaph" means an edge or extremity" of a garment. This passage obscured by English translations; speaks then of the fringe of Boaz robe being spread over Ruth, symbolizing the taking of Ruth under Boaz authority.

A similar illustration is found in 1 Samuel 12:1-7:

David crept up on king Saul at the cave at En Gedi, and cut off his the fringe of his garment.

"Now it happened, when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: "Take note! David is in the Wilderness of En Gedi.' Then Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the Rocks of the Wild Goats. So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs, (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)

Then the men of David said to him: This is the day of which the LORD said to you, "Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you."

And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. And he said, 'The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So David restrained his servants with these words, and did not allow them to rise against Saul" (I Samuel 24:1-7)."

David's conscience troubled him for he knew that to cut off the king's fringe of his garment, was like usurping or stealing his authority. It degraded and lowered him. At En Gedi, David had deprived Saul of his "authority." At that point he could probably have seized the throne of Saul, and the kingdom of Israel. But he chose to do things God's way and in God's own timing. After David prostrated himself before Saul, holding the severed fringe in his hand; David explained to Saul that he had not killed him, despite the urging of his men to do so. Saul's heart, once again was touched with his integrity in the sparing of his own life spared, and said to David:

"You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. And you have shown this day how you have dealt well with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand" (I Samuel 24:17-20).

As I have stated concerning Messiah Yeshua, He came in all the shekinah of His Father. Long before He was crucified, resurrected and ascended, He lived and ministered in power and authority. The Pharisees testified of Him saying: The whole world has gone after Him," when they learned how He'd raised Lazarus from the grave. (John 12:19)

I repented of my sins, and was baptized in Yeshua's name, and immersed in Ruach HaKodesh. You can read more of the way in which salvation and water baptism represents coming authority here. Through the Ruach haKodesh, we receive power to be Yeshua's "witnesses" in all the earth. (Acts 1:8)

THE BLUE FRINGE:

According to divine command, each tassel of fringe was to have "a blue thread." In bible times, this hue was one the most expensive to produce. It was obtained from a species of snail called Murex trunculus, or Chilazon. It took some 12,000 of these to fill a thimble with blue dye. This small animal's body contains a gland. Once the gland is removed and exposed to oxygen, the liquid within the gland goes through a chemical reaction in which it is transformed from it's original clear color, to yellow, then green, to a turquoise color, aquamarine, then blue and finally deep purple. The liquid was dried and became a powered dye. In scripture, Lydia, a resident of Thyatira; being a seller of purple, would have been a wealthy and influencial woman. The clients who purchased garments or fabric from her, were the very rich. (Acts 16:14-16:40)

This color was so expensive, that all but royalty were to wear it. When Yeshua haMashiach returns riding in the heavens on His majestic white war horse, he will have "glorious" kingly garments.

Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness mighty to save. (Isaiah 63:1)

For God to place the command in scripture, commanding his people to make the fringes with the blue thread, He was saying in effect: You are a kingdom of priests to Me. This is echoed in Rev. 1:6: "He has made us a kings and priests (lit. "a kingdom of priests") unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever." The scriptures also teach that it was a violation ordinarily for one to mix two fibers such as wool and linen. The fringes were to be made of wool, but this blue thread was to be made of linen. So only in this instance, did God allow this to be done.

THE TALLIT AS EXPRESSIVE OF COVENANT AUTHORITY:

The concept of the outer edge of the tallit, is seen in Isaiah's vision of the Lord, whose "train" filled the temple.

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up and His train filled the temple." (Isaiah 6:1)
The Hebrew term for "skirt" is KANAPH, and means "wing or extremity." Sometimes SHUL is also used, meaning "loose hanging." (Exodus 28:33) In the AV it is rendered as "hem." In Psalm 133:2, we read:

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard: even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garment."
The account of Boaz and Ruth, we read that Ruth requested that Boaz fulfill the custom of kinsman redeemer for her. Boaz, did as was customary concerning this. He "spread his skirt" over Ruth, indicating that he was by legal authority, taking her under his protection as his wife. In Exekiel, God speaks to Israel and says:
"Now when I passed by you, behold your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you and covered your ness: yes, I swore unto you, and entered into covenant with you, and you became mine." (Ezekiel 16:8)

HEALING IN HIS WINGS (MALACHI 4:2)

"But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings." (Malachi 4:2)

"But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings." (Malachi 4:2)

The phrase, "Sun of righteousness," is a picture of Messiah, who is the "Bright and Morning Star." The fact that Messiah wore a tallit with tzitzit or fringes, like other Jewish men, is clearly understood from such scriptures as Matthew 9:20, and Matthew 14:36. When you wrap the tallit about you, holding two of the corners out, it forms "wings." Many times, the Lord speaks in scripture, of His dependance upon His Father, as our Redeeming Lamb. Were He not the obedient Servant, He would not be the "Light of the World." (John 8:12) He came in the glory of His Father. His prayer life was so profound, that His disciples observing Him, said: "Lord, teach us to pray." (Luke 11:1)

Long before Messiah was crucified, resurrected and ascended, He walked in power and authority, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the .

  • "And suddenly a woman who had a flow of 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 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).

Yeshua haMashiach as our Messiah, was a man of prayer. He prayed with "all manner of prayer." He spent entire nights in prayer. His life was characterized by what many today call "prophetic prayer." As He prayed He saw things prophetically before they actually happened. He did the things which God commanded Him to, as they were seen through the eyes of His spirit.

But I have a greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me." (John 5:36)

(Psalm 103:3, Matt. 9:35, John 12:49, Matt. 10:8, Mark 16:17) Our western culture, with it's propensity to lean upon what is intellectual, as opposed to the life of the Spirit which can only be borne of prayer, and the study of God's word and obedience to His Spirit; would do well to imitate the Saviour's life of humble dependance through prayer. A favorite verse of God's intercessors, if Isaiah 40: 31.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

We speak of the nature of Messiah's earthly life, and He is fully human and fully divine. As man, he grew weary. Yet all about Him were the tremendous needs of the people, whom He loved as the Good Shepherd loves His sheep. These times of prayer refreshed Him. Thus in the outstretched wings or extended talit, we see the concept of the extending of God's authority, enfolding the believer, and healing him or her. I have stated before that the "tallit with it's fringes" is not a magic amulet. The power of Messiah's tallit, for those who understood it's significance, and touched Him and were made whole hundreds of years ago, was in the authority of His divine person.

For us today, it's in the shed of Yeshua, as the Lamb of God. The word "salvation" speaks of healing for the whole man, body, soul and spirit. In Isaiah 53:4-5, we learn that Messiah took our sicknesses in His own body AND He bore our sins.

It merely represented to Israel, Messiah's authority. But it also spoke of His "prayer life."

The We see Messiah praying prior to ministry to the crowds of people.

"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place and there prayed." (Mark 1:35)

The aspect of the tallit, with it's wings or extensions representing "prayer covering," is crucial, as the one praying extends this "prayer covering" over individuals, and nations. Jesus prayed for His beloved Jerusalem, even as He rode into Jerusalem on the city on the little donkey's foal. As the people strewed their garments in His way, and they cried: Blessed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord! Peace, in heaven, and glory in the highest! Wrapped in His talit, He rode, wiping tears from his eyes. With one hand on the donkey's mane, and one holding those fringes in His hand. And he said:

If you had known, even in this your day; the things which belong to your peace! Now they are hid from your eyes! (Luke 19:38f)

And today He weeps, for the blindness of those for whom He cannot give the covenant blessings He longs to impart, because of their unbelief! ...If you Philadelphia had known...If you New York! And yes, He rejoices, when He finds those that by faith would reach out by faith, and "touch the fringe of His tallit!

If you had known the things which belong to you in this YOUR day! For the Lord loves the gates of Zion! Now is the day of salvation!

It doesn't even take 10 men, as it takes for a synagogue, for His shekinah to dwell there. For where two or more are gathered in His name, He's in the midst. (Matthew 18:20) We can serve Him, and not harden our hearts toward His voice, while it is yet today. Let's watch and wait for Him together, for He is coming again.

So like Moses cried: I want to see your face, you long' to see the Lord. God will place you in "The Rock," and cause all His goodness to go before your face. For that Rock is Christ. There is no Rock like our God. Long ago, a Jewish disciple named Thomas doubted, and said: Unless I can place my finger in the nail-prints of your hands, and thrust my hand into your side, I will not believe. And Jesus said: Reach forth your finger and behold my hands. And reach forth your hand, and thrust it in my side, and don't be faithless but believing! And Thomas said: My Lord and My God! Messiah can stand to be examined by you! Come nearer! And look right up into His face, like a child. Like one looks Rebbe in the face! For in Messiah, dwells all the fulness of the Godhead in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)

PRAYING AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT (JUDE 20)

Jesus was extremely cognizant of His disciples needs. He prayed for them individually. (Luke 22:31) He taught them to pray. (Matthew 6:9)He rebuked them for prayerlessness!!! (Matthew 17:21)

"And the Lord said: Simon, Simon; behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail. And when you are converted, strengthen the brethren. (Luke 22:32)

The Lord taught His disciples about the importance of protracted prayer.

As our Great High Priest, the scriptures teach us that "He ever lives to make intercession." How does He do this? I believe that one way, is as the:

"Spirit prays through the believer. The Spirit helps our infirmities. For we know not how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us for groaanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-28)

And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus and said: Why couldn't we cast him out. And Jesus said: Because of your unbelief: for I said to you, If you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, remove to yonder place and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you. Howbeit, this kind goes out but by much prayer! (Matt. 17:21)

Because Yeshua wore his tallit, the border or hem of Yeshua's garment had a particular appearance to it, due to the way in which the tallit was folded. This caused the corner tassels of the fringe to hang down. Taking hold of the "skirt" of him that is a Jew, speaks of taking hold of this outer or extended "wing" of the garment, which holds such deep significance. Why? Because it speaks of prayer.

I want to point out to you that this phrase which has long been sung, about touching the hem of His garment, was not one that was reserved solely for the woman who had the issue of blood alone. This concept of the blue tassel on the fringe, spoke directly to Israel of Messiah's power and authority. In Mark 6:56, we read:

"Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid their 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 whole. (Mark 6:56)

And suddenly a woman who had a flow of for 12 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 stopped. (Luke 8:44)

The Jewish New Testament Commentary explains about this passage:

"A woman who had . . . a hemorrhage approached him from behind and . . . touched his tzitzit. (Fringe of His prayer shawl) She was in a state of ritual impurity because of her hemorrhage. She touched the holiest part of Yeshua's garment. No wonder she approached from behind -- she was afraid; this is also why she hesitated to answer Yeshua's question, "Who touched my clothes?" (Mark 5:29-33) For normally the impure defiles the pure (see Haggai 2:11-13; also the Talmud, Toharot.)

But in this case, the opposite happened: the purity of Yeshua the Messiah and of his tzitziyot ("tassels," or "fringes, of Yeshua's prayer shawl.") remained uncompromised, while instead the cause of the woman's impurity was instantly removed. In the following incident, the raising of the , this principle is exemplified even more strongly, since Yeshua himself initiates contact with what is regarded in Judaism as the primary source of all impurity, a body (v.25) . . ." (comment on Matthew 9:20).

The New Testament teachings contain the teachings and life and times of the Messiah, but remember that the Old Testament law was in effect until His atoning death, resurrection and ascension, when the veil of the temple was rent in two, symbolizing the access the sacrifice of His life made into the presence of God. Messiah Himself, was born under the Law. It was His custom the scriptures tell us to go to the synagogue.

THE LAW SAYS BUT I SAY TO YOU:

Many times Yeshua haMashiach would quote from the Law, but expound upon the spirit of the Law:

In Leviticus 15:19-28, we read:

"And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be , she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. And everything that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean. everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water; and be unclean until even. And if it be on her bed, or on anything whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even ... And if a woman have an issue other many days out of the time other separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean ....

But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness."

According to this express Old Testament law of commandment, the woman with the issue of was ceremonially "unclean." If she touched anyone, they would be unclean. And it would have been perfectly natural for the Jewish people to view Messiah as "unclean" if she reached out and touched Him. They would not have expected that such a man would be performing miracles by the power of God. Unless this woman reached out by revelation, to touch Messiah, she would not have wanted to touch Him. But she did...She pressed through the crowd to receive her healing.

In spite of all those in the crowd pressing around Him, Messiah perceived the instant that she reached forth her hand. It was faith He perceived! He turned and spoke. saying: Who touched me? This taught a lesson to the observers.

It took as great faith for this woman who had just been healed, to step out and say in front of this crowd: I did! For in by the custom of the law, she had committed sin. But Messiah said to her: " Daughter your faith has made you whole, go in peace; and be whole of your plague." He did not condemn her.

TAKING HOLD OF THE SKIRT OF HIM WHO IS A JEW:

In Zechariah 8:23, there's a marvellous prophecy recorded:

Thus says the Lord of Hosts: In those days, it shall come to pass that 10 men will take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you."

Again, this phrase "skirt of him that is a Jew," speaks of the "wing" of the tallit.This phrase "God is with you," is similar to the concept of Immanuel, meaning "God with us." It shows us that God will work powerfully through Yeshua haMashiach's and the redeemed sons and daughters of Israel in the last days. The days will come when so great shall be the spiritual understanding concerning Messiah, that the very shadow of these passing by will produce healings, as we see in the days of the early Jewish apostles. (Acts 19:12) There will be a "first-fruits" of this, that will come in a marvellous way. God showed me a vision of this type of anointing.

CONTEMPORARY USE OF THE TALLIT:

The Jewish talit or 4-cornered garment or "prayer shawl" with tzitzit, or fringe on the borders. There are two types of tallit.