Tzitzit

Numbers 15:38
"Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels (Strongs #06734) on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel (Strongs #06734) of each corner a cord of blue."

Numbers 15:39
"It shall be a tassel (Strongs #06734) for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot."

Deut 22:12
"You shall make yourself tassels(Strongs #01434) on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.

In the "new" testament, the same word is "kraspedon".

Strong's Number:   2899  kras'-ped-on     

   Definition
     1.the extremity or prominent part of a thing, edge, skirt,
       margin 
          a.the fringe of a garment 
          b.in the NT a little appendage hanging down
            from the edge of the mantle or cloak, made of
            twisted wool 
          c.a tassel, tuft: the Jews had such appendages
            attached to their mantles to remind them of
            the law 

Matthew 9:20
And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe (Strongs #2899) of His cloak;

Matthew 14:36
and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe (Strongs #2899) of His cloak; and as many as touched were cured.

Matthew 23:5
"But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels. (Strongs #2899)

Mark 6:56 Parallel passage to Matthew 14:36
Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe (Strongs #2899) of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.

Luke 8:44 Parallel passage to Matthew 9:20
came up behind Him and touched the fringe (Strongs #2899) of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped.

What is interesting to me is that the word is translated "tassles" when speaking of the jews but when the exact same word is used with Y'shua (Jesus), it is translated "fringe". The modern understanding of the word fringe today bears no resemblence to tzitzit. It is almost as though they do not want people to recognise that Y'shua (Jesus) was a jew who wore tzitzit and observed the law.

The obvious exception below is KJV which gives no understanding of what tzitzit are in ANY verse.

	NIV	NAS	KJV
Matthew 9:20	edge	fringe	hem
Matthew 14:36	edge	fringe	hem
Matthew 23:5	tassles	tassles	borders
Mark 6:56	edge	fringe	border
Luke 8:44	edge	fringe	border

How does the tzitzit represent the commandments?

More than just being a sign of the commandments, the tzitzit shows a picture of them.

In Hebrew each letter has a numerical value. If you "add up" the letters of the word tzitzit, it equals 600. Each tzitzit has 8 cords and five knots. This gives a total of 613, the number of all the commandments in the TeNaK (Old Testament).

Additionally the name of G-d is contained therein. YHVH, the personal name of the creator, is made up of the letters YOD, HEY, VAV, HEY. This is the tenth, fifth, sixth, and fifth letters of the hebrew alefbet. The tzitzit is tied with a knot and ten windings, a knot and five windings, a knot and six windings, a knot and five windings, the very letters of the name of G-d.

This is the sephardic way to tie. The ashkenazi jews tie a little diffferently, but the name of G-d is still represented and it still contains the 613 commandments of the TeNaK.

The Ashkenaz Way - On each tzitzit there were 39 windings (7, 8, 11, and 13 separated by double knots). The sum of the first three, 26, is the numerical value of YHVH. The final number, 13, is the numerical value of Echad (one). It is said that to look at the tzitzit is to always be reminded that G-d is One. This is the foundational faith of the Jewish people known as the "Sh'ma".

You think tzitzit are only for the jew?
Consider these things:

Leviticus 19:34

But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you ...

Galations 3:29

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Romans 11:17

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree.

Links to More Information

• How to tie Tzitzit
• Information about Tallits and the blue cord