Wearing the tzitziyot (fringes) is a mitzvah (commandment) that still benefits the believer under the New Covenant today. The function of the tzitzit is still the same and this mitzvah has a place within the framework of YHWH’s work among His people from beginning to end.

In part one of this series the commandment was introduced. In part two, we looked into the applicability of this commandment to those of us under the New Covenant. In this installment, part three, we will consider the benefit to be found in observing this mitzvah.

It seems to me the reason the mitzvah of tzitzit is so often set aside by those who otherwise consider themselves to be Torah-observant today lies in its purely symbolic nature. The thinking appears to be that symbolic equates with disposable.

Many seem to act on the notion that once the message of a given symbol in Scripture is understood (or thought to be understood) it can be discarded as no longer valuable. Having obtained the candy bar within, so to speak, the wrapper becomes a nuisance.

But there are more benefits to symbolism than merely wrapping an idea. Far more. Beyond being a means to convey ideas, symbols are far more valuable when they become powerful expressions of connection and involvement with the ideas thereby represented.

As such, they offer the opportunity to put us in a frame of mind to deepen that connection and involvement. And that is the phenomenal benefit of the tzitziyot today, as it was when originally commanded.

To help illustrate this idea, let’s consider a widely familiar and used symbol in our society today: the wedding ring. Many recognize the obvious fact that wearing a band of metal upon one’s finger does not constitute a marriage nor will it ensure fidelity.

How could it? A great many people wear a wedding ring out of shear habit, to please others, as a status symbol, or just because that is what they think is expected of them. For them the symbol has shallow, if any, meaning. That in itself can be symbolic of something else.

But for some, a wedding ring communicates more than the fact that a commitment was made at some point in the past. For them, the symbol comes to represent present feelings and value associated with their marriage relationship and partner.

And because of that, they find at times the symbol opens the door to momentary and spontaneous reflection on the other person or on the relationship itself. In so doing, the symbol becomes further imbued with personal meaning to the wearer. And more personally valuable to the relationship.

The symbol powerfully serves to bring the wearer into remembrance and a particular frame of mind and attitude in regards to their relationship with the other person throughout the day. People who find this value in the symbol are actually wearing a wedding ring for themselves rather than for others.

The effectiveness of the symbol in promoting deeper love and more fidelity is not the symbol itself, but what the symbol comes to personally represent. If it represents nothing, it has no power. If the symbol is considered a mockery, then it might even serve as an inducement to infidelity.

But if it represents a valued and beautiful relationship with someone else, it is capable of carrying a powerful message encouraging deeper love through reflection and fidelity even under times of temptation to be otherwise.

All of this is true with the mitzvah of tzitzit. In fact some have compared the fringe to a wedding ring. The parallels are readily apparent, though some will certainly take exception to that particular comparison.

The tzitziyot symbolizes a commitment to the righteousness and sovereignty of YHWH in our lives, which is what Torah represents. And the more this symbol spurs us on to reflecting upon, and making choices consistent with, His righteousness and sovereignty over our lives the more it draws us to where the Spirit is leading us.

For the New Covenant believer, the righteousness and sovereignty of YHWH in our lives are both foundational and intrinsic to who we are in Messiah. We find our standing in the Kingdom by YHWH’s righteousness, not our own. And under the New Covenant, His Torah is written in our hearts and His Spirit is put within us.

That doesn’t replace Torah, it puts us in sympatico with it. Torah is a written reflection of YHWH and we are called to be a living reflection of YHWH. Torah, insomuch as it represents the righteousness of YHWH and His call for us to reflect that righteousness in our lives, is who we are as YHWH’s people. And the tzitziyot have always been a symbol of that.

Just as the written Torah is not invalidated because it is now written in our hearts, the mitzvah of tzitzit is not invalidated by the presence of the Spirit within us to remind us of YHWH’s righteousness. Rather, the tzitziyot are a tool by which the Spirit invites us to reflect on YHWH’s righteousness and sovereignty while revealing those things to us as we reflect upon them.

Besides the benefit of the symbol of tzitzit to our faith as it reminds us to consider the righteousness and sovereignty of YHWH, there is another reason to observe the mitvah of tzitzit: It represents what His people do. From beginning to end.

Here are some Scriptures as they relate to our observation of the mitzvah of tzitzit for your further reflection:

The tzitziyot represent Torah, which predates Moses:

…I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham… Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (Genesis 26:3-5 KJV)

The tzitziyot represent Torah, which was promoted by Messiah:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19 KJV)

The tzitziyot represent the commandments of YHWH, of which disregard is a mark of those who are not His:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46 KJV)

Conversely, the tzitziyot represent the commandments of YHWH which are a mark of those who are His:

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10 KJV)

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23 KJV)

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21 KJV)

The tzitziyot represent the commandments of YHWH which are a mark of true believers in the end times, even to the New Jerusalem:

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17 KJV)

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. (Revelation 14:12 KJV)

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14 KJV)

WWJD? Let’s start with WDJAD…What Did Jesus Actually Do? Yeshua wore tzitziyot. That fact is lost in most translations, though most commentators verify this:

And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment [tzitzit] : For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. (Matthew 9:20-21 KJV)

And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment [tzitzit] : and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. (Matthew 14:35-36 KJV)

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment [tzitzit]: and as many as touched him were made whole. (Mark 6:56 KJV)

Tzitziyot are symbolic in a prophecy of which we are a partial beginning fulfillment:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt [ie. tzitzit] of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:23 KJV)

I take this verse to be prophetic of the eventual reunification of the Southern (Judah) and Northern Kingdoms (Ephraim, or Israel) in the eventual restoration of Jerusalem. The ten goyim (Gentiles) represent the ten lost tribes who were largely scattered among the nations. They reconnect with YHWH’s righteousness and instruction as represented by their grasping the tzitzit (a symbol of Torah, or return to YHWH’s word), of “a Jehudite.” A Jehudite is someone from the tribe of Judah. That man in this prophecy is our Messiah. They go with Him because He is their way back to Elohim (God).

We who were Gentiles and have grabbed hold of the fringe of Yeshua for our healing, for our righteousness, for our direction back to YHWH, are included in this picture. I’d wear tzitziyot to reflect on that alone, even if all the other reasons were not present. But they are present! I encourage you to reflect on the Scriptures above and seek the Spirit’s leading as to whether or not you should observe this mitzvah and allow it to work as a powerful symbol in your own faith and practice.

As with all mitzvot, we are the ones who benefit from the doing of them. We are the ones blessed. They are a gift from YHWH to mankind. It behooves us to go ahead and grasp around through the mire stirred by the trampling of others. Though they may see no value in the pearls to be found, we may seek them out and treasure them to ourselves. That was why He cast them before His people in the first place.

In the next part of this series on the mitzvah of tzitzit, the fourth and final installment, we will consider how the mitzvah may be faithfully observed under the New Covenant. I’ll also point out some resources that may be found on the internet for those who wish to acquire or make their own tzitziyot.

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What do you think? Please leave a comment below and let us know! Thank you.
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Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

We didn’t choose Messiah because of our great wisdom or because of our great moral clarity. It was by His choice we saw the truth of His Word and the truth of our moral condition and acted upon those truths. And it is also by His choice that we bear fruit:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16 KJV)

We have been chosen as Messiah’s people for a reason: to bear fruit. What variety? The best kind. The kind that endures! In other words, the kind of fruit that has lasting value. And we have been promised whatever resources we need to bear that fruit. We merely have to ask for what we need. So why doesn’t it feel that way so often?

Perhaps it’s because we are trying to bear fruit as an act of the will or by manipulation rather than by letting it just be a natural occurrence based upon who we are. Perhaps we should focus our attention on cultivating the “tree” and allowing the “fruit” to occur as a natural by-product of a healthy fruit-bearing tree.

When we plant a fruit tree, fruit is not produced as an act of our will. Rather, fruit-bearing is the natural outcome. We can only work on giving the tree the best growing conditions and proper care possible whereby it can proceed to producing fruit naturally. The same is true in our faith.

We definitely have been equipped to bear fruit in our lives. In fact, that is our purpose. We have been ordained to bear fruit. But we can’t produce fruit as an act of the will. What we must do is seek the best conditions for our faith to bear “fruit” naturally.

We can find some great clues as to how to do that by reconsidering the parable of the Sower. You can find that in Mark 4:3-20. That parable should more appropriately be called the parable of the “soil” because that was the determining factor in success of the seed sown.

Though the parable of the soil addresses the fate of sown seeds of faith, it also holds clues useful to us. Our faith grows and is established so much better, and is thus able to naturally bear more fruit, when we give our attention to the “soil” in which our faith lives and grows.

To keep our “soil” good we do well to paying attention to the rocks, weeds, and predators that enter even after our faith has taken root and is established. We have been uniquely equipped to do this by the Holy Spirit. He is our “master gardener,” so to speak, and we do well to attend to those things He tells us in order to keep our faith healthy.

In due season, a healthy faith will produce good fruit. Bushels of it! So let’s consider some lessons learned from the parable of the soil to which we may look to the Spirit for direction in care of our already established faith.

We gain depth in our faith when our heart is kept “soft” to His word. We must allow the Spirit to carry out all work necessary to break up and remove the “rocks” in our lives which prevent our faith from becoming deeply rooted.

Sin is the rock in our hearts which block out the roots of faith. Some rocks are removed easily, others require some digging. But once removed, roots grow happily and eagerly. So too with our faith.

By being freed up to become deeply rooted more easily, our faith has more energy to devote to fruit production. Most importantly, thus deeply rooted, our faith is able to withstand the inevitable “droughts” that we will all experience.

We must also be sure to attend to “weeds” the Spirit points out to us as soon as we are made aware of them. We can’t let them take root or they will spread until they have overgrown everything.

In the parable we are considering anew today, the weeds are the cares and lusts of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. And those will definitely keep an established faith from full fruit production. They usually end all production.

I have seen countless believers’ previously established faith choked out completely by cares and lusts of the world, and also the deceitfulness of riches. You likely have too. There is no fruit born in their lives today because all energy of their faith is choked out. There may never be fruit again. We can only pray the Spirit will revive what has been severely neglected.

We further protect our faith when we heed the Spirit’s warnings and instructions about predators. Seeds get eaten by birds. But there are all kinds of other predators that will destroy a seed after it has begun to grow, and indeed throughout every stage of its life.

So too, Satan the bird in the parable becomes Satan the rabbit gnawing at the base of our tender growth in the faith. He becomes Satan the deer who eats the leaves off our branches and starves our roots. He becomes Satan the worm, that bores into our established roots, or Satan the worm that infests what little fruit we see come forth. There are all kinds of ways predators, all motivated by the anti-messiah, tries to destroy our faith and our ability to bear fruit in Messiah’s Kingdom.

But remember too what happened with the seed sown in the good soil. It produces fruit! But also remember this: The plant doesn’t go from seed to fruit overnight. Especially the lasting, or valuable, kind. There is a period of growth before its fruit bearing stage begins. To get to that stage as healthy as possible, and thus in a condition to be able to bear as much as possible, fruit tree keepers work hard.

But they work hard on other things than on producing the fruit. They work hard at making and maintaining the best conditions possible for the tree to grow in a healthy and unhindered way. And that results in the desired outcome: abundant fruit!

We should do the same with out faith. We can’t force fruit, but we can cultivate the conditions for our faith in which fruit production may best become healthy and abundant. With real fruit we care for the fruit tree. With the fruit of our faith, we care for our faith. We do that by paying heed and following the directions of the the Master Gardener of our faith: the Spirit!

Abba, Father, we ask that you would reveal to us new things by your parable of the soil. By your Spirit, help us see the condition of the soil our faith grows in today and help us heed His instruction so we may have improved soil in which our faith may grow and produce much fruit for your Kingdom. We ask these things with much love and thanksgiving in the Name of Yeshua our Messiah, Amen.

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What do you think? Please leave a comment! Thank you.

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Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jzboran.com | www.jzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Well, maybe they don’t think I’m on the edge of lunacy. But many among the brethren do think I’m a bit “out of my mind.” They are alarmed by the suspicion that I’ve gone “back under the law” when I teach about such mitzvot (commandments) as tzitzit (fringe). Nothing could be further from the truth.

There is a “method to my madness” and if you’ll indulge me a bit as I lay out why I value observing the mitzvah (commandment) of tzitzit you’ll see where I’m coming from.

That doesn’t mean you’ll agree, by any means, but at least you’ll know I’ve not “gone off the deep end.” As always, you are welcome to ignore, reject, or adopt what you agree with as you feel led by the Spirit to do.

Whatever your choice, I’m confident we will follow Paul’s example of Philippians 3:13-16 by pressing on in our walk with Messiah based upon those things to which we do find agreement.

And we do agree on some things, or you would not be an esteemed reader. And if you’ve read much of my work so far you’ll know that a major focus of my faith is not in knowing Scripture but in doing Scripture.

I think you’re with me that it really doesn’t matter how much somebody knows about YHWH. What is really important is how much somebody knows YHWH. And that kind of knowing comes by following His Spirit into doing the Word.

One can pretty-up their knowledge of YHWH by shrouding it in all kinds of fancy words, mystical illusions, back-bending activities, and mind-bending lingo. But in the end, if that knowledge doesn’t result in godly and sanctified action in real-life application, all that knowing is like putting the proverbial lipstick on a pig. And no matter how you slice it, we all know that’s just not kosher!

But all the emphasis on doing the Word of YHWH might give some the impression that we advocate “going back to the Law.” Of course that charge really means “going back to the Law to seek justification.” And it is in those unspoken words that the whole statement becomes a false accusation. And the same applies to the mitzvah of tzitzit.

We don’t follow any application of YHWH’s word in order to gain justification. Everything we do is because we have been justified. By faith! And under the New Covenant, we have not merely adopted a new set of beliefs, we have become new creations!

YHWH’s Torah is placed in our hearts. We have been softened to His Word. He has placed His Spirit within us (that same Spirit belonging to Yeshua). We are His people and He is our God!

We are not the same as we used to be, we are new. Born again, to use the words Yeshua spoke to Nicodemus. And now we do the word of YHWH because that is who we are in Messiah!

Nothing we do is to become YHWH’s people (which has a prerequisite of being justified before YHWH). Everything we do is because we are YHWH’s people (which means we have already met the prerequired condition of having been justified, which we received through faith).

And it is that same spirit in which we should approach the mitzvah of tzitzit. To do otherwise would be an “unlawful” use of the Law (1 Timothy 1:8).

So with that focus in mind, let’s turn to the mitzvah of tzitzit.

In part one of this short series on tzitzit, we saw that YHWH commanded the people of Israel to place fringes on the corners of their garments. These fringes, or tzitzis, were to act as visual reminders of the commandments of YHWH. The fringes were to have a strand of blue in them, and the commandment was to be carried out for all the generations of the people of Israel. We found this commandment in Numbers 15:37-41.

The commandment is reiterated in Deuteronomy:

Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself. (Deuteronomy 22:12 KJV)

The commandment of tzitzit immediately raises a number of questions. This short series attempts to find answers to some of them. The very first question that arises in my mind is: Does this apply to me, a New Covenant believer (and a Gentile convert on top of that)?

Many, it seems, have a ready answer: No. Well, there they have it then. They have saved themselves some reading, thinking, and seeking time. But for those of us who take a little closer look at these things, today’s article does just that.

Let’s start with some basic observations. Looking at the text in Numbers 15 we find who is to keep the commandment: the children of Israel. That text also tells us the time period this commandment is in effect: throughout their generations. Searching the Scripture doesn’t reveal any instance of this specific commandment being rescinded, or annulled.

So based on those observations, we can say that the commandment is applicable to the children of Israel and, not having been otherwise rescinded, it is still in effect for them.

At first glance that would seem to let non-Jewish believers off the hook. First, we are not Jewish, and second, we are under grace and not the law. But that is jumping to conclusions on both counts.

The first conclusion is that we are not Jewish. That is true for most of us here. But there is a deeper, and more relevant (to us), issue here. Due to a lack of knowledge of Scriptures over the centuries, it is a largely unknown but easily verifiable fact of Scripture that we are a part of Israel under the New Covenant. And it is to the children of Israel, not just Judah, that the mitzvah of tzitzit is gven.

Remember Jacob had many more sons than Judah. Israel has always been more than Judah, and always more than the Southern Kingdom. Though the Northern Kingdom, also called Israel, or Ephraim, in Scripture is currently largely lost, it is in the process of being found. And in Messiah, we’re in it!

But we’re not in it through Judah, who inherited the rulership of the children of Israel until Messiah appeared (Genesis 48:9-10). Rather, we identify with Ephraim, that son of a Gentile mother (Genesis 46:20), who inherited that portion of the promise to Abraham of becoming a multitude of people that was to be innumerable and by whom all nations would be blessed:

And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. (Genesis 48:14-20 KJV)

In a very concrete way, the dispersion of Ephraim into the nations, under YHWH’s judgment at the hands of Assyria, was the ultimate set-up for YHWH to fulfill this blessing! And today we become a part of the fulfillment of this blessing in Messiah.

In Messiah, we become Abraham’s children:

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. (Galatians 3:7-9 KJV)

And:

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.(Galatians 4:28 KJV)

And that is vitally important because:

Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. (Romans 9:7-8 KJV)

The Bible also speaks of Gentile converts as having been “grafted” in to Israel:

… and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree…(Romans 11:17 KJV)

In Messiah, we are added to the original root, partaking of the nourishment and life it provides and enjoy the “fatness” of it. We have, quite literally, become the children of Israel. Though we didn’t start out that way, by entering a New Covenant relationship with YHWH in Messiah, we have ended up that way.

And haven’t we joined Israel in a similar way as that other Gentile, Ruth? I consider this to be Ruth’s conversion into Israel:

And Ruth said… whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. (Ruth 1:16-17 KJV)

Haven’t we done that? Haven’t we left the gods of our fathers and the world of the heathen to follow the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? And haven’t we done so in a much deeper level than was possible for Ruth in that we have done so by entering YHWH’s New Covenant by which we have His Spirit placed in us?

And let’s not forget who Ruth is: the great, great grandmother of David, a great king of Israel and a man commended by YHWH as having been after His own heart. That David through whose lineage our Messiah would be born into this world.

Make no mistake about it. When we enter into the New Covenant, whether we realize it or not, we are converted from Gentile to Israel. We might not live like it, or up to it, but that doesn’t change the fact. In Messiah we have become a part of Israel. And as the children of Israel the commandment of tzitzit very much applies to us.

In fact, I’ll go even further: we must claim the tzitzit as our right as children of Israel. You see, the mitzvah is not a yoke around our necks to weigh us down. It is a fringe upon our garments that lift us up as people of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

But that is how I see it. Your own convictions are between you and His Spirit, who makes us brethren. And I respect and love you in Messiah no matter what your own personal theological convictions are about these matters.

That now leaves us with the second conclusion to which we might be tempted to jump. Some might conclude that, though this mitzvah was to be observed throughout the generations of the children of Israel, it has now been annulled by grace, or replaced as “fulfilled” in Messiah.

This results from a misunderstanding, in my opinion, of Torah and the place Torah plays in the life of a believer. I’ve addressed this, at an initial level at least, in a previous article entitled Torah or Not Torah, That is the Question. I refer those interested back to it for a beginning non-theological explanation of my position on that topic.

Suffice it to say for now, that if we are to reject the mitzvah of tzitzit on the basis of being “fulfilled” in Messiah, then we must also reject observance of Biblical feasts, including the seventh day Sabbath, and dietary laws. I know that many of my readers do exactly that.

And so for you, dear brethren, it is consistent with your convictions to reject this mitzvah on the same basis. I neither judge you nor condemn you, but rather entrust all of us to YHWH, who in the end is able to make each of us stand before Him.

But for those of my readers who do observe such mitzvot as 7th-day Sabbaths, Feast days, and/or dietary laws to the honor of YHWH, this mitzvah is a part of Torah. I leave it to you and the Spirit to walk as only He has a right to tell you how to walk and, ultimately He teaches you.

Still thinking I’m a lunatic? Well, that’s alright. I just hope you see I come by it honestly.

And if you’re still with me on this, or still hanging in there with me to see where I’m going with all this, then here’s a preview. The 3rd part of this series will address how the mitzvah of tzitzit may be observed, not only by the letter but also by the love and Spirit which brings this mitzvah to life. In the fourth and final installment, I’ll give you some practical ideas and links to resources you may find useful if you decide to pick up this mitzvah in your own walk with Messiah.
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What do you think? Please leave a comment below and let us know! Thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
Permission to reproduce and distribute hereby granted if the following four conditions are met: 1) The article must be reproduced in its entirety and the content may not be modified in any way. 2) Author’s name and copyright information, including these permission conditions must appear with article. 3) Author’s contact information (jim@jimzboran.com | www.jimzboran.com) must appear with article. 4) Article must be freely distributed without charge or financial gain.

Unless you are very new to exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith, you’ve come across the term “Tzitzit.” This week we’ll be exploring tzitzit in our Faith and Practice category. This is part one of a series.

Tzitzit, or tzitzis, are “fringes” or “tassels” worn by observant Jews on the corners of four-cornered garments. But what about those of us who have been joined to Israel through Messiah under the New Covenant? Should they be a part of our Torah-observant practice? And, if so, how do we observe this mitzvah (Hebrew for “commandment”)?

This week we’ll explore some of those issues. Feel free to speak up with your thoughts, ideas, or questions. Remember, I’m presenting my understanding and practice of the matter. What that means to you is between you and the Holy Spirit. What you add to the discussion will help shape and expand all of our inquiry into YHWH’s Torah.

But whether yea or nay on the mitzvah of tzitzits, I think all will benefit from the discussion. It’s always beneficial to arrive at a Spirit-led and Biblically-based conviction for our own walk with Messiah. Also, there are many among us who observe this mitzvah and it is helpful to understand what they are doing.

So the goal of our discussion here is not to convince, but to understand. Understand the practice of others, and seek understanding from the Spirit as to our personal application of Torah on this topic.

So let’s get started at the beginning. As with most issues of our faith and practice, there is a Biblical way and there is a Rabbinical way. And the two are often very different.

There is much developed practice and tradition regarding observance of this mitzvah among our Yehudi (Jewish/Tribe of Judah) brethren. Though their application of Torah is not binding, as Torah, there is nothing wrong with learning from, or even adopting some of, their traditional teaching and practice.

We’ll undoubtedly bring that into the discussion at some point, but we’ll benefit greatly from determining first the actual Torah:

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes [tzitzit: fringe] in the borders [kanaph: corners,ends] of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe [tzitzit: fringe] of the borders [kanaph: corners,ends] a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe [tzitzit: fringe], that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God. (Numbers 15:37-41 KJV)

Biblical Function of Tzitzit
From these verses, we see that the tzitzit perform a function similar to the practice of tying a string around one’s finger as a visual reminder of something that must not be forgotten.
The tzitzit represent all of the the mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah and they remind the wearer to do all of YHWH’s mitvot.

With tzitzit attached to each of four corners of our garment, there are always two in front of us, two behind us, and two at each of our sides. When we go forward, when we move backwards, when we move to the right or to the left, we are symbolically placing YHWH’s Torah in that direction and we remind ourselves of His Ways as we make our way in the world.

Biblical Application of Tzitzit
We also see that the tzitzit are to be worn on the ends or corners of the wearer’s garments. In our culture and day we don’t usually (if ever) wear garments that have four distinct corners.

Biblical Form of Tzitzit
Tzitzit are to have a thread (“ribband” in the KJV quoted above) of blue in them.

Biblical “Spirit” of the Mizvah of Tzitzit
Tzitzit serve the function of reminding us follow Torah, especially when other choices are presented to us that might lure into different paths. But the mitzvah is practiced so that we end up doing the Torah to which the tzitzit serve as reminders.

This brief introduction should have raised many questions. Feel free to comment or ask questions. I’ll have more on this tomorrow!

Here are some pictures of tzitzit:

Close Up

Karaite Style

With and Without Blue Cord

Getting Fancy

And here is a very quick video clip showing some styles of tzitzits:

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Copyright 2010 Jim Zboran. All rights reserved.
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