Parshat Shelach-Lecha; Numbers 13:1-15:41 by Rabbi Denise L. Eger
At the very end of this week’s Torah portion is the commandment to don the fringe. The Tzitzit, the threads attached to the corner of our garments or tallitot are symbolic reminders of our obligation to observe the commandments. Each thread, each knot, each twist and turn of the wrapping threads have become intricate reminders of the 613 commandments in the Torah.
The portion describes that there is a blue or aqua thread in the midst of the tzitzit we no longer utilize the blue thread in the fringe. Tradition teaches this blue thread came from the dye made of a sea animal called the chilazon according to Rashi. But the actual source is unknown to us. Although there are some who claim they know and some archaeological digs that have discovered heaps of shells of a certain sea creature. Thus occasionally today you will see individuals with a blue thread on their tallit. But traditionally for centuries the threads of the tzitzit of remained white.
Many traditions have their symbols of connections. Catholics pray the rosary with their beads. Muslims have their prayer beads called tasbih or subhah and Buddhist have their mala beads. Orthodox Christian from Eastern Rite Churches use prayer ropes called Komboschoinia or Chotki. These traditions use the beads or knots in the rope as a tool to help them recite various prayers or to keep track of how many times one has said a set of required prayers. Others utilize these symbols to help them recite the various names of their divinities.
We Jews have our tallit with tzitzit to remind us of the embrace of God and the covenant of our people and the details, 613 commandments that make up our relationship. We use the tzitzit in our prayers. During the Ahavah Rabbah prayer we take the four tzitzit and wrap them around our index finger in preparation for the Shema/V’ahavta prayer. We gather them together as we say the traditional words “to gather us from the four corners of the earth.” We leave the tzitzit wrapped around our index finger as then through the Shema/Vehavata prayer, which also speaks of the tzitzit. This symbolic wrapping is just reminds us of the ring that is placed upon the bride’s index finger at the wedding. For the Jew we are bound in relationship to God and the tzitzit help us symbolize that union.
The commandment to wear the fringe comes at the end of the portion when God punishes the children of Israel by delaying the entrance by forty years to the Promised Land. The portion recalls the story of how 10 of the 12 spies sent to check out Eretz Yisrael exaggerate and lie about what they found there. The children of Israel believed them, despite the truths spoken by Caleb and Joshua. The Children of Israel revolt against Moses and Aaron and God loses patience with them causing Moses to plead successfully on their behalf. Thus the fringe is a reminder both to us and to God of the eternal nature of our covenant with one another. While our entrance to the Holy Land may have been delayed a generation—the fringes nevertheless remind us both of thread that binds us together.
So the next time you come to temple, put on a tallit and wrap yourself in the embrace of our people, our God and our covenant.
Posted by Lee at June 22, 2005 11:39 AM
