Yahweh told all who are called by his name to wear the tzitzit on the corners on one’s garments to remember all the mitzvah [commands] he gave them in Torah – the most notable being the 10 Commandments, which in my searchings all other miztvah come down to. The tzitziyot are only mentioned twice in Torah. The instructions on how and why to wear them are just that simple.
Number 15:38-40
“Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. 39 It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of Yahweh’s mitzvot and obey them, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; 40 but it will help you remember and obey all my mitzvot and be holy for your God.Deuteronomy 22:12
“You are to make for yourself twisted cords on the four corners of the garment you wrap around yourself.
The corners of the garment are called “the wings”, and you can find many, many references to “the wings” all throughout the Old Testament as well as in the New. The wings and tzitzit held a very important place in eastern culture, and many times each man had his own design in his tzitziyot that he used it has a seal. David says “For you have been my help; in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;”. It was as if Yahweh was literally putting a mark of his protection around David when he says “in the shadow of your wings”.
The Prophet Malachi wrote that the Son of Righteousness will bring healing in the his wings. The woman with the issue of blood, being brought in the Scriptures, knew this, and was healed when she touched the tzitzit on the wings (or hem) of Yahushua’s garment in Matthew 9. Then again in Matthew 14 people were begging just to be able to touch his tzitziyot so they might be healed.
A tzitzit is a tassel or fringe that must be made with a blue thread and then tied on the corner of the garment. I used embroidery floss to make ours and did a traditional knot-knot-wind pattern. There were three coloured threads 20″ long each and then a blue thread 35″ long. I folded them in half, leaving one end of the blue cord even with the rest, then double knotted after the loop. Take the longer end of the blue thread I wrapped it around all the others until I put the thread back into it’s place and repeated this step four times. At the bottom I just took all the threads and tied a slip-knot and then used hairspray to hold it in place, although I think perhaps I may need to find something a little stronger.
I made each one with a different colour according to the person’s colour preference, although I did make Father Sir’s and Mother Dear’s the same. My is the green and blue. *grin*
Wearing the tzitzit on my skirt. We’re thinking perhaps about sewing a button on each side so as to put the loop over the button to stay in place.
DB6 wearing his tzitzit on his belt-loop. I just slipped the entire tzitzit through the loop after I pulled it around the belt-loop and then pull it in place.
I’ve come to think of the tzitziyot like one’s wedding ring. It doesn’t make you anymore married then you already were just as wearing them doesn’t make you any more saved, but it is a sign between you and your spouse of this union and is a sign for others to see you are claimed. Indeed this is why they were given to be a reminder and sign for all to see. Wearing the tzitziyot have fulfilled their purpose in my life. I am continually reminded daily of who I belong to and who I serve. When I see or feel them I am reminded to offer a word of thanks to Yahweh for directing my steps and keeping me in the narrow way.
Miss Jocelyn @ A Pondering Heart
Tags: Book of Matthew, covenants, Deuteronomy, Messiah, photos, Psalms, The Prophets, TORAH, Yehoshua, YHVH
Love these Jocelyn!! Thanks for all the time you spent making these! It is so wonderful that Yahweh has put these things into the hearts of our children, and we don’t have to make it so.
Thank you for the research you did on this as well as the great work you did!
Love you!
Jacque´s last blog ..Do You Love Me?
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Amazing I never would have thought to do it that way my son has hanes t-shirts that were bought for him with the tzitzit attached to the corners as the sides had been slit about 3″. Doing it this way would be so much easier for my son as it is now it has to be washed daily and it doesn’t always get done. can you email me directions on how you made these I see a homeschool project just in time for Hanukkah.
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 4th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Here’s the pattern tutorial I used http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FehK2VPVlWE It was pretty easy to follow. They did theirs around the prayer shawl corner, but I just taped the loop to the table while I knotted and wound.
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Glorious instructions and pictures! Thank you. I know making these will be a challenge for me but praise Yeshua for his grace. “Glory to Yehovah in the highest!” Sandra
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Wow those turned out great….You are very creative, Jocelyn
Grandma Starr´s last blog ..Saturday Psalm & Praise
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Great project, Miss Jocelyn! The pictures are so beautiful, especially the second one. Blessings!
P.S.: Who is DB6?!
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Thank you.
lol db6 = dear brother 6yo
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Jocelyn, these are beautiful, very beautiful. Are you selling these and would it be possible to purchase one please. Let me know via email.
I just love these plus all the work you have put in to making them – well done.
Hugs and blessings
Page
Page´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
No, I’m not selling them, but I would be happy to make you some! Just tell me what colour with blue you want and if you want them the same size.
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Those things are GREAT! Great color combos. The only thing I would change (and it’s an itsy bitsy change) is a larger loop. But, hey…I wouldn’t have done such an awesome job on my first shot! lol
Wearing tzitziyot on my belt loops allows me to take the time to say a blessing when I put them on. It’s just a simple one…”Blessed is He who is King of the Universe who commands us to wear tzitzit to remind us of His commandments and to guard our hearts.” I think it’s similar to the traditional blessing.
Another thing that some of friends use are the mini caribiners. Allows for quick on/off.
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
lol thank you! I am glad they turned out so well! A bigger loop might be good!
I am thinking of adding a few loops onto the top of mine so they will be a bit longer. I don’t tuck my shirts in usually and they come down longer than I realized.
I hadn’t heard that blessing yet, but it is definitely something to memorize. Maybe I will make a design to remind me to stop and offer a prayer three times a day at a set time… something like three big knots. lol
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Woah, those are great! I’ll have to try to make them one of these days.
What are we to do if some of our skirts have no belt loops?
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 5th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
None of my skirts have beltloops, so I may sew a button on each side to loop the tzitzit over.
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Maria Reply:
November 7th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Ah, okay, good idea, LOL!
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this is wonderful. I am teaching the children at my church the ten commandments, this would be a great gift to remind them of all they have learned. Do you have instructions on how to make them?
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I just love the creativity with which we can walk out this commandment! I LOVE your colors they are so pretty and vibrant.
I noticed that you only wear two. I have always thought it to mean four because of where it says
“and to put with the tzitzit on *each* corner” and “on the *four* corners of the garment.” So, I have always worn four. But, I often wonder about wearing just one where the corners meet, (namely when I lose one) but I can’t get each and four out of the way. Four is also the number for YHVH. Do you think that has any significance?
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Jocelyn Reply:
November 14th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Thank you – I had fun matching them up.
Hmmm good question. I guess since I personally don’t have four corners, as they did, I just wore as many as I had corners, but I could wear two in the front and two in the back. I would think four is significant, especially since in Revelation where it talks about the angels lifting up the four corners of the earth?
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Miss Rachel Reply:
November 15th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I have often thought about that, as I have read that they were to wear them on the four corners. It wouldn’t be too different, as Jocelyn said, to wear four – two in front and two in back. Since we don’t wear a four cornered garment no one really thinks about this kind of thing.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mrs. Michelle.
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Michelle Reply:
November 16th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
As I was wondering about this when I first learned about wearing them, I looked at my shirt and saw that technically, where the front meets the back (on the side seam) there are two corners on each side (where the sides come together), so four corners total, but they are attached. So, when I first started obeying this commandment, I cut that seem so I literally had 4 corners. {I told you I was literal} (lol) Of course, I don’t do that now, I just wear four, but I just might do it again. *Ü*
Interestingly enough, before I came to Torah, I read those verses and it was on my heart to make myself 4 tassels to wear on the zipper pull of my jacket (technically only 2 corners). But, I think the most important thing to remember is the spirit of the law (the heart behind the law). I would not tell anyone they had to wear them any certain way, but only to do as the Spirit leads. I love the freedom that we have in Torah (even the freedom to be literal) and I love that they are a reminder to me.
Yah bless you all!
Michelle´s last blog ..A Request!
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I never even thought about the four corners of the earth. I wear two at my side. I am so literal, though. lol. My way is only right for me, though. I sometimes put grommets right at the literal corners (picture two on each side of the seam where the corners come together) and then wear them that way. I sometimes attach them to my undershirt this way. I like your button idea ~ my dd has two dresses with buttons and tassels attached.
Michelle´s last blog ..A Request!
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I was discussing tzitziyot with my mom the other day and she pointed out to me that the Bible instructs us to “make your own” I had not noticed that part before!
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What wonderful work you’ve done here Jocelyn, they’re lovely! I’ve been meaning to make us some for a long while, but just haven’t gotten to it yet. I’ll have my kiddos read this too, as they’re also wanting to make some. Thank you for the inspiration!
beth@brew*crew´s last blog ..a journey in thanks giving
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[...] a new set of tassels for everyone. That’s it. But, some of those are projects are on-going. I may or may not [...]
Wearing mine today, in red, blue and white!
Yah bless you,
Jade
Jade´s last blog ..Saturday Psalm & Praise
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When we started to wear Tzitzit, the man that taught me how to make them used something called “Fray-Check”. It is used (self explanatory) to keep fabric from fraying. Usually it would be in the quilting section of whatever store you get it from. It’s a pretty good deal for how much of it is needed per tzitzit (not much). It really holds up well during washing, too.
Anyway…
Happy Chanuka!
KallyLyn
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I read your first post – Are we missionaries which brought me here. Both posts touched my heart. Very creative with your hands. I hope to follow your tutorial and do one for myself first – if I’m successful – I’ll do more. What I’ve done is wear Pearls as a sign of remembrance – sometimes I’ll wear my one ruby necklace that I have as a reminder of Proverbs 31.
I love in Numbers where it says it WILL HELP YOU REMEMBER. Amein. Thank you, Miss Jocelyn. I’m keeping this post on my blog.
Jasmine´s last blog ..Prayer and Fasting Pt.2
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