Tassels Made Easy
No Strings Attached? Tassels Made Simple
By Dani’el Rendelman
www.findemet.com

From ‘buy now and pay later programs’ to the morning after pill, the world is full of ways to shun commitment. “Just confess your sins to me and you’ll be forgiven,” says the priest. And the mailbox is full of ways to get rich quick or acquire a new credit card for an easier lifestyle. The TV shouts, “Just sign here and there will be no strings attached!” These concepts are quite opposite to the Bible, which teaches a life of obedience in which strings ARE attached.

“Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels (‘tzittzit’ in Hebrew) on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Almighty, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your Mighty One,” Numbers 15:38-40.

More to it than meets the eye

This section of Scripture is not alone when it comes to speaking of the tassels or fringes that are to be worn by all Bible believers. Though you may not remember reading them, throughout the Old and the New Testament are many references to tassels/tzittzit. The Israelites dressed with them. Zechariah 8:23 and Ruth 3:8 speak of them. And the Messiah Himself wore tassels. Remember the woman who was suffering from chronic bleeding? Luke 8:44 teaches that she was healed when she touched the tzittzit upon the Savior’s clothing. “The Messiah observed this Old Testament requirement,” says the Holman Bible Dictionary, a Baptist publication. Many people say they want to WWJD; multitudes say that they want to follow the Savior. Well, the Savior wore tzittzit! Which means His followers should do the same.

This doesn't have to be intimidating. This subject is pretty simple to grasp in light of the Scriptures. "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His glory, and in His Father's glory, " Luke 9:26.

These twisted cords are to be a constant reminders of the Almighty and His promises. They serve as an outward sign of the covenant much like a wedding band. Tzittzit speak to the believer, and the world, that YHWH's word is still valid today. When someone once asked the Messiah what was required to receive eternal life the Savior responded "Keep the commandments" in Matthew 19:16-17.

Nowhere in the Bible is the command to wear fringes rescinded. In fact the Scriptures say just the opposite, they are to be worn “throughout the generations to come.” Saints should follow the Messiah’s example and dress with strings attached to their outer garments. The Bible doesn’t specifically say how these strings are to look, except they must contain a chord of blue and be visible. “Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear,” says Deuteronomy 22:12.

Tzittzit are often worn by Jewish people on the ends of a four-corned shawl called a “tallit.” They can also be attached to belt loops, t-shirts, or any other outer garment. A common thread is for the tzittzit to be tied with white string to make the blue stand out. The point is that the tzittzit are worn, and that the commandments of the Bible are remembered.

People tie a string around their finger to remember important information; well the Creator says to tie tassels to remember His Word. The Biblical belief system is one of obediance, responsibility, and commitment. Much more has been, and could be written about the tzizit. This is a worthy subject for study and discussion. Yet the point has been made: When it comes to a faith based upon the Bible there should be strings attached!

The Blues and the Name

There is much freedom when it comes to the design and the look of tassels, yet they must include a cord of blue. One Rabbi once said the color blue was chosen because "blue resembles the sea, the sea resembles the sky, and the sky resembles the throne of YHWH.

There is little evidence that this comammandment is gender specific. Surely men and women, girls and boys both need to be reminded of YHWH's word! (In other words it can't hurt) The command in Numbers 15:38 is to "b'nai Yisra'el," which is usually translated "children of Israel. This is the exact same phrase that is given with many commandments in the Scriptures like the verses against unclean meats, incest, and idolatry.

Emet Ministries wears and promotes the use of the Sacred Name of YHWH in tztizit. This is through the Hebrew numbering system gematria. Gematria is Jewish numerology, which assigns to each Hebrew letter a numeric value: aleph is 1, bet is 2, gimmel is 3, and so on.

Hebrew reads from right to left and therefore the Sacred Name is spelled Yod Heh Waw Heh. There are 10 wraps in the first section which corresponds to the Hebrew letter Yod. The second section has 5 wraps, which is Heh. The third section, 6 wraps is Waw. And the fourth section is Heh, once again with 5 wraps. This gives us the Tetragrammaton, YHWH's name.

Also, the Gematria value of the word "Tzittzit" (tzadi-yod-tzitzit-yod-taf) is 600. To this add the eight strands plus the five knots, totaling 613 in all. According to tradition, YHWH gave us 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah. Just looking at the Tzittzit, therefore, reminds us of the commandments, as the Torah says, "You should see them and remember all YHWH's commandments and do them."

How To Tie Them Yourself:

To tie your own YHWH tzittzit follow these easy instructions or contact ravemet@comcast.net about receiving a set from Emet Ministries.

By the way, part of fulfilling the mitzvot of tzittzit is learning to tie them yourself. The Torah reads, “you are to make ‘tzittzit’ on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel.” The word ‘you’ here means YOU! It is ok to purchase tzittzit yet it is better to make your own.

Step 1) You will need some white yarn and some blue yarn to get started. Cut the blue yarn with four strands at 60 inches. Cut the white yarn with twelve strands at 40 inches. Separate these into four groups with one long, and three short in each.

Step 2) The longer strand is called the Shamash, and is the one used for the winding. Even up the four strands at one end. Hold four strings in each hand and make a double knot in the middle of the yarn. Hold the strings by the middle double knot, and come down about two inches and make another double knot. This should give you a loop at the top with the strings dangling down. There should now be eight strands and the extra length of the Shamash hanging. Each time you tie a knot it is tradition to say a blessing or the following, "l'shem mitzvat tzittzit," or in English "for the sake of the commandment of tzittizt.

Step 3) Hold the Shamash in one hand and the seven strands in another. Take the Shamash, and wind it around the other seven strands in a spiral ten turns. Be sure you end the winding where you began; otherwise you may end up with 10½ or 9½ winds. Hold four strings in one hand and four in the other and make another double knot at this point.

Step 4) Like before, hold the Shamash in one hand and the seven strands in another. Take the Shamash and wind it around the other seven strands in a spiral five turns. Be sure you end the winding where you began. Hold four strings in one hand and four in the other and make another double knot at this point.

Step 5) Like before, hold the Shamash in one hand and the seven strands in another. Take the Shamash and wind it around the other seven strands in a spiral six turns. Be sure you end the winding where you began. Hold four strings in one hand and four in the other and make another double knot at this point.

Step 6) Hold the Shamash in one hand and the seven strands in another. Take the Shamash and wind it around the other seven strands in a spiral five turns. Be sure you end the winding where you began. Hold four strings in one hand and four in the other and make another double knot at this point. This is the final double knot.

Step 7) You are now finished with the first tzittzit. If you trim the strings it is customary to leave the Shamash longer than the other white strings. Now repeat these steps three more times and you will have your full set of tzittzit.

Step 8) Once finished, it is now customary to say a blessing to YHWH for allowing you to make these tzittzit and fulfill the Torah. You may use your own or speak the traditional blessing:

“Blessed are You, YHWH our Elohim, King of the Universe whose sanctifies us by His commandments and has commanded us concerning the mitzvot of tzittzit.

“Baruch atah, YHWH Eloheynu, melech ha—olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav, vitzivanu al mitzvat tzittzit.”

Note: some people use another dimensions when tying. To try this each time the Shamash is brought around, take it under the previous wind before winding it further. This will produce a curving ridge around the tzittzit. This, too, should be practiced before trying it on the tallit.

If you have any further questions or need assistance email us at ravemet@comcast.net Also, this teaching is available in brochure format at no cost by emailing a request to ravemet@comcast.net.