The Tallit: Understanding the Tallit and Scriptural Reference
Personal blog posted by Josiah King on November 9, 2009 at 8:34am
This is a brief teaching on the tallit. Its significance to us believers, how to wear it and recite the blessing in both Hebrew and English. Declaration that faith is for all nations. Jews and Gentiles alike
The Jewish men wore this garment called a, “Talis”, “Talit” or “Talith” or Jewish Prayer-Shawl all the time, not just at prayer. “Talith” contains two Hebrew words; TAL meaning tent and ITH meaning little. Thus, you have “Little Tent”. Each man had his own “Little Tent”. The apostle Paul was a Jewish Pharisee, but also a “tentmaker”. Many believe that he made Prayer-Shawls, not tents to live in. Six million Jews could not fit into the tent of meeting that was set up in the Old Testament. Therefore, what was given to them was their “own private sanctuary” where they could meet with Yahweh. Each man had his own “Prayer-Shawl” or “Talis”. They would pull it up over their head, forming a “tent”, where they would begin to chant and sing their Hebrew songs, and call upon Elohim, Yahweh, Adonai. It was an intimate, private, set apart from anyone else time, totally focused upon Elohim. This was their “prayer closet”!
Even today the Jewish people say that the Prayer-Shawl is a religious symbol, a garment, shroud, canopy, cloak which envelops the Jew both physically and spiritually, in prayer and celebration, in joy and sorrow. It is used at all major Jewish occasions: circumcisions, barmitsvahs, weddings and burials. It protects the scrolls of the Torah when they are moved. The dead are wrapped in it when they are buried (without the tassels). The bride and bridegroom are covered with the canopy of the prayer shawl It inspired the Jewish flag!
The Hebrew writing on the “Atarah”
If you are using a prayer shawl, the Hebrew writing on the “Atarah” or “Crown” is the Blessing: "Blessed art Thou. Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to wrap ourselves in the ”tzit tzit” (Fringes).""Baruch Atah Adonoi Elohenu, Melech Ha Olam Asher Kidshanu B'mitsvotav Ve-tsevanu Leyitatef b'tzitit" The Blessing is placed over the head, on the outside, just like the tent walls of the Holy Tabernacle so that they would always hang the same way. As the “Atorah” was placed over the head, it formed his own tent. “Wings” of the garment were formed when the arms were held out.
Yahweh gave them a visual “picture” that will cause them to remember all the commandments of Yahweh, and do them; and that you will not look after your own heart and your own eyes! In ancient Israel man whore four cornered tunic, garment and these tassels were connected to that garment. The tassels were tided to the four corners of their garment. This outer garment eventually throughout history became known as a (Hebrew) “Talith” (Jewish Prayer-Shawl)!
It eventually involved into a more formal Prayer-Shawl, of what most Jewish people were in their Synagogue of congregation or in a “Holy place”! Why the tassels? Because the tassels is what is important! (These Fringes) These tassels were to remind each Jewish man of his responsibilities to fulfill Yahweh’s commandments! In fact, these tassels are tided in a very particular fashion. I you will take the time to count every knot in every one of these tassels you come to the total of 613 knots! Why 631 knots? Because there a 613 laws in the Law of Moses! There are 365 were probations “Thy shall NOT” and 248 were affirmation “Thy shall”! These knots also corresponded to the ineffable Holy Name of Elohim!
In the “Torah”, the Old Testament or Jewish writings: “Yahweh”! (For that title of the Name of God) However what we have done throughout the centuries no one knows how to pronounce the ineffable Holy Name of God! (Accept for some very elite Jewish Holy Rabies’) So they took throughout of a period of time to come to a Name: the Name “G-d” and often time incidental when you read a Jewish writing or someone is a Messianic Jew even and you get to the Name of “God” you will notice it as “G-d”! They never spell out the Name God; they make a “form” of the Name for God, because they revere the Holy Name of God, to this day so HOLY, that you cannot pronounce “it”!
What they did is to take de Name “Adonai”, which is another Name for God and took the vials of “Adonai” and put it in the name of “G-D” and that’s how we come up with the Name “Yahweh”,
Because they were hanging on the four corners of the garment they were full view of everyone including the one wearing the garment. And God said that this will be a constant reminder toward according to Gods laws. It’s interesting when you translate the Hebrew language the word for “law” which is “hallaga” The word for “law” when it’s translated it also mean “walk”! In that there is a very profound message from God!
He wants us to have our daily walk govern by the Law of God! It’s not something’s we visit on “Sabbath” and than forget the six other days of the week! God said: I want to give you a garment that’s going to remind you about My Holy Law every moment of every day!
So that you can look down en see My 613 Commandments and know that you have to live every day of your life a walk in such a fashion that you obey them and honor Me! God is such a profoundly smart God! So wearing these tassels would be comparable is taking our “Bible”, that represent the Law of God, putting a rope around it and literally tide around our neck and carry our bible everywhere we went all day! God intended that wherever we go we will be constantly reminded of His Word! That’s why He told the Israelites, to put on these fringes on your garments.
When deep in prayer a Jewish man will put his prayer-shawl up over his head, and so doing as he clash the fringes the “tsiytsith“ representing the Law of Yahweh and the Name of Yahweh. A Jewish man will began to pray and in this fashion literary “shut out” the world around him! To be in the very present of Elohim!
If you ever been in a Jewish Synagogue you will see a Jewish man (praying) standing like (or at the Western Wall in Jerusalem) this. Why? The Prayer Shawl is WHITE: Representing the Heavens, which is the dwelling place of the Lord! The Color Blue Representing “Ruach Ha Kodesh” the Holy Spirit of Elohim!
Therefore when they pray under the “talith”, the prayer-shawl, they are literally, it’s like you are covering yourself with the presence of Yahweh! From Biblical times a custom was a “prayer-clothed” It’s likely was Yahshua, means in Matthew 6:6 for Yahshua is talking about praying and He said: But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
The Greek word here for “closet” is the Greek Word “temian”. It is literally mean an inner chamber or “secret Room” (It is not meant by your closet in your room at home) It is a closet in yourself with the covering of the “talith”! Prayer is an intense intimate personal inner action between Elohim and men! Prayer is dialog, it means that men speak to Yahweh and Yahweh speaks to men! You speak to Yahweh and than you hear from Yahweh!
It is a conversation that accurse when a man is intensely focuses entirely in communion with Yahweh, having “shut out” all the rest what is in the world! You can easily get ride of the extractions! When a Jewish man wraps himself in a “Prayers-mantle”, he is excluded from everything external! So that his soul is consumed in thoughts about in reference toward Yahweh! He realized that just his “talith” in valued his person, so his faith is to be effective! Must involve the totality of his life! See, you will never find his dichotomy between natural and spiritual in the Jewish world! That is something’s of an Easter mind set that we adopted, that we try to force upon the Yahweh of the Scriptures!
Even the Jewish man very actions throughout the day are directly connected with his faith! That is why they response in the way they do in protecting their land, in protecting their people! They don’t just go to the job and do their military stuff during the day and come home and think about Elohim! There is no dichotomy; we (Western orientated) do that! We segment Elohim on a certain day and segment Elohim to a certain place!
A Jewish man will have a “prayer closet” with him all is reminding him to the commandments of Yahweh and to the Name of Yahweh! That is something’s we need to learn and adapt in our life! This is the kind of prayer life like the Yahshua,enjoined and prayed that the disciples would have! Prayers send to the Master is not a public display of vain repetitions characterized (acculturated) by barossity! Prayer is communication with Elohim! It is best manifest when one is focused on it by any means that can separate from outside from abstractions and a Jewish man “talith“ enclosed him in a “secret chamber”, a ”prayer closet “ shutting of the mundane and the elevating the spirit to his relationship with Elohim! A secret place of prayer! A ” closet “! Jewish traditions ads many additional details concerning the essence and the use of the ”tzit tzit”!
Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Yahweh, 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 Elohim. (Numbers 15:38-40)
In Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12, the ancient Israelites were commanded to wear fringes, tassels, or twisted coils on the corner of their garments to remind them of the commandments of Yahweh and to do them! There were 39 windings in each, which equals the numerical value of the Hebrew words "Yahweh is One." How awesome to realize that Yahshua suffered the same number of stripes for our healing! (Isaiah 53:5; I Peter 2:24)
Fringes of His Garment
*Hem: Greek: kraspedon (GSN-2899), a tassel of twisted wool (Matthew 9:20; Matthew 14:36; Matthew 23:5; Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44). One was required at each of the four corners of the outer garment (Numbers 15:38-41; Deut. 22:12). Pharisees considered tassels special marks of sanctity and sought to enlarge them (Matthew 23:5). One thread of each tassel was to be deep blue to remind them of their duty to keep the law. This word in the Greek language means latterly fringes. The woman was reaching for the fringes of His Garment. For the fringes of the garment of a Jewish man has special significant! What is so significant of the “hems” of Yahshuas’ garments? You must study deeper! For this “story” has much more meaning! The word translated “Hem” is actual referring to fringes or tassels! The Hebrew word is: “tsiytsith”. It was required to be on the four corners of the clothing of every Jewish male in accordance with Yahweh’s instructions.
Hebrew: tsiytsith, a floral or wing-like projection; a forelock of hair; a tassel; fringe. Translated "fringe" (Numbers 15:38-39) and "lock" (Ezekiel 8:3). “Fringes” (Hebrew: “kanaph”) "edge; corner.” This refers to the corners of the garments. The Septuagint and other versions translate it "corners." “Ribband of blue” (Hebrew: “pathiyl”), twine; bound lace; line; thread. Thus, the "ribband of blue" means "thread of blue."! The idea is that tassels (see notes above) were sewn on the corners of the mantle or outer garment (a rectangular piece of cloth) with a thread of blue. When Israel saw them, they were reminded of their responsibility to obey the law, and their calling to be a holy people unto Yahweh(Numbers 15:38-40).
Ancient Jewish tradition
Ancient Jewish tradition holds that the threads of the tassels were white to symbolize righteousness, that there was a conspicuous blue thread among them to symbolize the heavenly origin of the commandments, and that the arrangement of threads and knots symbolized the 613 precepts of the Law was believed to contain Such outer garments are still used in synagogue prayers. In Yeshua's time the Pharisees enlarged their fringes, hoping thereby to prove their great piety (Matthew 23:5).
The construction of the fringes has special traditions and significant! Each of the four corners of the outer garment has to have one long fringe and was tided in a very special dyed in a very special shade of blue! Note in the ”tzit tzit” there is one fringe among the fringes has the color blue! Or royal blue! This was a special shade of blue. It has prophetic significant even to this day! It was literally a reminder of the sky and Israel’s Heavenly focused! This long fringe was connected with three shorter fringes making the total of four fringes for each of the outer corner of the garment! These fringes were than tied as such a manner as to double them. That’s why when you look at it counts eight! What are really there are four! This is tied in a fashion to make it eight! These fringes where than tied in series of five knots. There are windings between the knots. That the 5 double knots symbolically combine with the eight comes to the number 13! It is interesting when you ad the number or the miracles value of the Hebrew word (In the Hebrew language every Hebrews letter of their Alphabet a letter is also given a numerical distingue!)
So often times a Hebrew word, which means something in the Hebrew language in to us, has a numerical distingue-value that ads up to something’s it is also another nugget of revelation. This is why the Book of Revelations, that when the antichrist comes on the scene his name can be used, what results in 6 three score and 6! How can you can the number 666 on someone’s name? The letters will be equivalent the numerical distingue-value! The numerical value of the unique value word of ”tzit tzit” is total 600! When you ad the number 13 (knots) to it you get 613! The total of the commandments of Yahweh! The 613 can be divided in the 365 (were probations “Thy shall NOT”) There are 365 days in a year! One command for every day in the year! Than there are 248 (Thy shall…were affirmation!)
If you take a Jewish calendar you remove the Sabbaths and each one every Holy day from the 365, you will have 248 days left! Coincident? Nothing is coincident in the Hebrew language and Yahweh’s Word! This makes the total of 613! Indecently Jewish people recognize medically there are 248* bones in the human body! There are 365 ligaments! Our body is fearfully and wonderfully made! I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (Psalm 139:14) These things were hidden! Yahweh is trying to point us to his commandments and His Name! There a 613 laws in the Torah! The purpose of the ”tzit tzit” is to remind the Jewish man to all of Yahweh’s (613) Commands, but also stated who Yahweh really is!
Each fringe on the four corners there are 39 windings! In between these five knots there are 39 windings in total. These correspondences to the numerical value of the Hebrew phrase “Yahweh Acad”! In the prayer that every Jewish man prays isYahweh: You are One! Yahshua said unto him, Thou shalt love the Yahweh thy Elohim with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37) Quoted from: (Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 30:6)
That called in the Jewish world “the smah”. Put it on and pray “the smah”. Referring to: “Yahweh is One”! That in the Hebrew language is “Yahweh Acad”! The numerical value is “Yahweh” is 26! The numerical value is “Acad” is 13! Together you will come to the number 39! So this winding on the fringe gives the Holy Name of Elohim! When a absorbent Jew looked at his ”tzit tzit” on his Prayer-Shawl he would see the number 26 and he would see the number 13, which correspondences perfectly to the very one of the greatest commandments He is ever been given! Yahweh again was given him a visual reminder for the very eyes every day to follow His commands and trust in His Name!
The four windings on these four corners correspondences again to the Holy Name of Yahweh! When holding or viewing or toughing the ”tzit tzit” or the “Fringes” we are literally embracing symbolically the entire Word of Yahweh, all the commands of Yahweh and the Name of Yahweh, so we are in assent embracing Yahweh, Himself symbolically we grab a hold on by faith these “Fringes”! That was the reason that woman with ‘the 12 years of blood issue’ had faith in just by touching the “tassels” of Yahshua’s Garment!
