A Mitzvah of Strings: Tzitzit

Question

Dear Rabbi,

What is the reason for putting strings on the corners of clothing?

Thanks

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The Torah states the reason: “When you see it, you will remember all the commandments of God to perform them, and you shall not wander after your hearts and after your eyes after which you are going astray. So that you will remember and perform all My commandments and you will be holy to your God.”

    Basically, the Torah says that our wearing strings, called tzitzit, helps us remember and keep God’s teachings. A great rabbi likened this to the practice many have of tying a string on their finger to help remind them to do something, such as picking up milk from the store. Although nowadays the string custom may not be widely used as it was in earlier generations, and people use notes of paper or apps for reminders, the Torah wrote a timeless memory device to help always remember God’s teachings.

    They can be a protection against heresy and immorality. The Torah tells us that the tzitzit are especially helpful in reminding a person to avoid “straying after his heart and eyes,” which our Sages interpret as a reference to heretical thoughts and immoral sights. These sins require special protection because they are attractive and, at the same time, spiritually destructive. When a person’s eye sees something desirable but prohibited, it is difficult for him to restrain himself by merely recalling the prohibition and the destructive results of a transgression. Hashem therefore countered sinful visual attraction with a visual reminder in the form of tzitzit.

    The Torah indicates that by wearing tzitzit we will be reminded to observe all 613 commandments. We remind ourselves of them all through the tzitzit, by tying five knots on each set of eight strings. The word “tzitzit” has the numerical value 600, which together with 5 and 8 adds up to 613. In addition, by tying five knots upon eight strings on each corner, we remind ourselves to follow the five books of the Torah when using eight parts of the body: ears, eyes, mouth, nose, hands, feet, reproductive organ, and heart.

    Our Sages compare the tzitzit strings to a lifeline. It is as if someone falls off a ship into the raging ocean, and the captain throws him a rope and tells him to hold on for his life. So too, keeping spiritually alive in this temptation-filled world is like staying afloat in a raging ocean. God, the captain of the ship, gave us tzitzit as a reminder to fulfill the mitzvahs, and thereby to hold tightly onto Him, the Source of life.

    The colors of the strings are white and blue, which are colors that remind us of God. White is the color of the Divine Attribute of Kindness, and blue is the color of Divine the Attribute of Mercy and of the sapphire Throne of Glory.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team