OUT ON THE FRINGE

Tassels & Fringes

Jackson Snyder, 011101

Yahshua was wearing the substantial outer garment of a moreh or rabboni!

Greetings!  Before you read this short essay, consider that it is written for people who are making an honest effort to keep the Ten Commandments.  If you cannot recite the Ten Commandments then this essay is probably not for you, since observing the Commandments is required in order to be on the fringe.  I mean no offense to the reader, but this word will be of little use to the secular.

Father Yahweh speaks of the fringe in Bamidbar (Numbers) 15:37-40, saying:

 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, for all generations to come, to put tassels on the hems of their clothes and work a blue [1] thread into the fringes at the hem.  You will thus have a fringe the sight of which will remind you of Yahweh's rules and how you are to put them into practice rather than following the dictates of your own heart and eyes, which have led you into unfaithfulness. Yea, this will remind you of all my orders.  Put them into practice, and you will be consecrated to your Elohim.”

Some of us have gone out on this fringe – that is, taking on the tassels that terminate in the fringe worn by ‘Israelites’ to remind them of Yahweh’s rules and how to keep them, thereby give each an opportunity (by way of reminder) to walk the way of the Qadoshim, keeping peace and covenant within greater the family of Elohim.  What read that tassels and fringes are for ‘all generations to come’ and, believing we are Israelites (based on Isaiah 56:1-8 and many other passages), we, too, are to go out on the fringe.

Other than containing a blue thread, the tassels and fringes are described in no more detail.  The implication is their simplicity.  But wearing the fringe – affixing it to the clothing, working around the tassels to put the rest of the clothing on, and the very effort to maintain the fringes every day – (and avoiding them in the bathroom) does indeed remind those on the fringe to remember and keep the Torah commandments, walk on toward the goal of perfection, and retain their status in the Covenant Reign.  In addition, there is the blue thread among the others that reminds us of our love for our Messiah-King, the son of David: a higher authority and more revered than any secular sovereign or nation – he who is destined to rule the world with justice and mercy.

What the passage doesn’t tell us is very important for those considering going out on the fringe.  The tassels are to be attached to the hem of a garment on the four ‘corners,’ like a tee shirt slit from the armpit to the hem, with the ‘corners’ being the divisions at the bottom of the shirt where the cuts have been made. This type of garment is called a chatan or beged, which may be purchased online with tassels and fringes already attached . But special garments do not seem required; the beged may have simply been the common garment of the time, as the tee shirt is the common garment of our time.  There is no mention of whether the tassels and fringes are to be worn inside or outside the rest of the clothing.  The other thread colors are not mentioned either, though they are usually white, and no requirement for special  knots, braids, or designs.

The next mention of tassels and fringes is in Devarim (Deuteronomy) 22:12:

“You must make tassels for the four corners of your covering . . ..” 

With this passage, we note a few more characteristics.  You make the tassels.  (Though there is no prohibition against buying them until you are able to make them.)  You affix them to your garment, though again there is no command to wear a particular garment, just the tassels on whatever you wear to cover yourself, on its ‘four corners,’ wherever you find them.

One translation has verse 12 as, “You must make tassels for the four corners of the cloak in which you wrap yourself.”  Indeed, this is just exactly what we find in the Tov Besorah,

Mattyah (Matthew) 9:20-22

(a) and 14:35,36 (b):

(a) Then suddenly from behind Yahshua came a woman, who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was thinking, "If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved."  Yahshua turned round and saw her; and he said to her, "Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you." And from that moment the woman was saved.

(b)When the local people recognized Yahshua they spread the news through the whole neighborhood and took all that were sick to him, begging him just to let them touch the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched it were saved.

So without a doubt we find Yahshua the Anointed wearing a substantial outer garment – that of a moreh or a moreh rabboni – with a sick woman wandering through the crowd, seeking to touch him on the fringe; later many sick wanted to touch the fringe, for all were ‘saved,’ a work which may mean ‘saved from their illness.’  Undoubtedly, the garment for which the soldiers cast lots was the chatan of a well-known moreh, rabboni, or moshiach.

There are all kinds of traditions regarding the fringes / tassels – how they should be tied, what color they should be, whether they can be worn by women, whether four must be worn or whether a beged or chatan must be worn, and if they should be worn at all.  The Scriptural documentation is rather scarce, but there is enough to make a decision on most of the issues. For instance, fringes may be worn on the inside or outside, and the only reason for wearing them is to remember to keep the ordinances of Yahweh to which you have already committed.

I decided in 2008 go out on the fringe.  I was given a couple wool-yarn fringes and wore them on a belt while I learned more.  Sometime later, I purchased fringes from a vendor at a convention.  They were multi-colored threads with some shiny tinsel and the blue strand.  When I wore them, some at the meeting looked at me cross-eyed because these tassels were not the traditional white and blue.  At the time, I didn’t know what the scripture didn’t say about them.  Maybe these were sinful colors!  Anyway, a youth told me he liked them, so I gave them to him until I could check the book.

Though tradition holds that the way the fringes are tied remind us of the Sacred Name and the ordinances of the Torah, wearing white is not necessarily Scriptural.  Only blue / purple is mentioned, and Torah only says that we are to use them to remember “Yahweh's rules and how one is to put them into practice.”  Even the blue strand has no explanation, but the fact that it remains that color reminds us of royalty – that of David and of Yahshua – and reminds me personally of the word ‘purple’ sprinkled liberally within the New Testament.  (Such purple passages are worth checking in conjunction with a study on tassels and fringes.)  Yet no special ink need be used – no special snail or special anything.  (The purple ink snail is an unclean beast.) They may be worn on any garment.  There are many ways to get on the fringe.

 I wear them on the outside, but not for show.  I am a shy person; and not one soul has as yet asked me what they are or why I wear them. But if someone asks, I am ready to reply.

Women are not exempt from wearing them except by decree of some sexist rabis.  Recently, a woman was arrested at the Western Wall for wearing a chatan beged with tassels and fringes.  The official charge was that she was wearing a man’s clothing.  Women, this sister’s arrest ought to be reason enough to wear them.

Still, tassels are not worn as attention-grabbers.  Those on the fringe have no obligation to explain anything, although some use them as a witnessing tool.  But you may simply say, “It is a private matter.”  Or, I was thinking of saying, “Ma’am, do you know your Bible?”  If yes, then say, “Look at Numbers 15:37 and following.”  I had also thought of being smart about it.  “I’ll tell you the answer if you tell me why you, a man, are wearing a woman’s earring.”  (Man wearing woman’s ‘clothing’?) Or, “If you’ll tell me why you wear that green tattoo on your ….” 

One fellow in our group received so many inquiries that he had a business card made up to tell about tassels.  When someone asked, he no longer wasted time on the explanation, but passed out a card and went on. (This fellow stayed among Christians.  This is why he got so many inquiries.)

One thing is for sure: going out on the fringe honors Yahweh, helps your commitment, and aids you in feeling a part of the Nazorean community; there are so few of us, fringes (along with a few other symbols such as the Messianic Seal) help the lonely feel the connection to the Father and the family of Elohim all over the world.  There is a word for this feeling of unity though long distances separate us – the word is YAHAD. 

And for me, there is a visceral feeling of YAHAD that makes me bolder and more secure in my faith.  I can feel a part of the host of qadoshim and bacharim making ready for the breakthrough of the melaqa, and I no longer feel alone in the process of watching and waiting.

Go out on the fringe.  You will feel a completeness.  And there is no telling whether that poor soul who has been bleeding for twelve years will not see you down the aisle in the supermarket and go for you tassels – and be saved.

Moreh Jackson Snyder

Yochanon 9, 6010

The Blue Thread & The Ecce Homo

Chris Plourde, 011101

I had to stand up and walk around –

I was too excited to sit!

(Ed. note: the observation and research in this column references the study in the left column.  We worked on the subject of fringe color, that blue and violet (in Hebrew) were often interchanged.  The following research is valuable and, to my knowledge, has never been considered before. - jhs)

The Set-apart Place and the Most Set-apart Place: To understand this summation we have to go back to the earliest mention of “blue” and “purple”.

Exo 25:3 “And this is the contribution which you take up from them: gold, and silver, and bronze, 4 and blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine linen, and goats’ hair

The very first thing you should notice is there is a distinction between the three colors.  This collection of material was being made to build a Set-apart Place for YHWH to dwell in.

Exo 25:8 “And they shall make Me a Set-apart Place, and I shall dwell in their midst.

The colors were significant for purposes later discussed.  At this point, I will be giving an abridged version of my study where I will point out the highlights of color use.  Feel free to research the building of the Set-apart Place, Most Set-apart Place, and Ahron’s clothing as it is very interesting.

To understand the colors blue and purple, let us go back to definitions:

Blue: tekeleth: the color obtained from the cerulean mussel: blue.

1) violet, violet stuff: 1a) violet thread; 1b) violet stuff or fabric

2) blue (covering spectrum from brilliant red through deep purple)

Purple: argaman:

1) purple, red-purple

2) the word is of foreign origin

As you can see, there could be some confusion between violet and purple (and even blue and purple).  The usual lexicons only add to the confusion.

Regarding the Set-apart Place: the outer “walls” if you will, were curtains made from blue, purple, and scarlet; and there is a distinction between scarlet, purple and blue (according to the better authorities).  The curtains were joined with 50 blue loops and gold hooks.  Blue is a color that is used to bind or tie together parts of the Set-apart Place and Ahron’s garments.  The veil that separated the Set-apart Place from the Most Set-apart Place (where the Ark was to be placed) was blue, purple, and scarlet.  (There were four walls to the Most Set-apart Place and not one curtain that divided the two.)  All of the other materials to cover the tent opening and gate opening were made from blue, purple and scarlet material.

Ahron’s garments: All of Ahron’s garments, save one, were made of blue, purple and scarlet.  These would include his shoulder garment, embroidered bands for the shoulder garment, and breast plate.  The cords that bind all of this together were made of blue as discussed earlier.  The robe was to be made all blue (all versions say blue).  This blue rob will be of importance later.

The breaking of camp: Numbers 4: There were specific things to be done before a move was made.  These are some of the important highlights concerning the colors.

·         The Ark was covered with the veils of the Most Set-apart Place, leather and then a blue wrapper.

·         The table of showbread is covered with a blue wrapper.  The utensils for the table were place on top of it and covered with a scarlet and, then, the whole thing was covered in leather.

·         The lampstand and its utensils were covered with a blue wrapper and then placed in a leather cover.

·         The blue spread was placed over the gold altar and covered with leather.

·         The utensils for the altar were covered with a blue wrapper and placed in a covering of leather.

·         Num 4:13 “and shall remove the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple wrapper over it.”

The ashes represent MAN (or foreign MAN):

·         The sovereigns of Midyan wore purple (argaman) robes. Jud 8:26

·         The Ashshurian officers and rulers wore purple (ganim) robes. Eze 23: 5-6

·         Belshatstsar placed a purple (argoana) robe on Daniel for interpreting the writing on the wall. Dan 5:7

Here is why this is the most exciting part!!!

The imposition of the robe:

John 19:2 And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and they put a purple robe (porphupoun imation, Greek) on Him, 3 and came to Him and said, “Greetings, Sovereign of the Yehudim!” And they slapped Him in the face. 4 And Pilate went outside again, and said to them, “See, I am bringing Him out to you, to let you know that I find no guilt in Him.” 5 Then יהושע came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe (Imation porphupoun, Greek). And Pilate said to them, “See the Man!” (Idou ‘o anthropōs or ecce homo in Latin)

“See the Man” He is wearing purple and called a man, anthropōs (ie can mean one solitary man or all humankind).

The Color of Man: Man / humankind wears a purple robe in the presence of a Holy Creator; but a blue robe is required!  There is a distinction to be sure.  There is a covenant and commandment to be followed and that is why there should be a distinction of color for the tzitzit (fringes).  The colored thread is to remind us of the commandments.  We are supposed to reach for the commandments in complete belief to be saved.  We had better not be reaching for the “color” of man!  Is it not interesting that we are to reach for the tzitzit and not any other part of His garment?

Blue, Purple, Violet: I am not sure blue is the “right” color.  I know I have a hard time telling the difference between violet and purple.  I do not, however, have a problem telling the difference between blue and violet or blue and purple.  For this reason alone, I will stick with blue.  It is a reminder that I am to follow the commandments in faith and that it can, in no way, be confused with the color of man.

Peace, Chris