tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post7160194452636241743..comments2023-08-16T07:20:09.921-05:00Comments on Kineti L'Tziyon קנאתי לציון: The Greatest Commandments, Part 7Judah Gabriel Himangohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-42217526589070862922009-11-12T12:28:00.436-06:002009-11-12T12:28:00.436-06:00I was reciting Kriath Shma` last night and realize...I was reciting Kriath Shma` last night and realized its "urithem <b>otho</b>" not "<b>otham</b>", my bad.A. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17290668816169371637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-13232211073737075622009-11-11T20:05:54.590-06:002009-11-11T20:05:54.590-06:00My third paragraph is referring to the threads of ...My third paragraph is referring to the threads of ṣiṣith. Similar applies to tying ṣiṣith as well, which can either be pre-tied when bought, or tied by the buyer. When tied, a brakha (blessing) must be recited and proper kawana (intent) used.A. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17290668816169371637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-6829766314930044282009-11-11T20:00:13.560-06:002009-11-11T20:00:13.560-06:00All my comments on ṣiṣith were only reiteration of...All my comments on ṣiṣith were only reiteration of Orthodox halakha and minhag.<br /><br />More comments I'd like to make regarding ציצת/ṣiṣith, referring to Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12:<br /><br />The command of ṣiṣith includes the placement of pethil tekheleth (a thread of tekheleth) within the ṣiṣith. Tekheleth is not a color. It is only a color by way of it being a substance with which is a assigned a certain color. There are just a couple differences of opinion about which is the real tekheleth. A random blue thread not of the substance tekheleth is not valid as tekheleth and does not magically substitute for tekheleth. Tekheleth had been unavailable (and some may argue still is) and therefore ṣiṣith without tekheleth is the norm. Especially since there is unsurity in the minds of most Jews as to which, if any, of the few possibilities of what is real tekheleth is indeed the real thing--all white ṣiṣith are the norm.<br /><br />Ṣiṣith are to be made of twisted threads, and it is a halakha that they must be specially manufactured for the purpose of the miṣwa of ṣiṣith and consequently made by a Jew using proper intent in their making.<br /><br />They are only for four cornered garments, not belt loops nor any other non-four-cornered-garment; this is a basic violation of the written miṣwa.<br /><br />The ṣiṣith are specifically for men, women need not wear them. "Wait wait-it doesn't say that", you may object, since banim (sons) either means sons or children (it is only said banoth/daughters when it is strictly a group of females). Therefore how does one know if in this instance it is referring to only men and not men and women? The answer is the Oral Tradition without which no one can properly adhere to the text of the Torah. The Oral Tradition explains that it refers only to men. If you don't like it and think its wrong, consider the miṣwa in the text of the Torah that no Moabite can become an Israelite (Dt. 23:4). Yet Ruth became an Israelite. Its not a contradiction with the Torah, because the Oral Tradition explains that Dt. 23:4 refers specifically to males and excludes females.<br /><br />If someone is wondering why I use seemingly weird transliterations, please see <a href="http://hebrewfaith.blogspot.com/2009/09/original-hebrew-letter-and-vowel.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.A. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17290668816169371637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-86484935641103941122009-11-11T10:21:38.549-06:002009-11-11T10:21:38.549-06:00Dear blog readers,
For your personal pleasure, he...Dear blog readers,<br /><br />For your personal pleasure, here's <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2419052455_0bac7252e9.jpg?v=0" rel="nofollow">one perfectly-shaped female wearing fringes</a>. ;-)<br /><br />(...and you thought it was gonna be dirty. Get your mind out of the gutter!)Judah Gabriel Himangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-40474418449223645662009-11-11T10:18:58.413-06:002009-11-11T10:18:58.413-06:00JK,
Balanced comments as always. I agree that thi...JK,<br /><br />Balanced comments as always. I agree that this commandment regarding fringes is not one of the weightier matters in the law, so it should be looked at though that perspective.Judah Gabriel Himangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-58884783809578664852009-11-11T09:54:43.544-06:002009-11-11T09:54:43.544-06:00I think the issue over tzit-tzityot seen in the Me...I think the issue over tzit-tzityot seen in the Messianic movement has very little to do with the validity of the command. I think we pretty much all recognize it as valid, and that Yeshua followed it. When it comes to application, that is where we see XYZ opinions.<br /><br />How are they to to be tied? What do we do about the blue dye? Do we wear a tallit? Should women observe this command? Etc. Etc.<br /><br />There is certainly variance seen across the spectrum in Judaism, but I have never seen a Jew wear tzit-tzits on beltloops (so I think that this view can easily be disregarded). Most of the Messianics I know fall somewhere in the Conservative-Reform category: tallits on Shabbat day services. Sometimes the tassels are all white, sometimes they have a thread of blue. I find no significant problem with this application.<br /><br />Let's keep in mind that wearing tzit-tzityot does not classify as being one of the "weightier matters," and not be unfair to anyone who may not share our opinion on how the command is to be applied. And yes, things have become complicated by an entire cottage industry out there with people selling tzit-tzits!J.K. McKeehttp://tnnonline.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-27067219849665995342009-11-11T09:23:14.334-06:002009-11-11T09:23:14.334-06:00Dear blog readers,
You might be interested in Com...Dear blog readers,<br /><br />You might be interested in Commandment Deep Zoom: it's a Silverlight web application that lets you zoom in on the commandments hierarchy with your mouse. Pretty cool stuff:<br /><br /><a href="http://deepzoompix.com/Album.aspx?alias=JudahGabriel&album=1" rel="nofollow">Commandments Deep Zoom</a>.<br /><br />Works in Firefox, IE, Mac, Windows.Judah Gabriel Himangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-10302635324239598152009-11-11T09:06:03.048-06:002009-11-11T09:06:03.048-06:00Aaron, excellent commentary.
You mention the par...Aaron, excellent commentary. <br /><br />You mention the part about being peculiar, distinct from the nations. I wanted to mention that in one of the justifications for tassels. Thanks for bringing it up.<br /><br />What do you think: gentiles who love Messiah and attach themselves to Israel - should they wear fringes?<br /><br />p.s. You need to get a blog.Judah Gabriel Himangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-44598908931852548722009-11-10T22:14:55.939-06:002009-11-10T22:14:55.939-06:00Also, the text implies a number of things which al...Also, the text implies a number of things which also shapes the halakha of tassels. One of them is that they are only binding when one wears 4 cornered garments. That means just about never today unless someone is wearing a poncho, haha. So technically, if you don't wear 4 cornered garments, you don't need to wear tassels--but in order not to miss out on this command (and therefore miss out on the spiritual protection and other blessings/benefits to it), we continue to wear talitoth (talits).<br /><br />In fact, one of the other uses of the talit (whether qatan/small, worn under the shirt, or gadol/big worn outer) is to help keep the command of being unique ("holy") from all other nations.A. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17290668816169371637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-14668860242511909172009-11-10T22:06:53.644-06:002009-11-10T22:06:53.644-06:00Judah,
The reason the way of making tassels is to...Judah,<br /><br />The reason the way of making tassels is to make 5 knots with 8 strings (13, which is combined with the Hebrew gematria value of 'tzitzit'/"tassel" which is 600, thus 613) is for the reason that the tassel itself represents the Torah.<br /><br />During Shahharith (the morning prayers) the verses of Kriath Shma` include the passage in Numbers 15 regarding tassels; the tassels are held throughout and are kissed at each mention of them, and are held before to the eyes to be gazed at when it says "urithem otham" ("and you shall see them").A. Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17290668816169371637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-42810753431839889332009-11-10T21:25:01.087-06:002009-11-10T21:25:01.087-06:00Awesome, sir! :-) Hey, I forgot to commit my chang...Awesome, sir! :-) Hey, I forgot to commit my changes + the couple commandments I mapped tonight. I'll get them committed shortly.<br /><br />Thanks again, Nathan!Judah Gabriel Himangohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10277699587853707632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836835.post-3734914928565203692009-11-10T21:19:03.065-06:002009-11-10T21:19:03.065-06:00I live to serve! 8-)
Seriously, though, this is e...I live to serve! 8-)<br /><br />Seriously, though, this is exactly the sort of project I love: lots of details, lots of tweaks, lots of enhancements -- and I can program more directly for G-d's glory than is normally the case.<br /><br />Till next time, and more commandments with it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com