Category: 613 Commandments

P17 is understood to be all about writing your own copy of Torah. The 18^th positive commandment as enumerated by Maimonides is closely related, but specifically in regard to the King of Israel.

P18 – For the king to write a second Torah scroll for himself in addition to the one which [he is required to write to fulfill the mitzvah incumbent upon] every man. Thus, he will have two Torah scrolls, as Deuteronomy 17:18 states: “And he shall write for himself a copy of this Torah.[1]“

This is a strange command with some entertaining Jewish commentary on it. Even if the king already has a Torah scroll that he obediently created according to P17, when he becomes king, he is required to sit and write a second (mishneh/משנה) Torah. Most English translations render this instance of mishneh as “copy” but the Jewish people utilize the more common understanding of “second”. According to this commandment, once the king writes for himself his second scroll, it is to remain with him at all times.

While P17 may not be entirely overt, P18 is much more explicit in the New Testament – at least from a Jewish perspective. Most Christians don’t realize it, but Jesus dropped a strong hint toward a famous Jewish legend during His Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:17–18 (TLV)
¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Prophets! I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. ¹⁸ Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass.

In this statement, our Master forbade His disciples from even thinking that He would reduce the authority of the books of Moses, but from a Jewish mindset, He also referenced King Solomon by adding that bit about the smallest of letters being struck from the law of God.

When Solomon in his wealth and prosperity grew unmindful of his God, and, contrary to the injunctions laid down for kings in the Torah, multiplied wives unto himself, and craved the possession of many horses and much gold, the Book of Deuteronomy stepped before God and said: “Lo, O Lord of the world, Solomon is seeking to remove a Yod from out of me, for Thou didst write: ‘The king shall not multiply horses unto himself, nor shall he multiply wives to himself, neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold’; but Solomon has acquired many horses, many wives, and much silver and gold.” Hereupon God said: “As thou livest, Solomon and a hundred of his kind shall be annihilated ere a single one of thy letters shall be obliterated.[2]“

One version of the legend I’ve read said that in the midst of creating the king’s Torah scroll, Solomon struck a Yod (the smallest letter) from the “thou shalt not” instructions that appear in the verse before P18 where kings are instructed to not multiply wives. The version of the legend I read in years past indicated that the removal of the yod transformed the teaching from a negative to a positive – “thou shalt not” to “thou shalt” multiply wives. While yes, this is only a legend, the reference to the smallest letter in Matthew 5:18 would have brought to mind this command (P18) and the legends surrounding it.

Divine Judgement

Part of the command instructs that this scroll is to remain with the king and he is to read from it constantly. Perhaps it’s obvious and you already have a clear picture in your head as to what this looks like, but the sages of Israel expounded on it in the Talmud.

“When he goes out to war, he brings it out with him. When he comes in from war, he brings it in with him. When he sits in judgment, it is with him. When he reclines to eat, it is opposite him, as it is stated: ‘And it shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life[3]’”

With this imagery in mind, we can find additional allusions to this command in Revelation. Through various prophecies, God draws a clear picture of Yeshua stepping into His role of King and Judge in the days to come. Hints about His position and duties exist in various places of course, but it is especially blunt in Revelation where Yeshua begins to use Torah as His “weapon”.

Revelation 1:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶ He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Revelation 19:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

When you stop to think about it, especially from a Jewish perspective, this makes sense. When the King finally walks among us again and He is sitting on the throne of David in Jerusalem, He is going to adjudicate cases according to the Word of God. When He comes to set things right, the Word of God is the sword that proceeds from His mouth to subjugate the nations. You can dive a lot deeper into this particular idea using the Prophets, but as I’m working to specifically find the commandments in the Apostolic Writings, I’ve opted to leave it here instead of extending the length of this post. If you’re interested in some fun exploration though, I highly recommend the treasure hunt on this topic! Happy studying!

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[1] Rambam, Mishneh Torah Positive Mitzvot 18

[2] Legends of the Jews 4:5:130

[3] Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 21B

Have you ever written a memory verse from the Bible? Many people find that physically writing out the text helps them to better internalize and understand its message. By slowing down to a deliberate pace, you can better absorb the concepts and themes of the text. The act of writing Scripture is the focus of the 17th positive commandment.

P17 – For each man to write a Torah scroll for himself, as Deuteronomy 31:19 states: “Write down this song.”

This command is particularly meaningful to me right now, as I’m currently in the midst of a year that I’ve chosen to practice this teaching. Each week I’ve been writing out the Torah portion by hand and, as you would expect, each week I find myself noticing details and nuances that I hadn’t seen before. Only through the practice of this command am I truly grasping its profound purpose. That said, even if writing out Torah portions seems foreign to the average Christian, the heart of this command is well understood within the faith.

With a simplistic surface reading of the text one could argue Moses gave this instruction with a specific focus toward Deuteronomy 33. This chapter is a song designed to remind Israel of their covenant with God in the latter days when they have wandered far from His teachings. The song prophetically outlines the entire journey of Israel from beginning to end. If you are of the opinion that the church has in any fashion replaced Israel, this song is one of dozens of references that prove that theological stance wrong.

In spite of the common surface reading, Judaism understands this as saying to write the whole five books of Moses. There are two main reasons:

1. You cannot add to or take away from the words of Moses, so writing a single chapter is prohibited.
2. The whole of Torah is a song and can be chanted when one knows how to properly read the texts that include the cantillation marks.

The sages expounded on this commandment with some interesting results. For instance, even if one’s ancestors passed a scroll down to them, the expectation was (and is) that every Jewish man will write for himself a copy[1]. This can get really complicated, but if a person is not equipped to write a kosher Torah scroll, they also have the option to commission a scroll through a trained scribe. (Yes, that does mean what I am writing this year is not a kosher copy.) Regardless, the expectation is that a new scroll will be produced for every Jewish man.

Echoes in the Apostolic Writings

There is no overt reference to this command in the Apostolic Writings. There are, however, several subtle references to the same concepts and expectations that Judaism draws from this command.

In the Song of Moses, the concern is that the nation would leave “The Way” they were commanded to walk (Deut. 31:29) and their subsequent restoration. John the Immerser appeared on the scene ahead of Yeshua to call the nation to return to that path. His message was simple: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” Repentance, in Jewish thought (including that of the Apostles), is a call to return to the teachings God handed down through Moses. John came calling for the Jewish people to return and his wording is where P17 and the Gospels begin to intersect.

Matthew 3:8–9 (TLV)
⁸ Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance; ⁹ and do not think that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’! For I tell you that from these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

This echoes the Talmudic quote above that highlights the importance of personal participation and obedience to God’s commands, rather than relying solely on one’s ancestors or lineage. Even if a man’s ancestors/fathers (Avot/אבות) were to leave him a scroll, it was still his obligation to obey the command himself. Do not think Abraham’s faith alone is sufficient; a person is still obligated to participate and follow God themselves and to produce their own fruit of repentance as they return to the ways of God.

The smallest letter or serif

While addressing other concerns of the faith, Yeshua subtly referred to the practice of copying the Torah scroll. He said:

Matthew 5:18 (TLV)
¹⁸ Amen, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or serif shall ever pass away from the Torah until all things come to pass.

Jesus addresses two important aspects of a Torah scroll. One is the changing of a single letter which directly alludes to a famous story specific to copying a Torah scroll (I’ll address that in P18). The second is the serif which is sometimes translated as “little horn” and can be understood as the crowns adorning the letters of the Torah. Yeshua wasn’t just concerned with the letters, which is where we derive all intelligible meaning and understanding. Our Master took it a step further and also placed His divine protection around the crowns that decorate the letters which have absolutely no moral or instructive purpose as far as we currently know on this side of the veil.

The Jewish people are in union with Jesus on this point as they say a scribe “should be careful with the crowns and in their numbers.[2]” Some teachers of our faith too often wave a dismissive hand toward the words of Moses in light of the New Testament, but our Master protected it with His words. Not only is the Torah to be copied according to the P17 commandment, but Scribes must be diligent to ensure every small letter and crown receives proper care. Even the white spaces of the Torah are considered sacred and full of meaning which will be explained in the Kingdom era[3].

The great commission

Finally, I think the great commission should receive a mention with this particular command. Our Master Yeshua ended His ministry on earth with His final instructions to His disciples:

Mark 16:15 (TLV)
¹⁵ He told them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Good News to every creature.

One of the primary methods used for spreading the Gospel in the modern church can be directly correlated to the proliferation of the Word of God. Bibles are printed and shared with every person willing to take one. “[This is] so that scrolls proliferate among us and we can lend them out to the one whose hand [will] not be able to purchase it.[4]” In this too, we join with the Jewish people in the Kingdom mission. One of our jobs as the disciples of Jesus is to perpetuate the faith to all nations. We are to take His word to the world and raise up more disciples in His name.

Without knowing it, Christianity attests to the application of this law within the Body of Messiah. While we may not be handwriting Torah scrolls, we are mass-printing Bibles. There are ministries that drop them by the pallet full in third-world countries and there are other ministries dedicated to the translation of the Bible into every language on earth. For this command, Christianity quickens the heartbeat of God as we spread the His Word to the ends of the earth. The proliferation of the Word is at the center of our faith.

Perhaps you, like me, started out thinking this law wasn’t present in the New Testament. How do you see it now?

Bonus Material

As far as I’m concerned, this post ended above. What follows is bonus material.

The Apostle John connected deeply with Scripture in ways we have yet to understand. He pulled from esoteric teachings which Christianity is only just beginning to consider comparing to John’s writings. With that in mind, I found it fascinating that John was the only one who so closely correlated the writing and witnessing piece of this command. I’ve underlined the same Greek words below (using the LXX for Deuteronomy). I don’t know what to do with this yet. Right now it’s something to chew on while I research it.

Deuteronomy 31:19 (LES)
¹⁹ And write the words of this song and teach it to the children of Israel and put it in their mouth, in order that this song may be to me a witness among the children of Israel, toward their face.

John 21:24 (ESV)
²⁴ This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

Revelation 22:18 (ESV)
¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book

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[1] Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 21b.19

[2] Sefer HaChinukh 613.6

[3] Isaac, Rabbi Levi. White Letters: From R. Levi Isaac of Berditchev’s Views to Postmodern Hermeneutics

[4] Sefer HaChinukh 613

Does your church family spend time reading Scripture aloud? For most of my life, my observation has been that the only reading consists of the few verses that the pastor includes in his sermon. Perhaps a short section of text that is read aloud as the precursor to the teaching, but most often 2-3 verses attached to a lengthy monologue.

Is that how it’s supposed to be though? Are we not called to diligently read Scripture aloud? The 16^th positive commandment of Scripture as enumerated by Maimonides is the basis for this understanding.

P16 – To collect the people to hear the Torah [being read] in the year following the shemitah year, as Deuteronomy 31:12 states: “Gather together the people.[1]“

This command is very specific to the year following the sabbatical year. However, there’s nothing in Scripture that prohibits going above and beyond in the exercise of God’s word. In fact, for this command, that’s exactly how the Apostles seem to operate.

Of course, there is a literal understanding of this teaching that is lived out by the Jewish people. In the modern land of Israel, they observe the sabbatical cycle (P140). In fact, 2021/2022 was the shemitah year in Israel where the observant farmers allowed the land to rest as per Biblical teaching (P134). When all the people come up to Jerusalem for the festival following the new year and the end of the shemitah year, there are public readings of Scripture. This is the literal command lived out today.

How did Yeshua and the Apostles view this command? In my current understanding, they advanced it to a heart level and exceeded the expectations of a literal reading. In the Apostolic teachings, there was an expectation that a public reading would happen, at minimum, weekly. Of course, it wasn’t at a national level as the command is envisioning. The Apostolic example is reading within our immediate communities. The Apostle Paul gave a direct instruction on the topic in 1^st Timothy:

1 Timothy 4:13 (ESV)
¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

Lest anyone attempt to broach the argument about publicly reading the New Testament, it’s imperative to understand that when Paul is giving this instruction the New Testament was not yet codified (nor would it be for a very long time) and all instances of “Scripture” being mentioned in the New Testament refer to the “Old Testament.” Scripture was revered by the Apostles and was constantly before them in their teachings.

That’s not to say Paul did not specifically address his own letters. These too he instructed the disciples of Yeshua to read aloud as he understood the communal need for his corrective actions conveyed in his letters.

Colossians 4:16 (ESV)
¹⁶ And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.

1 Thessalonians 5:27 (ESV)
²⁷ I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

Paul appears to make a distinction between his letters and “Scripture.” In His day, he was not considering his word Scripture. I agree that it is Scripture, so please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying – I’m simply saying when Paul said “Scripture,” he was referring to the “Old Testament.”

Paul isn’t our only source either! We see this lived out and taught about in other places in the Apostle’s writings. Our Master participated in the public reading ceremonies and only expounded on it after the reading.

Luke 4:16–17 (ESV)
¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written…

Now there is a lot going on in this section of text that I hope to cover at another time. For now, the point I’m making is that Yeshua was participating in the cultural understanding of P16 – the public reading of Scripture. It didn’t end with Him either. Even after His death, resurrection, and ascension, we see the tradition carried forward in Acts.  

Acts 13:27 (ESV)
²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.

We can see that the Torah and the prophets are read every Sabbath. They are publicly read and proclaimed and only after the reading of the prescribed texts would the teachers then begin to offer their interpretations. The congregation would hear the text themselves within its full context and meaning and then they would hear the teacher. This is a significant difference from our modern church where most believers can only recount a few random stories and even then, mostly out of context.

Furthermore, just to drive home the point that this is very much in respect to the “Old Testament” we should consider the Acts 15 council. The council made four pronouncements in 15:20 and wrapped up their thought on why those four were sufficient to facilitate fellowship between Jewish and Gentile believers. The gentile believers would continue to learn and apply the teachings they hear week to week when Moses is read aloud.

Acts 15:21 (ESV)
²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.

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[1] Rambam, Mishneh Toreh Positive Mitzvot 16

Are you familiar with the inquiry, “If an angel visited your home tonight, would they know that you are a Christian?” As a youth, I gave this question a fair amount of thought in regard to what they might find in my home. However, after reading the Bible multiple times, I now believe that an angel should have clear evidence of your loyalty to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob before they even pass the threshold. This belief stems from the 15th positive commandment as outlined by Maimonides.

P15 – To affix a mezuzah, as Deuteronomy 6:9 states: “And you shall write them on the doorposts of your home.[1]“

Before I go further, perhaps it would be beneficial to describe how this commandment is carried out in traditional form. What is a mezuzah?

The word literally means “doorpost” and so it is an undeniable fact that every building has a mezuzah at every door. In the Jewish culture, however, that word has become synonymous with the mode of obeying this command. On any observant Jewish home, synagogue, and other structures you can find a small container on the right doorpost as you enter. This container holds a scroll with select verses including the Shema, “Hear O Israel, the LORD our God the LORD is One.” The containers are usually slanted inward and feature the Hebrew letter shin (ש) which is shorthand for one of God’s most revered titles, “El Shaddai.”

The mezuzah is an important aspect of Jewish thought and culture. Despite its significance, it cannot be found explicitly mentioned in the New Testament. However, I continue to believe that most of the 613 commandments are present in some form in the New Testament, either through explicit mention, midrash, parable, or other rabbinic formulations. To gain a better understanding of the mezuzah’s place in the Apostolic Writings, one must consult other Jewish writings to see how the culture perceives this commandment.

In Jewish culture, the mezuzah is seen as both a literal and spiritual symbol of God’s guardianship over a home and each individual room where it is placed. As one moves from one room to another, they are entering a new domain with its own purpose and function. This idea can be seen in the difference between a dining room and a bedroom. In the dining room, one serves their entire family and guests over shared meals, while in the bedroom, the focus shifts to one’s spouse and personal rejuvenation. God’s guardianship and care move with the person through their home and so Jewish thought states a mezuzah should be placed at every doorway.

Jesus taught his followers to understand God’s commandments both literally and on a spiritual level, and the cultural perception of the mezuzah shows how it is lived out in observant Jewish families. It is both a physical representation of God’s guardianship and a symbol of the spiritual protection and care He provides. That guardianship seems to be the key.

Jewish sources are surprisingly consistent about this. There is a guardianship that comes upon a home with a mezuzah[2]. These sources relate a story of a Rabbi that gave a Roman Emperor a mezuzah. The emperor scolded the rabbi for such a “cheap” gift after he had given the rabbi a gift of great value. The rabbi responded that he would have to hire guards to protect the gift from the emperor, but the gift of the mezuzah resulted in God Himself becoming the guardian of the emperor. The linked reference even goes so far as to say “by the King of kings.”[3]

Some sources make reference to a blessing that is spoken when a person passes through the doorway. This blessing became my roadmap in the New Testament. What particularly stood out was the phrase, “God will guard my going out and my coming in, now and forever.”

That sentence formulation elicits the idea of shepherding a flock. The shepherd guards his flock as they go out and as they come in to make sure none are lost. The idea is a pretty common occurrence in Scripture. For instance, in the Torah, at the end of Moses’ life, we see him beseeching God and imploring him to provide a shepherd for Israel.

Numbers 27:17 (ESV)
¹⁷ who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.

Moses recognized the need for a leader to guide and protect the Israelites after his death and asked God to appoint a new shepherd. Moses, more than anyone, understood the importance of having someone to guard and shepherd the people as they went out and came in.

The correlation between a small container attached to a doorway and a shepherd who guards his sheep as they go out and come in is not immediately apparent, but this can be understood by exploring the cultural understanding of this commandment. Though it may seem strange in its literal form, the connection to the words of Jesus becomes clearer with this understanding.

There is a parable in the New Testament where Jesus makes use of both the metaphor of a shepherd and a door. Many readers may already be thinking of the Parable of the Good Shepherd in John 10, which includes the statement “I am the door.” Initially, I thought it was a stretch to connect this parable to the mezuzah, but after reading Jewish case law, discussions, and midrash, the consistent imagery was apparent. I found it impossible to ignore the connections between this teaching and the Jewish understanding of the mezuzah. Much of the parable appears to be a midrash on the Mezuzah. Yeshua is the door, and He is the Word that is written on the door. The gatekeeper only opens for Him. Yeshua is the Mezuzah.

A famous story in the Talmud relates the idea of guardianship as connected to the Mezuzah. Emperor Titus was angry about his nephew converting to Judaism and sent out a troop to bring him back. The story has its twists and turns, but ultimately it recounts Onkelos (the nephew) touching a mezuzah and contrasting the way soldiers guard their kings, but in the spiritual world, the King of kings guards his people[4].

John 10:10–11 (TLV)
¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly! ¹¹ “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Psalm 121:8 (TLV)
⁸ Adonai will watch over your coming and your going from this time forth and forevermore.

This idea of God giving longevity of life and protection is throughout the works of Judaism as they write about the command. Some sources call it an “open miracle.” In this world of concealment, the work of the mezuzah is openly apparent.

“To impart in our hearts the principle that Divine protection pervades Israel at all times, day and night, the Torah has commanded us to place the mezuzah at the entrance of our homes. We will thus be cognizant of this principle of Divine protection whenever we enter a home, and we will be mindful that this protection is constantly with us. Even at night, His protection surrounds our house and protects us while we sleep.[5]”

I could go on as there are many more sources and quotations that bring my mind to our Good Shepherd, who is our Mezuzah. The one who guards us as we travel through life and the one who trains up our hearts to recognize only His voice. I’m not sure if this has been confirmed for you, but for me, I have found the commandment of the Mezuzah, P15, in the parable of the Good Shepherd. God gives a promise along with the command for the mezuzah as it is recounted in Deuteronomy 11. The fullness of that promise seems to come through our Master Yeshua.

Deuteronomy 11:20–21 (TLV)
²⁰ You are to write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied on the land Adonai swore to give to your fathers, as long as the heavens are above the earth.

John 10:9 (TLV)
⁹ I am the gate! If anyone comes in through Me, he will be saved. He will come and go and find pasture.

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[1] Rambam, Mishneh Torah Positive Mitzvot 15

[2] Chabad.org Guardian at the Gates

[3] Bereishit Rabbah 35:3 “I sent you something which is full of knowledge and will protect you, as it is said: ‘When you walk it will lead you; When you lie down it will watch over you; And when you are awake it will talk with you (Proverbs 6:22)’”

[4] Avodah Zarah 11a:2-5

[5] Chabad, The Protective Power of the Mezuzah

How often do you forget God’s word when you’re living life? In those moments where you’re gossiping around the water cooler, or when you’re swearing at the car in front of you, when you’re fudging the truth to protect your personal image, or maybe having illicit thoughts of another that should never be entertained in your mind’s eye – are you remembering God’s commandments? We each have those moments where His presence isn’t front of mind. God addresses this forgetful tendency in the next positive commandment as enumerated by Maimonides.

P14 – To make tzitzit, as Number 15:38 states: “And you shall make tzitzit for them.[1]“

Tzitzit (tassels) are another command easily found in the Gospel accounts. In one reference, as with the previous commands, Yeshua is bringing correction to the practice of this commandment. As with P12 & 13, this law is not for getting noticed by others. It’s another protection for the soul when performed in humble obedience. In the days of Jesus, that was a problem and so Yeshua spoke about the issue saying:

Matthew 23:5 (TLV)
⁵ All their works they do to be noticed by men. They make their tefillin wide and their tzitziyot long.

As with the tefillin in P12 and P13, Yeshua is not saying to stop practicing this commandment, but rather He is saying to practice it with appropriate measure and purpose. If you have others in focus when wearing them, you are falling into the pit Jesus described as you honor yourself rather than honoring God.

Remembering His Ways

Numbers 15:39–40 (ESV)
³⁹ And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. ⁴⁰ So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.

This commandment has a protective measure built into it. We tend to wander from God’s teachings in life, but the tassels serve as reminders to bring us back to Him. I have personally experienced this wake up call when I had some hateful negative thoughts while at work. I reached into my pocket and felt the tassel through the lining, which instantly reminded me of God’s ways and helped me correct my thinking. These thoughts were not aligned with God’s teachings, and the tassel served as a reminder to return to God’s path.

The Talmud tells a story of a man tempted to engage in sexual sin, but the tassels hit him in the face, causing him to turn back to God and ultimately saving another person as well[2]. It was this story that made me consider seemingly random references in Paul’s writings and I now think he may have been using the tzitzit as part of his teaching in Colossians 3:1-17 when we are told to clothe ourselves in God’s ways.

Colossians 3:1–2 (TLV)
¹ Therefore, if you have been raised up with Messiah, keep seeking the things above—where Messiah is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Focus your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:12–14 (TLV)
¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves in tender compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience— ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving each other, if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord pardoned you, so also you must pardon others. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfect harmony.

Healing in the Wings

There are other important references to tzitzit in the New Testament that testify to our Master wearing them. Consider these two stories in the Gospels: Luke 8:43-48 and Matthew 14:34-36

Luke 8:44 (TLV)
⁴⁴ She came up from behind and touched the tzitzit of Yeshua’s garment. Immediately, her blood flow stopped.

Matthew 14:35–36 (TLV)
³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Yeshua, they sent word into all the surrounding region. And they brought to Him all those who were in bad shape ³⁶ and kept begging Him that they might just touch the tzitzit of His garment—and all who touched it were cured.

Growing up in a church I heard these stories any number of times. No one stopped to ask the question, “why were they so anxious to touch the fringe of His garment?” The thought doesn’t make sense unless you understand more of the Jewish thought of tzitzit. They are an extension of the four corners of the garment and those four corners take on deep meaning within Messianic prophecy.

Canaph (כנף) isn’t just “corner” as we understand it with a garment. It’s also translated as “wing.” When the Jewish people saw that Yeshua was a righteous prophet of God and more importantly, when they realized that He was a contender for being the Messiah, they had a natural understanding that in the “wings” of His garment there would be a healing for the nations. Why? Because that’s what the prophet told us in this prophecy:

Malachi 4:2 (ESV)
² But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings (canaph). You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

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[1] Rambam, Mishneh Torah Positive Mitzvot 14

[2] Talmud, Menachot 44a