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B. The jersey is usually made of wool or cotton, and is generally worn under the shirt, with the tassels neatly tucked out at either hip. Some Chassidic groups have the custom of wearing the jersey on top of their white shirts.
C. Each tassel consists of four long white strings, hand-tied onto the jersey through pairs of holes just off each corner. After the first anchoring knot, a series of alternating spirals and knots form the first few inches of the tassel, with the loose strings creating the remainder. The finished product vaguely resembles a tasseled curtain drawstring.
Clothes make the man...That’s why the tzitzit are attached to one’s wardrobe... where the person’s identity begins, is where one’s Jewish identity begins too
1. The Jewish Boy Scouts
Next to the Yarmulke or Kipah, the tzitzit are what makes a Jewish guy stand out the most. On the simplest level, they’re part of your uniform. They remind you of who you are. “Why am I wearing these strings?” you may ask yourself one day. “Oh, that’s right—I’m Jewish.” They’re there to constantly keep you alert.
2. No Strings Attached
“But, why strings?” you ask. “Why not any other symbol?” Good question. Clothes make the man, and are very much a way of expressing who he is. Comes along G-d with His Torah, and says, “Whoever you are, add Me to the mix.” That’s why the tzitzit are attached to one’s wardrobe—denoting that at the fringes of the fabric, where the person’s identity begins, is where one’s Jewish identity begins too.
3. All in Knots
A deeper reason, our sages taught, is that the tzitzit are a symbol of the 613 mitzvahs. Yes, tzitzit are a pleasant ethnic trigger, reminding me of my Jewish heritage, but, so what? What do I do with it now that I’ve thought of it? Here’s how tzitzit symbolize the mitzvahs: the five Hebrew letters that comprise the Hebrew word tzitzit each have a numerical value (the Hebrew alphabet doubles as a code of sorts), and the total numerical value of “tzitzit” adds up to 600. Now, add the numbers eight and five, as symbolized by the eight strings and five knots of each tassel, respectively, and presto! You’ve got 613. Wearing tzitzit, you are a walking symbol of all the 613 mitzvahs. Don’t forget them.
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Daily Life » Clothing » Tallit and Tzitzit
