Tsitsoth

One of the things that my house will be addressing as Halakha and among possible minhagim is tsitsit. Now the purpose of this blog discussion is not to get any upset, nor tell anyone how they should tie their tsitsoth, but to explore the traditions that Israel clearly had in times past. We can also learn from this to see if we can glorify and keep the command of YHWH in more than just one way. As I believe that we can.

<i>Now from the Masoretic Text in the ASV translation we have the command:</i>
And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as YHWH commanded Moses. And YHWH spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of each border a cord of blue: and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them; and that ye follow not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to play the harlot; that ye may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. I am YHWH your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am YHWH your God.
(Num 15:36-41)

<i>Now from the Targum Onkelos we have the command here:</i>
And YHWH spake to Mosheh, saying: Speak with the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes upon the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that upon the fringes on the borders they put a ribbon of hyacinth. And they shall be to you for fringes, that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of YHWH, and do them, and not wander after the imagination of your heart, or after the sight of your eyes, after which you have gone astray. That you may remember and do all My precepts, and be saints before your God. I am YHWH your God who brought you forth from the land of Mizraim to be to you Eloha: I am YHWH your God.

<i>Now we have from the Targum Yonatan the command here:</i>
And YHWH said unto Mosheh: Speak with the sons of Israel, and bid them make for themselves fringes, not of threads, nor of yarns, nor of fibres, but after a manner of their own (lesumhon) shall they make them, and shall cut off the heads of their filaments, and suspend by five ligatures, four in the midst of three, upon the four corners of their garment in which they enwrap themselves, unto their generations; and they shall put upon the edge of their robes an embroidery of hyacinth (shezir de‑thikela). [JERUSALEM. And let them make to themselves fringes for the edges of their robes, throughout their generations, and put upon the fringes of their robes an embroidery of hyacinth.] And this shall be to you a precept for fringes, that you may look upon them at the time when you dress yourselves daily, and remember all My commandments to do them, and not go aside to wander after the imaginations of your heart and the sight of your eyes, after which you have gone astray. To the end that you may remember and perform all My precepts, and be holy, like the angels who minister before YHWH your God. I am YHWH your God who have delivered and brought you free out of the land of Mizraim, to be to you Eloha. I am YHWH your God.



Now let me show the word "hyacinth":
Hyacinthus is a genus of bulbous flowering plants, formerly placed in the lily family Liliaceae but now regarded as the type genus of the separate family Hyacinthaceae.[1] They are commonly called Hyacinths, and are native to the eastern Mediterranean region east to Iran and Turkmenistan.
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/2hal38Sr*lPLj*PgeJ6RH6RfA4Zoo*aS9E-6WiIRxeSU62YSkVHt9bSMdLv8dUkNkRC1B6CCJaZSxhihsRg*YTUt9jODiTqP/180pxBlue_Hyacinth_by_Kranchan.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="240"/></p>
Observe the color of the flower, which is interesting to me on this aspect.

Now I also notice the word "embroidery" as this is tradition since at least from the days of Hillel. It has been found to this day in some areas of the diaspora. This photo below should give an idea of what it can look like.
<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/JKbVWSkLuscU2Q7Fzawb1dEBJBsineP9x8jXf0j1xLif9iNF6ahiHmtrLwsYT1s5c0ODb6pEQYA0TwrFqFHmOlMH5ESARCXU/TsitsitCloseandFar_x600.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="162"/></p>

Now, some time in the near future my house will be discussing and deciding on whether or not we will be utilizing both of these styles in our faith and obedience to YHWH.

In the mean time feel free to share and discuss about this here for your edification.
Any post done in argumentative or anti-semetic/israelic fashion will be deleted with out question.

Shalom aleikhem b'Mshikha Yeshua
Elder Yoel ben Kol