Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• Mark 6:56
• Matthew 23:5

Key OT Scriptures

• Deuteronomy 4:9-10
  Jewish Commentary
• Deuteronomy 6:4-9
  Click to retrieve Deuteronomy 6:4-9
  Jewish Commentary
• Deuteronomy 11:13-21
  Click to retrieve Deuteronomy 11:13-21
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 13:9
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 13:16
  Jewish Commentary
• Numbers 15:38-40
  Jewish Commentary

Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent

Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

What is common to tzitzit , tefillin , & mezuzot , is that all three are visible reminders of the Word of God, and teaching and remembering God's Word through their use appears to be a Jewish covenant responsibility. The question that must be answered, however, is whether tefillin (phylacteries) and tzitzit (fringes) must be physically worn (and in what circumstances), and mezuzot physically affixed to our doorposts and gates, or whether the Scriptural commandments regarding them are intended to be metaphoric. Orthodox Judaism has concluded that they are all meant to be physically applied, while the Conservative and Reform Jewish community has concluded that the requirement of mezuzot is physical, and the others are symbolic or metaphoric. Practical as this latter interpretation seems to be, it is not likely correct because the commandments regarding tefillin and mezuzot are contained in the very same verses of Scripture, and they should both, therefore, be understood to be either one way or the other. My conclusion is that the tefillin and mezuzot are meant to be metaphoric but the requirement to wear fringes with a cord of blue is meant to be physical. Putting God's words on our foreheads and tying them to our arms most likely means that God should always be in our thoughts and in what we do, and writing them on our door-frames most likely means that our homes should be dedicated to all that is godly. No harm is done, however, if one elects to apply them all physically, or to physically wear tzitzit and display mezuzot but decline to wear tefillin . This is one of those calls that (short of God revealing it prophetically) cannot be proven, but I offer several considerations that lean to the literal. First, hanging a m'zuzah on the doorpost of a house has the actual effect of reminding those who enter of God's commandments and that only holy thoughts and deeds are welcome within. Second, because displaying m'zuzot is entirely a Jewish custom, it has the additional benefit of announcing to all who enter that sons and daughters of the Covenant live there, thus promoting God's primary purpose for Israel, which is to be a nation of priests and a light to the Gentiles. I cannot help but think of another occasion in the Scriptures where the children of Israel were commanded to put something on the doorposts of their homes - the blood of the Pesachi - the Passover lamb sacrifice as described in Exodus 12:7, 13 : They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the two sides and top of the door-frame at the entrance of the house in which they eat it ... The blood will serve you as a sign marking the houses where you are; when I see the blood, I will pass over you - when I strike the land of Egypt, the death blow will not strike you. Although one can see how God's instruction to the Israelites could have been interpreted metaphorically (as in the case of the Deuteronomy 6 and 11 mitzvah ), several things were accomplished by their complying literally. First, it served to identify the houses' occupants as believers in God and trusters in His Word. Second, it served to identify the houses' occupants as probably being Israelites. Third, treating God's commandment metaphorically and failing to physically apply the blood to the doorposts would not have been sufficient and would have resulted in death of the firstborn for that house. As I have already said, in Orthodox Jewish communities all men wear tzitziyot , and there is discussion about whether they are also appropriate for women; Orthodox women normally do not wear them. In communities that have not adopted policies regarding tzitziyot , each individual must make his own decision about whether to wear them as described in Scripture, or substitute some other article of clothing or accessory that will accomplish the same thing - reminding anyone seeing it of the commandments of God. What fringes are is self-evident, so our decisions (other than whether to wear them at all) are what to make them of, whether and how to knot them, what the color and origin of the dye for the blue thread should be, and to what articles of clothing they should be attached. Since the only requirement in Scripture is that they be placed on the corners of garments, unless one's community defines the particulars of acceptable tzitziyot , the wearer can use his own judgment on all of these. The orthodox Jewish community has adopted detailed rules for the construction of tzitziyot , which their male members attach to a special four-cornered garment called a tallit katan , and wear under their shirts or vests. Tzitziyot are also worn on the traditional rectangular prayer shawl, the tallit gadol . Both the tallit katan and the tallit gadol are often intentionally lacking the prescribed blue thread. 1 It is important to not to get so involved in the details of how to make tzitziyot , that we forget what they are supposed to remind us of, which are the commandments of God. We are not only to be reminded, but to be made continually aware of God's commandments as we proceed through each day. I believe that the commandment to wear tzitziyot is applicable for both Jewish men and Jewish women, notwithstanding the prevailing modern practice of their only being worn by men. The principle of wearing tzitziyot is also applicable to Gentiles, but there is greater liberty for them and, in fact, it may be preferable that Gentiles (other than K'rovei Yisrael ) not wear fringes because the wearing of fringes today has become almost completely associated with being a Jew. If there is a concern, some kind of substitution to accomplish the same purpose is easily adaptable. It is interesting to note that not all references to tefillin are for the purpose of remembering God's Word broadly. Exodus 13:9 connects the tefillin to remembering how God brought the Jewish people out of Egypt. 1. The practice among some to not include the blue thread has its origin in the scarcity of the chilazon - a sea creature from which the blue dye was originally extracted.

Classical commentators

Maimonides, Meir, and HaChinuch adopt the Orthodox view that tzitzit , tefillin , & mezuzot are meant to be applied physically, and they address each one (including the tefillin of the arm and head) as a separate mitzvah . They also construe the particulars of each (i.e. their shapes, appearances, contents, and how they are applied) according to that which is written in the Talmud .

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2

Source and License

Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

Volume 1 & 2 | Volume 3

License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0

Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.

Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 1 & 2

Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2