Women and the wearing of Tassels (or in Hebrew,Tzitzits) from Numbers 15:37

Numbers 15:37-41 "The L-RD said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel, command them to make fringes on the corners of their garments. And to put a blue cord on each tassel. You are to do this for all time to come. The tassels will serve as reminders, and each time you see them you will remember all my commands  and obey them.; you will not turn away from me and follow your own wishes and desires.  The tassels(fringes)(tzitzits) will remind you to keep ALL my commands and you will belong completely to me. I am the Lord your G-d who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the L-RD". (Military Chaplain's Bible translation)

Recently, I did some research, which was not as extensive as it could have been, but for now, I found some excerpts from Wikipedia on the subject of Tzitzits.  I am studying this commandment. Many women I know, have an interest in wearing Tzitzits. With feminine colors and maybe beading added with feminine clothes, so we don't appear to "look like a man"; as we are commanded NOT to do.

Interesting to find out that many Rabbis , even into Modern Orthodox Judaism were okay with women wearing  Tzitzits.  Tzitzits or fringes or tassels that are worn on the four corners of our garments. (in today's world where we don't always have four cornered garments, there are many "ways" that people wear them depending on what they are wearing. When I wear them, which is almost daily, I usually pin mine on my garment, just in front and in back of my side seam, so if you were to rip that seam that would be my "four corners.   Women's clothing and some mens, don't actually have four corners. One of the things that has been changed in modern times. I don't believe that that means we should stop doing the commandment, we just have to do it differently, as close to the commandment as possible. With the female ones, I  bead them, to not look "masculine". Its interesting to note, that there have been lots of beaded "tassels" and non beaded used throughout history. Mostly for fashion, but look at the American Indians, fringes and tassels..Some actually believe that some of them are one of the lost tribes of Israel.(which could have meant they wore tzitzits) Who knows? Right?

Usually in the Hebrew Roots and Messianic movements, a blue thread is laced into the tassels/fringes, as it is written in Numbers 15:37-40.  The Jewish Rabbis say that the blue came from a sea creature of long ago, which I was told it was a snail of some sort, their shell , crushed made this color.  The Torah (first 5 books of the Bible), calls the color Techelet, in Hebrew.  so as of this time, (Messianic and Hebrew Roots) tzitzits , aren't always white, but always have a "blue" color in them to keep the commandment as true as possible. Ours are also tied , with two things in mind. 1) the wraps are done in numerical value of G-d's name in Hebrew. Yud Hay Vav Hay, . so 10-5-6-5. Plus the numerical number for Tzitzit is 600, and the 8 strands which are used plus the five knots that are made in between the the wraps are total of 13, so 613 commandments or if you want to say 10 + 603 commandments..* This part, of tying them, is purely tradition, but a nice one, and makes them somewhat similar when trying to teach someone else how to tie them!


 In contemporary Orthodox Judaism, there is a debate on the appropriateness of women wearing tzitzit which has hinged on whether women are allowed to perform commandments from which they are exempt. According to Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik the issue depends on the intention with which such an act is undertaken, e.g. whether it is intended to bring a person closer to the Almighty, or for political or protest purposes. Other commentators hold that women are prohibited generally, without making an individual inquiry. The view that women donning a tallit (prayer shawl) ~ which also has tzitzits on them, would be guilty of arrogance is cited as applying to attempts of making a political statement as to the ritual status of the genders, particularly in the Modern Orthodox community, are generally more inclined to regard contemporary women's intentions as religiously appropriate.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein,  coming from a Jewish religious background; wrote that permission is granted to every woman who wishes to fulfill even those mitzvot (commandments) which the Torah did not obligate; and they indeed fulfill a mitzvah and receive the reward for the fulfillment of  it including saying the appropriate associated blessing (I sometimes say the blessing in English,  just to be thankful to G-d for giving us this commandment.)  And also tzitzit are applicable for a woman who desires to wear a four cornered garment - it should be different than a man’s garment - and by attaching tzitzit, she fulfils this mitzvah.^[29]


I found this part really interesting..... historical studies are fascinating  and found this particularly because most  sects of Judaism, don't believe that women should wear them and that it is a man's commandment.
Rabbi Yisrael Yaaqob Alghazi and Rabbi Yomtob ben Yisrael Alghazi held that the observance of this mitzvah by women was not only permitted but actually commendable, since such diligence amongst the non-obligated would inspire these women's male relatives to be even more diligent in their own observance^{[citation nee}

1. ^ Babylonian Talmud, tractate Kiddushin 29a
2. ^ Shulkhan Arukh, Orah Hayyim 17:2 in Mappah
3. ^ Sefer Maharil 7
4. ^ Devarim 22:5
5. ^ Igrot Moshe, Orah Hayyim 4:49, s.v. ibra d’ika

This was done as a study of why or why not women should or shouldn't be allowed to wear them, if we choose to do to honor G-d this way.  Also, even the first century Jews that followed, Yeshua, (Jesus)including himself , wore them too.  Remember the woman who had a bleeding problem? She touched the corner of his fringes(tzitzits) for healing...Interesting!

If women wear "feminine" tzitzits not for political status or to be "irreverent" but to be closer to G-d,  and to "remember" the  Commandments of G-d.  After all , wasn't it  Eve/Chava, the woman, that was taken off guard by her eyes, and her ears, listening to the Serpent in the Garden of Eden? And she was the one that "saw the fruit as good and pleasurable to the eyes". She also allowed Satan ( ,the Serpent) to trick her mind, thinking she needed to be like G-d and know everything...So as I see it, women are just as much needing to wear them as men. We have desires and thoughts and issues like men too. Wearing and feeling them makes me think twice about, saying something rude, holding my tongue (even posting on FB,) where I go,(entertainment wise) or getting mad at someone that cut me off in traffic, or dishonoring my parents or family or friends, even about being "overly friendly" in mixed company!  Even though considered a "time limited" commandment, (during day time hours),  I believe that since other time limited commandments we, as women are supposed to do, such as Shabbat, and commanded appointed times(Holidays, Passover, Sukkot, etc) we should still be able to show our honor and praise to our Creator with the wearing of a beautiful commandment of wearing Tzitzit. This is just a snippet of what I found...*There was more on Tallit(prayer shawl) wearing, but for personal editing,  I took that out, as it got kind of confusing to read..