Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

For Generations to Come…

 In biblical times the Jewish men wore a garment called a tallit (Hebrew for prayer shawl.) It was not just for prayer, but even though worn much of the time, it was specifically for prayer. They were commanded to wear fringe, called tzitziyot (Hebrew) on it. Numbers 15:37-41 is the first passage that speaks about this garment. The Lord directly spoke to Moses and told him to tell the Israelites in verse 38, “Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach the tassels at each corner with a blue cord” (NLT). The English word “clothing” is the Hebrew word tallit. God was telling them to wear their prayer shawls for generations to come. Why do you think God would tell them to do that?  What importance did God place on it? Is there significance for Christians in the 21^st century?

The word tallit comes from two Hebrew words tal meaning tent and ith meaning little. God intended for them to use the tallit as a little tent. Six million Jews could not fit into the tabernacle that God commanded Moses to build in the Old Testament (Exodus 26.) How gracious is God to give them their own little tabernacle (little tent) where they could meet with God? The Jews would pull it over their head to form a tent where they would call on their YHWH (the Hebrew term for Jehovah or Yahweh.) The New Testament gives a more modern-day picture of this garment, Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” Matthew was a Jew and knew what he was talking about, but we don’t understand it the way it was intended because we have rooms with doors and closets and that is how the verse was translated, thusly how we have applied it. In the original language (NT Greek) the verse is broken down like this: “closet”, tameion: an inner chamber, secret room; “close”, kleio: to shut up; “door”, thura: used of any opening like a door, an entrance, way or passage into.     This verse very likely was talking about the tallit. Anytime of the day or night their prayer closet was with them, their inner chamber, wrapped around their shoulders. It could be shut up at any moment to create a passage into the heavens!  How many times in a day do you wish you could enter your prayer closet and it is not with you? What harm would it do to have a prayer shawl (tallit)? God never said not to use them anymore. Just a thought…

Another example of the tallit being used was the story of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth’s husband had died and she stayed with her mother-in-law. She meets a man named Boaz and so begins a great love story in the Old Testament book of Ruth. In chapter 3 verse 9, Ruth is at the feet of Boaz (not a great idea in those days). She says to Boaz, “Spread the corner of your garment over me since you are a kinsman-redeemer” the word for garment is his tallit. That act would be a claim for marriage.

Deeper study into the Hebrew and Greek reveal that covering with the tallit is a picture of Genesis 1:2, where the Spirit of God is “hovering over.” There are many other places in scripture where inference to the tallit was made: Deuteronomy 32:11, Luke 1:35, Luke 9:28, Acts 5:14, to name a few.  2 Kings 2 where Elisha received the mantle of Elijah and struck the water with it is another reference to the tallit. What other garment would be so revered and full of power because of all of the years Elijah had worn it when praying? Elijah would have had a prayer shawl as a prophet and it would have been saturated with years of prayer. Can you just imagine how Elisha would have felt when Elijah left it for him? The closest comparison I can make to that feeling was when my Sister died and I received one of her Bibles. What could you leave for someone that is saturated with your prayers and tears?

The most compelling evidence for me was the woman in Luke 8:43 with the issue of blood. Jesus was a Jew and a Rabbi and He would have been wearing a tallit. The woman would have known what the tallit was and the significance of it. The only fringes (tzitziyot) Jesus would be wearing would be on His tallit! Why would she stoop to touch the fringe? Why not His arm or back? As the tallit is placed over the head for prayer, it is held out in such a way as to form “wings.”  The Jews knew their scripture and maybe she was thinking of the promise that there would be, “healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2). The only physical wings Jesus would have had was His tallit with the tzitziyot on it. Jesus’ wings are full of healing for you, too. He gave his life and was striped for your healing (1 Peter 2:24). Will you reach out and touch the hem of His garment today?

Many Messianic Jewish scholars also believe that the “undergarment” in John 19:23-24 and the “strips of linen” in John 20:5-6 were also the tallit. The tallit was woven from top to bottom without a seam, “in one piece.” It was also a custom for a person, especially a Rabbi to be buried with his tallit folded over his face. The tallit was always respected. Any person who moved the tallit would not have been respectful… unless it was the owner… Jesus! Are you beginning to see the great significance of the tallit for you?

We have a Jewish heritage through Jesus Christ. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have a Jew and a Rabbi living in you in the person of the Holy Spirit. The tallit is a symbol of something that God wants to continue to do on earth with us. God does not do away with the things that we do away with, am I saying that you have to have a prayer shawl and wear it everyday… no. But understanding scripture in the way it was written and in the way intended is vital to our deeper understanding of Christ. ! Isn’t that what we all desire as believers in Yeshua HaMashia (Jesus the Messiah)? And… what would it hurt? If you have never worn one when praying—you should try it… amazing!

Hashem (who was, who is, who is to come),

Thank you for the revealing of truth this series will bring. Forgive me Yeshua for cutting out or setting aside those things that are an integral part of you. May I press on and embrace the new/ancient ways you long to reveal to me.

In Yeshua’s name, Amen

Praying for you… Kathy

There is an amazing Bible translated by Dr. David H. Stern, a Messianic Jew (Christian Jew) who translated the Jewish New Testament and the Jewish New Testament Commentary. Also, the Complete Jewish Bible, which combines his version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) with the Jewish New Testament. I have a link to them here so you can look at them and order if you want to have a greater understanding of the actual Hebrew and Greek meanings of scripture.