THE TALLIT

THE TALLIT or prayer shawl: In the Old Testament, God gave the twelve tribes of Israel (the House of Jacob or Israel)  specific instructions as to how they should design and wear their priestly attire as they escaped the bondage of Egypt.
From this idea the religious prayer shawl is made and used.
“Tallit” simply means gown or cloak, reflecting the fact that it was originally worn throughout the day. It probably resembled the abbayah (blanket) still worn by Bedouins. The word tallit isn’t originally Hebrew and does not appear in the Bible; rather, other words meaning robe or garment are paired with words meaning tassel or fringe to indicate the proper attire.
Many rabbinic authorities, however, favor a simple tallit of pure white wool as the classic Biblical garment, basing themselves on the verse “let your garments always be white” (Ecclesiastes 9:8). The tzitzit (threads or fringes) attached to each corner are traditionally made of the same fabric as the tallit; however, wool fringes are always permissible.
These tassels in Hebrew is called “tzitzit” (singular) pronounced “seet-seet.” In the King James Version of the Bible they are translated as “fringe” or “fringes.” These fringes are attached to the “borders” or “corners” of their garments, or tallit.
The KJV translates the Hebrew word “kanaph” as “borders” in Numbers 15:38. According to the Brown Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew dictionary the Hebrew word “Kanaph” means:
1) wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, or skirt.
The earliest mention of Kanaph is found in Exodus 19:4 : “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings (kanaph), and brought you unto myself.”
Many Bible teachers have stated that the first use of a word sets the stage for the underlying meaning of the word throughout the remainder of the Scriptures.They call this the “law of first reference.” Here we can concur that through the “kanaph” there is deliverance. The children of Israel were delivered or set free from the Egyptians because God bare them on 'eagles' kanaph, and brought them unto Himself.
The wearing of the “tallit” (pronounced tal-eet), also called the “tallis” or “prayer shawl,” was commanded by God.
In Deuteronomy 22 :12 and Numbers 15:37-40; “Speak unto the children of Israel (the twelve tribes), and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations…and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that you may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord.”
In Numbers 15:38 the word translated border or corner is a Hebrew word which can also be translated wings and appears seventy-six times in the Biblical text.
For this reason, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called wings. Each tzitzit consists of five double knots and eight threads, a total of thirteen elements. This number added to six hundred, the Hebraic numerical value of the word tzitzit points to the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Law otherwise called the pentateuch or Torah. 

As the Tallit was placed over the head, it formed its own tent. WINGS of the garment were formed when the arms were held out. For this reason, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called “wings.”
During the first century there were several traditions associated with the tzitzit concerning Messiah. One was that these knotted fringes possessed healing powers. Certainly the woman with the issue of blood knew of these traditions, which would explain why she sought to touch the hem (the wings) of Jesus’ prayer garment. The same word used in Numbers 15:38 for corner is used in Malachi 4:2 for wings. "But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings." (Mal. 4:2).

TAL-ITH contains two Hebrew words; TAL meaning tent and ITH meaning little. Thus, you have LITTLE TENT.
The prayer Shawl makes it possible for each person to have his/her own little tent to pull up over his/her head, forming a tent, thus having his/her own prayer closet!

The Tallit used as a Status Symbol:
The people of other nearby nations also had this custom. In texts found in Mesopotamia, references indicate that the removal of the fringe of a man’s garment was the equivalent of removing part of his personality. To cut off the hem of a wife’s garment was regarded as divorcing her. Tablets have been found with the impression of a fringe as the mark of the individual, a personal seal or signature.
In New Testament times, ordinary people only wore a tallit on special occasions, if at all. It was the Pharisees who seem to have worn it regularly and, apparently in some cases, often for show. Jesus expresses no disapproval of the custom itself but he does condemn the extra long fringes that they affected to display their piety (Matthew 23:5).

Saul, Samuel and David:
“And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with you: for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt (kanaph) of his mantle (tallit), and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord has rent the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, that is better than you.” 1 Samuel 15:26–28
Saul, after disobeying God, was told by Samuel that his kingship was over. Pleading with Samuel, Saul rips the tzitzit out of Samuel’s tallit, which becomes a symbolic picture of Saul’s kingdom being ripped from him. The reason Saul lost his authority was because he was no longer a symbol of authority.

There is another history that goes along with the tallit. Remember when David was being chased by Saul, and he didn’t have as many men as Saul, but Saul was determined to kill David. Basically, Saul was over on this side of the hill and there was a ravine and he was with his men and there was a cave, and Saul went into the cave into the inner recesses of the cave to sleep. Saul was guarded by all his men. During the night David sneaks over the ravine and instead of killing Saul he cuts the edge of his garment, and took the tzizit. The next day David stood on the other side of the hill, the mountain with the ravine and called out to Saul. Saul began telling David how much he is going to kill him, and David basically said to Saul, “Saul, look at your garment. I could have killed you, but I tried to respect your authority, so look at this tassel in my hand, I have it as a symbol of your authority and one of yours is missing”
Resource: Messiah ministry

BIBLE STUDY FOCUS

OUR BIBLE STUDY FOCUS: To find the trouble in the text, and the trouble in the world; the grace in the text and the grace in the world. We also focus on exposing and peeling away the myths about the texts and bring to the forefront the perceived truth in the texts.
God has a purpose for humanity and in order for God’s purpose to be fulfilled humanity needed to be in complete obedience to God’s authority. In the Book of Genesis Chapter 1:28: God blessed humanity, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” In Genesis 9:1: God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”
Genesis 11 and its troubles in the text: All the descendants of Noah devised a plan to establish a city in a place called Shinar and settle there in spite of God’s direction to them to fill the earth – make nations. They planned to build a brick tower with its top in the heavens, and to make a name for themselves. They would stay together as a single united people. Just imagine for a moment what the world would look like, and what these people could have accomplished together on ONE ACCORD even if it was the wrong CORD.    

The question is in the text, what was the trouble in building the tower and making a name for themselves? In the world, what is the trouble in building a tower in America, Dubai, China etc.
Trouble in the world: Dubai built a tower with its top in the heavens and China devised to build a tower even higher than the Dubai’s tower. So the question is what do we think is wrong with building a very high tower or sky rise or sky scraper? The trouble in the text is that the peoples’ motive was a selfish one. Today in our world we may have different motives; however they may be selfish ones on the part of government and people.

The people in the text were sent out by God to go and make nations in the whole world. However, they decided to control their existence by building one city for themselves and avoided launching out into the whole world as God had commanded them.
God’s people in the world today are commanded by God to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. In other words, go out into the world and love all people!!! However, often time we build our own ‘tower of Babel.’ Imagine the church today. Many mainstream churches have exclusively built their own ‘tower of Babel’ instead of opening up their doors and their hearts to people in their communities and in the world to make disciples as God has commanded us. Because of this many church organizations are experiencing division, confusion and even change in church languages. The church today is experiencing breakage and scattering of groups and members. This is no different from the breakage, division, and confusion and scattering of the people at SHANAR while they built the ‘tower of Babel.’

Grace in the text or passage: God’s discipline for Noah’s descendants was not to bring them to ruin, but instead to change their WAY OF THINKING, their direction – direction that would in the end bring them to ruin, not to mention preventing proper relationship with one another and with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the normal growth process in the world.
Building our own generational city or cultural city leads to  self-reliance and a lack of need for God’s help, which leads to idolatry. And God seeks our obedience and our allegiance to Him and not to idolatry.
Genesis 1:28: God blessed the ancient people, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” Genesis 9:1: God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”In New Testament era: Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus directed the church to ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

God’s people were meant to have relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And from relationship with the Trinity, God’s people were to have relationship with one another in all the earth. God is relational, the Trinity is relational and seeks to be in relationship with people within communities. 

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35