We live in an unusual time in history. Recently I described how the indoor plumbing we take for granted is only about 100 years old - No Hot Showers [1]. Another thing that sets this age apart is simply how colorful it is. Any color you think of is easily acquired - paints, inks, dyes, etc. But it was not always so. Until the discovery of analin dyes in 1856, all dyes came from nature. BTW, unlike stains which only affect the surface, dyes penetrate the material and don't wash out. Nature provides most colors in abundance so the human world was not THAT drab, with the exception of purple and blue. But one might say the sky is blue and water is blue – yes but blue pigments in nature are rare. Nowadays blue is common, just think of the two billion pairs of blue jeans sold each year - ZipDo [2].
Our Blue Planet |
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Num 15:37 The LORD said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout their generations they are to make tassels for the corners of their garments, and put a blue (tekhelet) cord on the tassel at each corner. 39 These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the LORD’s commands and obey them and not become unfaithful by following your own heart and your own eyes. 40 This way you will remember and obey all My commands and be holy to your God.
Murex snail |
Each spot is
one murex gland
This ancient dye costs $2,700 per gram. It takes 120 pounds of snails to make just one gram of pure purple dye powder, in a labour-intensive process. One gram allows you to dye 10-15 grams of fabric (the sleeve of a shirt), and that’s why the dye was, and still is, so expensive. MiddleEastEye [10]
Dt 22:12 You shall make yourself tassels (gedilim) on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself.
These are tzitzit I bought at Walmart online [12], made for Jewish consumers. Traditions vary among the various Jewish sects regarding color of threads (usually white), number of threads, knots, length, attachment, and so on - Tallit Shop [13]. BTW, this NOT a murex dyed tzitzit.
Tzitzit are never mentioned again in the OT, but do make a couple appearances in the NT, somewhat buried in translation.
Lk 8:43 And a woman who had suffered a chronic flow of blood for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, 44 came up behind Him and touched the FRINGE of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had left Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and admitted in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
She touched the kraspedon [14] of His cloak. We can know that Greek kraspedon is Hebrew tzitzit. In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament Hebrew into Greek, Num 15:38 tzitzit is translated as kraspedon - Septuagint [15]. She touched the tzitzit of His cloak, and was healed. She was not the only one.
Mt 14:34 And having crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret. 35 And the men of that place having recognized Him, sent to all that surrounding region, and brought to Him all those being sick, 36 and were begging Him that only they might touch the FRINGE of His garment, and as many as touched were cured.
As many as touched the tzitzit of His cloak were healed. Remember, tzitzit are attached to the corners of one's garment, the word corner is translated from the Hebrew kanaph [16], the primary meaning is wing.
Num 15:38 they are to make tzitzit for the kanaph of their garment
Doesn't Mal 4:2 sound like a prophecy of these healings?
Mal 4:2 But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
It's S-U-N, not S-O-N, though most commentaries agree that Jesus is the sun of righteousness - Ellicott Commentary [17]. Jesus clearly had healing in His wings, that is, in the tzitzit of His kanaph. Prophecy can have a dual fulfillment, a small former and a large latter fulfillment. At His return, He will have MUCH healing in His wings, and the earth will need it. I marvel at the symbolism in even a small detail like a tzitzit.
Shades of Murex Dye |
It took another 100 years and many scientists and scholars to rediscover the process of creating tekhelet blue dye from the murex snail. By this time, artificial dyes had taken over the marketplace from natural dyes, which caused the collapse of the Indigo plantations in India. For over 1300 years, observant Jews could not buy murex dyed tzitzit, so they were obliged to omit the blue thread chabad.org(blue_thread) [20]. But artisan dye makers are again making murex tekhelet blue dyes and genuine tzitzit - tekhelet.com [21]. When the third Temple is built, if the priesthood believes they need murex tekhelet blue for the curtains, clothing, there are now sources for it.
The original purpose of the tzitzit was to remind individual Israelites of God and His commandments. The colors white and blue certainly make one think of the sky, that is of the heavens. Tekhelet IS sky blue. That colorful reminder is meant to lift you up, to consider God in all your ways, and not follow your own heart. I have to question whether it worked very well to remind the wearer of the commandments. In Jesus' day, many wore the tzitzit, but they were scolded by Jesus Himself for missing the point.
Mt 23:5 But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels (kraspedon) of their garments.
Now we have the law written on our hearts and minds, but that doesn't always stop us from sin, just like tzitzit didn't stop ancient Israel from sin.
Not everyone who wears the tzitzit is trying to remember the Commandments. One of the Hamas terrorists killed in Gaza was wearing a green tzitzit, Israeli military issue Israel365News [22].
Summary
We have seen:
- God commanded the Tabernacle to use tekhelet blue.
- The priests wore garments of tekhelet blue.
- Israelites were instructed to wear tzitzit with a tekhelet blue thread in it.
- The blue dye industry was very important in ancient times.
- The process to make dye from the murex snail was lost, but has been restored.
- The blue thread of the tzitzit was to remind Israel to obey God.
- The tzitzit symbolizes the healing in His wings