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Tzitzis | Why Jews wear FRINGES

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Rabbi Josh Zebberman avatar
Rabbi Josh Zebberman

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you know what's interesting about cities you know the tradition is we hold the seats destroying the Shema and the tradition is to hold them with the left hand right why are we holding them with the left hand closest to the heart close to the Heart Right the light the hearts on the left side so commentaries explain [Music] that the Mitzvahs represented by sitzis since this is the reminder for mitzvahs it's something we need to take to our heart it's something we remind ourselves that we want to connect with emotionally since this is an interesting Mitzvah it's almost an anomaly because it's one of those mitzvahs that you're not technically obligated to do you don't have an obligation to wear citizens you have an obligation to where it sits is if your garment has four corners you technically don't need to wear citizens if you have a four corner garment you need to put this on it so we go out of our way we get a four corner garment we put scissors on it great we're doing a mitzvah but it's interesting because something this Mitzvah seems pretty fundamental you have 613 mitzvahs and one of them is to remind you of the other 612. that's pretty fundamental right oh but you don't have to do it oh what so I read recently of an Insight from Rabbi Moshe Feinstein all right we must find some as an incredible Authority who passed away in the 80s I believe 70s 70 80s and he says that's the message we're reminding ourselves that I don't have to do Mitzvahs although I do I get to do Mitzvahs something I take to my heart is something I want to do the talmud Tells A fascinating story about this incredible power that sits his hands in reminding us of the sacredness of our heritage there was Yeshiva boy who got enticed by someone who was quite provocative and felt compelled to pay her a visit pun intended he felt compelled to pay her a visit as Yates or Hara got the best of him and apparently it was not a cheap visit either and the talmud describes as that length when he goes to see her the layers of rooms that he's going through and the drama that is built up it was It was a and as he's removing his clothing about the sin he sees his stitches and you gotta understand at this point how hard it's going to be to go back emotionally physiologically spiritually the atahara has got him the atar is God Hook Line and Sinker right and he notices his stitches and he just freezes oh he says I'm out of here this lady of ill Rapport was almost offended like what never gotten that before later though he ended up marrying her yeah so you so he she said but at this point she was offended because what's going on is there something he says it's not you it's me right classic we got it from the town but it's not you it's me I'm a Jew I have sacred values I was just reminded of them I'm not giving that up for a moment of pleasure she says what's your name who are you where are you he ends up believing she tracks him down she finds out what Yeshiva he's in he goes back to Yeshiva becomes about the Shiva she comes back to you she comes to the Shiva it says to the rabbi Shiva I'm looking for so and so and why um I'd like to she says I want to convert I want to convert to Judaism he says you can't convert for marriage doesn't work that way this is what the talmud says I can't convert you can't convert for marriage it doesn't work that way so she says I'm not converting for marriage I'm converting for truth and she tells him the story how she was inspired by this guy she ended up converting they ended up getting married he ended up living with her they're married now the talmud says something fascinating the sheets that were about to be used for sin were now used for mitzvah the incredible transformational power of the shuva but what sparked this incredible transformation this transformation from the ultimate Darkness the ultimate Clipper the ultimate uh to something so beautiful and so sacred what sparked that transformation that sisters remembering the Commandments but more importantly remembering the commander Commandments remind us of the commander