Festivals & practices
Tassels
Thread fringes on garment corners that remind wearers of God’s commands.
Also called · fringes · tzitzit
What it means
Numbers 15 tells the Israelites to put fringes on their garments with a blue cord. Deuteronomy 22 requires them on the four corners of the cloak used to cover the body.
The fringes are to remind people to keep God’s commands rather than follow the desires of their own hearts and eyes.
How it appears in the Bible
In Matthew 9, a woman who has suffered a discharge of blood for twelve years touches the fringe of Jesus’ garment and is healed. In Matthew 23, Jesus criticizes scribes and Pharisees who enlarge their fringes to be seen by others.
Translation note
Tzitzit is a transliteration of the Hebrew name. The WEB uses fringe or fringes in Numbers 15, Deuteronomy 22, and these Matthew passages.