The significance of the tallit is always in the tassels, which in Hebrew are called the Tzitzit. They are placed in the four corners of the shawl. According to Numbers 15 there should be a blue thread in the tassel. Unfortunately, the blue dye was made from a particular mediterranean sea-snail which almost became extinct, and the process was lost, so now only white is generally used. The blue was symbolic of Heaven and was a reminder of our heavenly birthright. The knots which are used to form the tassels are done in a particular manner which in Jewish understanding represents “God is One” and the 613 commandments of the Law. Thus the tzitzits of the tallit represent the Word of God in accordance with Numbers 15.
If you were told to “Stand in the wings of the theatre”, would you expect to crawl inside a set of aeronautical or birdlike wings? No, but you would go to an extension on the side of the stage. Thus, the tassels, or tzitzit, are often referred to as the wings of the tallit. If you wear a tallit while holding up our arms in prayer, it does look a little like a batman set of wings, and the word tzitzit is closely related to a Hebrew word for feather-like. We see the use of this ‘wings’ interpretation of the tassels in references like Psalm 91:1-4 or Ezekiel 16:4-8. But let us turn our attention back to Malachi 4:2.
I’m sure you have identified the “Sun of Righteousness” as Jesus, but the interpretation of “in His wings” has long been a problem. And as we have already seen, it is partly because of this verse that it was thought that we would have wings when we get to heaven, because we shall be like Him. But if you accept that Jesus didn’t have bird-like wings when He was on earth, then how do you interpret the verse. There is even one major translation that says He would have healing in His rays, because it fit better with “Sun”, but it still doesn’t make a lot of sense. But the tzitzit, or wings, on His garment would!
Let’s now look at Mark 5:25-34.
It has been taught that this woman thought that if she touched His garment she would be healed because she had seen the presence of the Holy Spirit upon Him. The Bible doesn’t say that. That teaching is pure conjecture and, quite frankly, is based on a lack of understanding of the scriptures.
Consider that the woman had already decided to touch His garment, and from the wording, possibly before she was even in His presence. It is possible that she came looking for Him because of her premeditation. Note that she touched the hem of His garment. In Hebrew the part of the garment she touched is the TZITZIT.
Therefore, the woman with the issue of blood, knowing her scriptures well, probably thought, “if this man is really the Messiah (Sun of Righteousness), then if I touch His Tzitzit (wings) I will be healed”. It was for her faith in the written Word of God, through the symbolic Word of God, that Jesus, the Word made Flesh, commended her, not for seeing the Holy Spirit.
And if we look at other verses of scripture we also see where this occurred (eg Mark 6:56 and Matthew 14:35-36). Further, if we look at the extended section of scripture around the woman with the flow of blood in Mark 5, we find a young woman who is dead, and therefore most probably wrapped in a tallit in preparation for burial. Once again we see someone being made whole when the Word-made-Flesh connects with the Word of God through the symbolic Word of God in the tzitzit. God cannot deny Himself.
