Tzitzit refers to the fringes or tassels attached to the corners of a tallit (Jewish prayer shawl) or tallit katan (a smaller garment worn under clothing). These fringes are a physical reminder of the commandments and values in the Torah. From here.
Related – What Color Was Tekhelet? – Re: The blue or purple in the tzitzit.
Did Yeshua (Jesus) Wear Tzitzit, the Traditional Jewish Fringes?
A: Yes. The paragraphs below were extracted from this site. Note that the two passages are both in Matthew; i.e. the same writer uses the Greek word “kraspedon” in two places. Jesus’ admonishment of the Pharisees uses Kraspedon to refer to their overly long tzitzits thereby showing what the word means to the author. How to pronounce kraspedon in biblical Greek here. [CLAS-pe-dawn]
We know this because of a woman who suffered from “a hemorrhage for twelve years.” No doctor could cure her, but with sincere faith “she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” With dedicated perseverance, she pushed through a crowd of people, “came up behind Him and touched the fringe [kraspedon] of His cloak.” Turning to her, Yeshua said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” And she was healed. (Matthew 9:20–22)
The Greek word for fringe in this Scripture is kraspedon. It is also translated as hem, edge, border, corner and tassel. We understand, however, that this woman who reached out in faith touched the tzitzit of Yeshua’s garment, as it is the same word Yeshua uses when He refers to the tzitzit of the Pharisees, as we’ll see next.
As with most religious observances, obedience to practicing the commandment of wearing tzitzit can come from impure motives — such as wanting to show off one’s spiritual or social status.
Yeshua exposed this kind of pride within the ranks of the Pharisees (Jewish leaders), who because they loved to be seen by others, lengthened their tzitzit. “Everything they do is done for people to see: they make their phylacteries wide and the tassels [kraspedon] on their garments long,” said Yeshua. (Matthew 23:5)
NRSV Translations of the above two scriptures.
NRSV – Matthew 9:20-22 – 20 Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
NRSV – Matthew 23:5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
The Related Commandments from the NRSV
Numbers 15:37-40 – The Lord said to Moses: 38 Speak to the Israelites, and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. 39 You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes. 40 So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to your God.
Deuteronomy 22:12 – You shall make tassels on the four corners of the cloak with which you cover yourself.
Phylactery – How to pronounce it.
Either of two small square leather boxes containing slips inscribed with scriptural passages and traditionally worn on the left arm and on the head by observant Jewish men and especially adherents of Orthodox Judaism during morning weekday prayers
From Brittanica.com
Phylactery, (also known as: tefillin, tephillin, tfillin) in Jewish religious practice, one of two small black leather cube-shaped cases containing Torah texts written on parchment, which, in accordance with Deuteronomy 6:8 (and similar statements in Deuteronomy 11:18 and Exodus 13:9, 16), are to be worn by male Jews 13 years of age and older as reminders of God and of the obligation to keep the Law during daily life. The name phylactery is derived from the Greek phylakterion, meaning amulet.
According to rabbinic regulations, one of the phylacteries is worn on the arm (the left arm if one is right-handed, the right arm if one is left-handed) facing the heart and the other on the forehead at the morning service (except on the Sabbath and festivals) and at the afternoon service on the Ninth of Av.
The phylacteries are worn in a prescribed manner so as to represent the letters shin, daleth, and yod, which taken together form the divine name Shaddai. The hand phylactery (tefillin shel yad) has one compartment with the texts written on a single parchment; the head phylactery (tefillin shel rosh) has four compartments, each with one text. The extracts are Exodus 13:1–10, 11–16; and Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13–21. Reform Jews interpret the biblical commandment in a figurative sense and, hence, do not wear phylacteries. Because of rabbinic indecision about the exact sequence of the four scriptural passages, very pious Jews may have two pairs of phylacteries.
Tabor said: “the blue threads of the tzitzit, worm by all observant Jewish males in antiquity–including Jesus (see Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy 22:12, and Mark 6:56; Luke 8:44)–but also the purpose garments of the rich and famous–see Jesus’ declaration in Luke 7:25!”
