(1) The Holy One spoke to Moses, saying: (2) Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you to settle in....
(37) The Holy One said to Moses as follows: (38) Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. (39) That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of The Holy One and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. (40) Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. (41) I the LORD am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the LORD your God.
1. The first two sources both come from the same chapter in the book of Bamidbar/Numbers. The rest of the chapter deals with sacrifices. What connections do you see between these two sources?
2. The rabbis found the second source (Bamidbar 15:37-41) so important that they made it the third paragraph of the Sh'ma. Why do you think it is so important to them?
3. Is this teaching relevant to your life? Why or why not?
"Judah's Colors"
When sublime feelings his heart fill, he is mantled in the colors of his country.
He stands in prayer, wrapped in a sparkling robe of white.
The hems of the white robe are crowned with broad stripes of blue;
Like the robe of the High Priest, adorned with bands of blue threads.
These are the colors of the beloved country, blue and white are the colors of Judah;
White is the radiance of the priesthood, and blue, the splendors of the firmament
This last source is a poem written by Ludwig Frankl, the man who designed the Israeli flag as we know it.
1. The poem comes to us in three stanzas, each one describes a different protaganist. If you were going to name each one, what name would you give each stanza?
2. What is the connection between the nationalist ideal in Frankl's poem and the Torah?
3. How do you feel about the poem and the connections Frankl makes in it?