Why do Jews Have Strings Sticking Out of Their Shirts? What Are Tzitzit?

Takeaways: 

• Tzitzit are fringes commanded directly by God in the Bible (Numbers 15:38-40), worn as a physical reminder to keep His commandments.
• They’re worn daily, not just during prayer; the tallit katan (small undergarment) keeps the commandment present through every ordinary moment of the day.
• The construction is symbolic: the numerical value of the word tzitzit plus the knots and strings adds up to 613, the total number of commandments in the Torah.
• This is a living, unbroken practice, not an archaic ancient ritual, but something observed today by Jewish men around the world.

 

If you’ve ever spotted an observant Jewish man with white strings hanging out from under his shirt, you probably wondered what they are. It’s not a fashion choice. Those strings have a name: tzitzit. And they’ve been worn for thousands of years, straight out of the pages of the Torah.

Here’s what they mean, and why they still matter today.

What Are Tzitzit?

Tzitzit (pronounced “tsit-tsit”) are fringes or tassels attached to the four corners of a garment. Traditionally, any four-cornered piece of clothing required these fringes. Since most modern clothes don’t have four corners, observant Jewish men wear a special undershirt specifically designed to have them sewn on. That garment is called a tallit katan, which simply means “small tallit.”

The tallit katan is worn under regular clothes throughout the day, with the fringes often left hanging visibly outside the pants. That’s what you’re seeing when you notice those white strings.

Where Does This Come From?

The command comes directly from Numbers 15:38-40, where God tells Moses to instruct the Israelites to make fringes on the corners of their garments, and to put a blue cord on each fringe. The purpose God gives is plain: “You will see it and remember all the commandments of God and do them.” That’s it. That’s the whole reason. God gave His people a physical reminder built right into their clothing so they wouldn’t forget who they belonged to and how He called them to live.

📖 For a deeper look at Jewish tradition, and why some Jews avoid photos on Shabbat, read here. 

Why Do Jewish Men Wear Them?

The tzitzit are meant to be tied where the eyes will find it. Why? Judaism doesn’t trust us to simply feel faithful or grateful. People are fallible. We don’t always rise to good things on good intentions. We fall to our reminders. The heart is forgetful, but the hand that brushes a thread is not. The tzitzit pull a man’s attention back to the 613 commandments God gave to Israel.

You see, tzitzit aren’t a cultural habit or a decoration. They aren’t a once-a-week reminder. They’re a daily, waking act of faithfulness to God’s word. They’re woven into how a man moves through his entire day; making breakfast, taking the bus, sitting at a desk.

What Do Tzitzit Symbolize?

Jewish tradition connects the physical construction of tzitzit directly to the number 613. The Hebrew word tzitzit has a numerical value of 600. Add the eight strings and five knots in each fringe, and you get 613. That’s not coincidence; it’s intentional design.

The fringe becomes a kind of condensed summary of the entire Bible, worn on the body. A man carrying tzitzit is, in a sense, carrying the whole covenant with him.

There’s also the color connection. The Bible mentions a blue thread called tekhelet, traditionally made from a sea creature. That blue thread has been reintroduced in some Orthodox communities today, though its use is not universal. Most men wear tzitzit that are entirely white.

The Tallit and the Tallit Katan

Most people have seen a tallit, the large prayer shawl worn during morning services. It’s the same concept, four corners with tzitzit attached, but worn only during prayer. The tallit katan is the everyday version, designed so the commandment doesn’t begin and end at the synagogue door.

For observant Jewish men, this distinction matters. The Torah’s call to remember isn’t reserved for holy moments. It’s for all of daily life: the hum drum hours as well as the religious hours.

Why Should This Interest You?

For anyone rooted in the Bible, tzitzit are a living window into how the Jewish people have kept His word tangible across millennia. This isn’t ancient history that faded out. It’s practiced today, anywhere you find Jews: in Bangkok , in Paris, in Brooklyn, in Los Angeles.

When you see those strings, you’re looking at a man who chose this morning, again, to say: I belong to God and His word.

The prophets described a day when people from the nations would grab the corner of a Jewish man’s garment and say, “We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23). 

Want to keep reading? If any of this has sparked your curiosity, read about Secrets of the Jewish Calendar and the Jewish New Year. Explore more on faith, values, and the Land of Israel at Sinai Project.