We learn the mitzvah of tzitzit at the end of the parsha. There are many lessons we can get from this mitzvah. Two lessons use the math of how tzitzit are made. Here is the most common tradition:

Each tzitzit is made with 8 strings. (The 8 strings are actually 4 larger strings which are doubled over).

We make a tzitzit by winding one string around the other 7. There are four separate sections of windings.

Each section has a knot above it and a knot below it. The sections come one after another so tzitzit have a total of 5 knots.

The windings for each of the four sections are different. The order is 7, 8, 11, and 13 windings.

Here are the questions:

1. Calculate the gematria of the word “Tzitzit.” Add to it 8 + 5 (for the 8 strings and 5 knots). What number do you get? How is it significant?
2. Calculate the total number of windings That’s 7 + 8 + 11 +13. Compare it to the gematria of “Hashem Echad.” What is the significance?

Solution:

1. The gematria of Tzitzit is 600. That is, Tzadi (90) + Yud (10) + Tzadi (90) + Yud (10) + Tav (400) = 600. When we add 8 + 5 we get 613, the number of mitzvot in the Torah.
2. The sum 7 + 8 + 11 + 13 equals 39. The gematria of “Hashem Echad” is Yud(10) + Heh (5) + Vav (6) + Heh (5) + Aleph (1) + Chet (8) + Daled (4) = 39. This means that the mitzvah of tzitzit helps us think about Hashem.

Shabbat Shalom!

Ari Blinder is a math educator living in Highland Park, New Jersey. He is the owner of Math for the Masses, an innovative tutoring and consulting company. Please visit www.math4masses.com for fun activities and helpful worksheets. Ari can be reached at ari.m4m@gmail.com. Never think you are “not a math person.” You are very much one already, but no one has shown you how.