(Courtesy of PTI) Last week at Yeshiva Ner Boruch-Passaic Torah Institute, members of the Young Professionals Program connected hands-on with the deeply mystical mitzvah of tzitzit by tying pairs of them for themselves and for others. After a free dinner, Rabbi Meir Miesels, rebbe at Yeshiva Ketana of Passaic Boys Division, and Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim, associate rosh yeshiva of PTI, explained the symbolism of the strings, knots and windings.
The gematria of tzitzit is 600, corresponding to the 600 general commandments. The five knots represent the five senses and five books of the Torah. The knots combined with the eight strings represent the 13 specific commandments, adding up to 613 total mitzvot of the Torah. There is a set of seven windings under the first knot, eight windings under the second, and 11 windings under the third knot, totalling 26 windings, the gematria of Hashem’s name Yud-kay-vav-kay. The remaining 13 windings under the fourth knot is the gematria for the Hebrew number echad. The windings total “Hashem is One.”
Every “stripe” of tallit katan and “stripe” of individual were present. Wool, cotton, thin tzitzit, thick tzitzit, broad black stripes and plain white. The young men spanned the gamut—from advanced scholars seeking greater meaning in their lifelong practice to those wearing tzitzit for the first time. All found it an exciting and inspirational event with a tangible “takeaway” that several found transformational.
The Young Professionals Program meets every Sunday morning for learning with a hot breakfast, Monday night for one-on-one and group learning with a free hot dinner, and every Thursday night with dinner, guest speakers and a musical kumzitz.
“PTI is a place where everyone can feel comfortable and grow,” said Ben Rand, who coordinates the program.
Learn more about all of PTI’s programs for men and women of all ages seven days and evenings a week, featuring five levels of learning, for the complete novice with no background to the advanced kollel yungerman. Visit https://pti.shulcloud.com or contact Ben at 201-280-8145 or [email protected]. PTI is at 441 Passaic Avenue in Passaic.
