Parshat Shlach Lecha tells the story of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout the Land of Israel—ten return with a report of giants and danger, insisting that the land is unconquerable. Only Caleb and Joshua advocate faith and forward movement. The people panic, cry out, and ultimately reject the journey into the land. As a result, God decrees that this generation will wander the desert for forty years.
In the aftermath of fear and forgetfulness, God commands a new mitzvah: “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments … so that you may look at them and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them.” (Numbers 15:38-39) The blessing we recite when donning tzitzit is: Baruch atah Adonai … asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al mitzvat tzitzit. “Blessed are you … who sanctified us with commandments and commanded us regarding the mitzvah of tzitzit.” Tzitzit become a wearable memory—a daily visual and tactile reminder to live by God’s values and not be swayed by fear or majority opinion. Where the spies lost sight of God’s promise, tzitzit offer clarity. Where the people were overwhelmed by external appearances, tzitzit redirect inward toward faithfulness. This week, the Torah invites us to ask: What anchors us to our truth? What helps us stay grounded when we feel uncertain or overwhelmed? The mitzvah of tzitzit—whether worn physically or remembered spiritually—calls us to remain loyal to our convictions and to God’s vision for justice, courage, and faith. Let us look upon our own “fringes”—those daily rituals, those community commitments, those sacred reminders—and allow them to pull us back from fear toward purpose.
