So the WM said...

edwmax

Active Member
No problem. I'm well aware the printed word does not carry speech inflections to indicate one attitude or feelings. ... use a few smileys ....
 

edwmax

Active Member
Look in Numbers and Deuteronomy. ... I don't want to make it too easy; if i give it to you on a silvery platter, there would be no valve. ... It took me several months to get this; there was an 'aah moment' when i read the explanation of a little detail in regards to the 'tessellated or checkered' floor.
Humm ... nobody's found it .... maybe this will help.



Numbers 15:37-40

37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
 

Winter

I've been here before
Those are called tzitzit. I wear them every morning on my tallit (prayer shawl). There are four of them, like the Master's Carpet. One on each corner. They are knotted in a specific manner that each one represents the 613 mitzvot. And the tzitzit are never used to actually tie or secure anything.

I didn't think that was what you meant. I was looking all over for a reference to two tassels. lol The decorative representation of tassels with the chains on the modern apron are, according to the paper I read, most likely an affectation created by apron manufacturers.

[Edit] The blue thread in the tzitzit (not ribbon, that's a mistranslation) is no longer used since we no longer know what sea animal the ink is supposed to be made from.
 

Winter

I've been here before
Humm ... nobody's found it .... maybe this will help.



Numbers 15:37-40

37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
In case some of you are interested, I thought you might like to see what these verses say in Hebrew.

37 HASHEM said to Moses, saying: 38 "Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them that they shall make themselves tzitzis on the corners of their garments, throughout their generations. And they shall place upon the tzitzis of each corner a thread of turquoise wool. 39 It shall constitute tzitzis for you, that you may see it and remeber all the commandments of HASHEM and perform them; and not explore after your heart and after your eyes after which you stray.

How they translated the word "stray" into "whoring" I'll never know! lol
 
G

Gary

Guest
[Edit] The blue thread in the tzitzit (not ribbon, that's a mistranslation) is no longer used since we no longer know what sea animal the ink is supposed to be made from.
I'm familiar with the thought that the particular color of ink's origin is lost to antiquity. You have to admit it is interesting that it is blue non the less...

<edit> I also find it interesting that the hue of blue differs from turquoise to dark blue on the apron depending on the country or jurisdiction.
 

edwmax

Active Member
Apparently tzitzis is translated to fringe or tassel in English. Depending on which print version of the KJB, fringe & tassel are interchangeable.

So what is a tassel? physically, not a symbolic religious definition.
 

Winter

I've been here before
Yes, I see exactly what I'm talking about and asking. What is a Tassel?
Tassel is just the closest English equivalent word for the tzitzit. A form of remembrance of the mitzvot.

If you're making the connection between tzitzit and their purpose and the ones on the apron as fulfilling the same purpose I guess it's possible. There are 7 chains on each one, and 7 liberal arts and sciences. But methinks that may be a bit of a stretch since there are two tassels each with 7 chains. And I am not coming up with a connection to 14 in Freemasonry. I suppose it could be a duality thing.
 

edwmax

Active Member
I'm trying to get someone to define what a Tassel physical is/are. This is make the jump to the next Dot. It is simple.
 
I am going to make a guess and say the strings of the apron??? I would think if the strings of the apron meant something, it would be there on the regular lodge aprons too....but then again, I have heard of many different ways the apron is to be worn....

Ed....is this something you have heard talked about outside of GA?
 

edwmax

Active Member
I am going to make a guess and say the strings of the apron??? I would think if the strings of the apron meant something, it would be there on the regular lodge aprons too....but then again, I have heard of many different ways the apron is to be worn....

Ed....is this something you have heard talked about outside of GA?
No, and I have not heard it in Georgia either. It is on all aprons. So you are jumping too far ahead to follow this 'uncommon catechism'.

The last question was "the tassels are the ends of what?"
 

BG_TRBL

Watcher of the posts
OK, although I am not a "new" mason, nor do I consider myself to be an "old" mason. I have been around and in the fraternity for several years. Sometimes I have a simplistic view of things. I'm not raining on the parade here, but after reading the responses, the initial thought I had from the first post was that the WM was simply trying to say that.
Your Masonic Bonds and Obligations do not only pertain to you when you have the apron on (while attending a lodge function), but the idea of a cable tow should extend in everything you do. Asking the question, which is longer, the CT or the apron strings? is a clever way of letting the brother think about if he is a mason at a meeting, or a mason in life....
Alright, that's my schpeel, just wanted to offer. I know that you can find symbolism in anything and everything that you see/find in this world. But as one of the posts said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar ;)
 
G

Gary

Guest
I agree. But the CT wouldn't be utilized in that fashion as a MM according to my locality as I was set free from it.
 
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