Fringes on Garments

Fringes on Garments is the command to make twisted cords on the four corners of one’s covering. In Deuteronomy, the prescription gives a simple, visible form to a rule situated among instructions for daily life and communal conduct.

The Command

The rule directs the wearer to make twisted cords on all four corners of the covering used for clothing. It specifies both the form—twisted cords—and their placement, but does not state a reason for the practice or describe how the cords are to be used.

Place Among the Laws

The command follows rules concerning the release of a mother bird, the construction of a roof parapet, mixed seeds, plowing with an ox and a donkey, and clothing woven from wool and linen. It precedes laws addressing accusations within marriage and sexual conduct. This placement situates the garment rule within a broader sequence that applies religious instruction to material choices and ordinary responsibilities.