Challah and Tzitzit – and Thumbs Up!

The Torah portion of Shlach highlights two Mitzvot: Challah and Tzitzit.  What do they have in common?

Challah is that small piece of dough removed and set aside for the Kohain (nowadays we burn it in the oven after reciting a blessing over it). Tzitzit is the fringe that we put on the corners of 4-cornered garments. Both Mitzvot involve only a small piece of a large dough or fringe corner of a whole garment, yet they both have a transformative spiritual power for the whole dough and the whole garment.

This is symbolic of all Mitzvot: they enhance, uplift and bring holiness to every aspect of our lives. And the same is true of relationships: small thoughtful gestures, and meaningful actions go a long way in uplifting each other and enriching & deepening their connection.

Tanya 34 says that one gives a portion of one’s earnings to charity, it uplifts along with it all the rest of one’s money as well. Think of it as a thumbs-up, or a Facebook “Like”. Only the thumb is protruding, but the whole fist, even the clenched and closed parts, are part of it. And it wouldn’t be a thumbs-up without it.

See also our “Challah and Tzitzit – Multistrand Braids” for another connection between these two Mitzvot.