Numbers 15:40Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

God does not ask for you to amplify or embellish them, but rather to hold His blessings in remembrance. If acts of charity and fasting—those requiring effort and reflecting our good deeds—are not worthy of acclaim, then how is it, O Jew, that you elevate yourself through actions that highlight your own shortcomings?

Now, the fact that the jachon threads are attached to the hands and arms signifies that we ought to contemplate and undertake heavenly pursuits, recalling the laws from above. As for the Indian tradition, if I am not mistaken, jachonite is regarded as possessing an etheric essence, a blend of light and darkness, with depths resembling water, giving an impression of something quivering and flowing. Thus, the law wisely decrees that the jachon threads should dangle from both garments and hands, as if to declare: Let the law be for you the garment of the spirit and of understanding, a divine checkpoint, and the measure of righteous actions! The hand symbolizes action; whatever we do is lawful, and surely above reproach, not inclined towards wickedness. Hence, the Pharisees broadened their phylacteries and the edges of their garments (Matthew 23:5), referring to the records bound to the right hand. Yet, Christ ridiculed them for doing so out of mere legalism, rather than for the purpose of remembering the law. Thus, it is indeed feasible to violate the law while ostensibly adhering to it, should one misuse its spirit. I believe Solomon aptly stated, ‘Do not be overly wise; why should you bring destruction upon yourself?’ (Ecclesiastes 7:16). Therefore, it is essential to inscribe the Divine commandment upon the heart and mind; the advantage of this is clearly expressed by the psalmist, who remarks that for every righteous individual, ‘The law of his God is in his heart, and his feet shall not slip’ (Psalm 36:31). It is evident that one who holds the Divine law within their heart and mind will undoubtedly stand firm and be resolute in virtue. P. Precisely. C. Thus, a prolonged and dedicated attention to the law leads us toward the correct path, or what is synonymous with divine favor, dispelling from the human soul a certain shadow and fog of forgetfulness.