דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם וְעָשׂ֨וּ לָהֶ֥ם צִיצִ֛ת עַל־כַּנְפֵ֥י בִגְדֵיהֶ֖ם לְדֹרֹתָ֑ם וְנָֽתְנ֛וּ עַל־צִיצִ֥ת הַכָּנָ֖ף פְּתִ֥יל תְּכֵֽלֶת׃
Magsalita ka sa mga anak ni Israel at sabihin mo sa kanila na gumawa sila ng mga palawit sa mga sulok ng kanilang mga kasuotan, sa kanilang mga salinlahi, at maglagay sila sa palawit ng bawat sulok ng isang sinulid na kulay asul (tekhelet).
Rashi
ועשו להם ציצת THAT THEY MAKE THEM A FRINGE — It is called צצית, because of the threads that hang down from it. Similar is, (Ezekiel 8:3) “and he caught me by the curls (ציצת) of my head’’. (The word denotes something twisted as threads or curls). — Another explanation is: it is called ציצת because of the command associated with it (v. 39) “and ye shall look at it”. Similar is, “looking (מציץ) from the lattice” (Song 2:9). (The word therefore denotes “something looked at”) (Sifrei Bamidbar 115).
Kli Yakar
And they should make for themselves tzitzit etc. The entire content of this section requires explanation, because how will one remember all of God’s commandments by looking at a thread of blue? It seems to me that this matter can be explained in two ways. The first way is according to what they said in the Sifri, as quoted in the Yalkut Parashat Ha’azinu (32:942): The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to look at the heavens that I created to serve you — have they ever changed their ways? Has the sun ever risen from the west? Moreover, it rejoices to fulfill its task, etc.” And similarly it says regarding the sea Will you not fear Me… who has placed sand as a boundary for the sea (Jeremiah 5:22). Has it ever changed its ways? Not only that, but it struggles to do so but cannot, as it says They toss but cannot prevail (Jeremiah 5:22). From here we have proof that the sea does not change its ways out of fear, for it struggles to do so but is not permitted, whereas the heavens do not change their ways out of love, as it says, “Moreover, it rejoices to fulfill its task.”
Now regarding the tekhelet [blue thread], our Sages said (Menachot 43b), “Tekhelet resembles the sea, and the sea resembles the sky, and the sky resembles the Throne of Glory.” And certainly the explanation is that these colors are similar to each other, for tekhelet does not directly resemble the sky, but rather each one’s color tends toward what resembles it, with each one deeper than its counterpart. And with this statement they concluded the entire matter, to explain what is the connection between looking at a blue thread and remembering through it all of God’s commandments, and not deviating from the measure even by a hair’s breadth? Rather, since tekhelet resembles the sea, by looking at this thread one will remember the sea that resembles it in color, and it will be as if the sea is constantly before one’s eyes. Then one will contemplate the ways of the sea, which does not deviate from its measure even by a hair’s breadth, and from it one will see and do likewise, through the a fortiori [kal vachomer] reasoning mentioned by the author of the Midrash, who says to “look at the sea.” For “look” is the language of tzitzit, which is derived from the phrase peering [metzitz] through the lattices (Song of Songs 2:9), meaning that one should peer at and look at the sea that does not change its ways, and so too should one not change, all the more so. And if one transgresses even one of all of God’s commandments, one is deviating from the measure that God has measured for him, saying “until here you shall come and no further,” this is permitted and this is forbidden.
Now regarding the tekhelet [blue thread], our Sages said (Menachot 43b), “Tekhelet resembles the sea, and the sea resembles the sky, and the sky resembles the Throne of Glory.” And certainly the explanation is that these colors are similar to each other, for tekhelet does not directly resemble the sky, but rather each one’s color tends toward what resembles it, with each one deeper than its counterpart. And with this statement they concluded the entire matter, to explain what is the connection between looking at a blue thread and remembering through it all of God’s commandments, and not deviating from the measure even by a hair’s breadth? Rather, since tekhelet resembles the sea, by looking at this thread one will remember the sea that resembles it in color, and it will be as if the sea is constantly before one’s eyes. Then one will contemplate the ways of the sea, which does not deviate from its measure even by a hair’s breadth, and from it one will see and do likewise, through the a fortiori [kal vachomer] reasoning mentioned by the author of the Midrash, who says to “look at the sea.” For “look” is the language of tzitzit, which is derived from the phrase peering [metzitz] through the lattices (Song of Songs 2:9), meaning that one should peer at and look at the sea that does not change its ways, and so too should one not change, all the more so. And if one transgresses even one of all of God’s commandments, one is deviating from the measure that God has measured for him, saying “until here you shall come and no further,” this is permitted and this is forbidden.
Or HaChaim
Speak etc. and you shall say: Since there is an element of commandment as well as advantage, and honor which come from the commandment, therefore it said both Speaking (in a commanding form) and saying (in a gentle and respectful form).