Red string (Kabbalah)

A scarlet thread, tied about the wrist, is mentioned in Genesis 38. Tamar becomes pregnant by her father-in-law, Judah, and gives birth to twin boys. The following verses about this event are taken from the King James Bible: As early as Rabbi Shmuel ben Hafni Gaon, Jewish commentators noted that the placement of a red string on one's hand may be a good omen. Some sources imply it may even be placed around a finger. Some early Jewish commentators (such as Aggadas Bereishis) write that Joseph's coat (given to him by Jacob) was actually the exact same as the coat of the other Tribes, just that Jacob placed a red string on the cuffs. ==Through the ages==

There is no written mention in the Torah, Halacha, or Kabbala about requiring the tying a red string around the wrist. Though sources mention red strings as a good omen, it is not evident if they were widely worn. The only case we find a public exhortation to wear red strings is in the 1490s: When Jews were not allowed to wear Tefilin, Rabbi Abraham Saba recommended Jews to wear a red string on their hands (to remember the commandment of Tefilin). ==Modern trend==

wearing a red string, on the 2006 Confessions Tour Today in Israel, it is common to see elderly women peddling scarlet thread for pilgrims and tourists, especially in the Old City of Jerusalem. Outside of Israel in the late 1990s the red string became popular with many celebrities, including many non-Jews including Madonna and her children. Additional celebrities have worn the scarlet thread, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Jackson, Ariana Grande, Tucker Carlson & Jared Kushner. The wider popularity is often linked to Philip Berg's Kabbalah Centre. It also gained a surge in sales for Madonna according to editors of Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Cultural Meaning (2007). == See also ==