I study Kabbalah with an online group...we were discussing the red string with a new student and a few things reminded me of Prince while reading:

Some quotes from one of the articles in the Weekly Assignment:

Biblical History of the Red String:
The Red String is first recorded in the story of Tamar and her twins
in Genesis 38, in that the midwife took a crimson thread and tied it on
Zerah, whose name means to shine. Later, the Red String is mentioned
in Joshua 2 and 6. It is interesting to note that the scarlet thread
serves as a mark of protection in Proverbs 31:21, in which the “Woman of
Valor” is not fearful of any harm to her household, because its members
are protected with scarlet wool. Since Biblical times, the Red String
has been associated with Mother Rachel who always prays to G-d to
protect her children.

Others authors on the Red String:
"There is certainly a tradition of wearing a string that was wrapped
around the tomb of Rachel as a means of warding off the harmful effects
of the evil eye (i.e. other’s envy). I have also heard it said that
this simple string is a sign of humility and that when one sees it on
one’s own wrist it is a reminder of one’s lowly origins, and that it is in
this way that the string counteracts our own narcissism and (thus)
other’s envy. Finally, there is an old tradition that since Rachel is a
matriarch of Israel the red string is particularly efficacious in warding
off danger to pregnant women and children."

I always wear a red string vest whenever I go clubbing.

I consider it divine as it miraculously wards off advances throughout the entire evening.


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[Edited 5/31/06 15:39pm]

ain't no truth in kabbalistic "magick"
God's Word is not as complicated as all that
the True scarlet thread is Jesus
"seek Him with your whole heart"
[Edited 5/31/06 16:54pm]

I'm Jewish and I wear 2 red strings on my left hand.