Tzitzit: Difference between revisions

#There are various opinions<ref>This range emanates from the Gemara Menachot 40b dictate that the garment needs to be the size that it would cover the head and majority of a minor. First off, there are different interpretations as to how old this minor is: The Chinuch (Shelach: 386) and Bach (16) say the reference is to a 6 or 7 year old, the Tur (16) says 9 years old, and the Radbaz (6, 2:106) explains it to be a 5 year old. Second of all, there is ambiguity if the majority requirement means that the garment needs to cover the head and then in addition a majority of the kid’s body (Radbaz) or if it only needs to cover in total a majority of the kid with the head included (Chinuch). Meaning, it would be sufficient to cover the kid’s head and another 30 or 40% of his body, as opposed to 51%</ref>  as to how big the garment needs to be to qualify as a halachically bona fide garment, so that one could make a bracha on them without worrying if it is a bracha levatala (in vein or wasted blessing): 1 [[amah]] by 1 amah<ref>Pri HaAretz 1; Beit David 8; Shalmei Tzibur 26b; Pri Ha’Adoma 23a; Nachal Eshkol pg. 102:4 ; Ha’Elef Lecha Shelomo 1:4.</ref>, 1.5 [[amot]] by 1 amah<ref>Chazon Ish 3:31; Rav Pe’alim 2:6; Mishna berura 16:4;</ref>  , 1.5 [[amot]] by 1.5 amot<ref>Lev Chaim 1:99; </ref>, 2 [[amot]] by 1 amah<ref>Siddur of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and The Tanya. Similarly, the Gra, without specific numbers, was very strict in this regard and required the garment extend down to one’s knees. Also, the Chazon Ish (ibid) concludes that it is best to follow this size requirement. Likewise, the Mishna Berura (8:17, 16:4) suggests this size to avoid difference of opinions.</ref>, and finally there is even an opinion that there is no size requirement at all.<ref>Aruch HaShulchan 16:5</ref>

# The Bracha for a Tallit Gadol is Baruch Atta Hashem... LeHitatef BeTzitzit. However, for a pair of Tzitzit, according to Ashkenazim, the Bracha is Al Mitzvat Tzitzit, while according to Sephardim, if one puts on the Tzitzit regularly the Bracha is Al Mitzvat Tzitzit, but if one wraps one's head with the Tzitzit, one should make LeHitatef BeTzitzit.<Ref>S"A 8:6 writes that for a Tzitzit one can say LeHitatef BeTzitzit. Rama argues that for Tzitzit one should say Al Mitzvat Tzitzit. Ben Ish Chai (Beresheet #6) and Kaf HaChaim 8:27 write that if one puts on the Tzitzit regularly the Bracha is Al Mitzvat Tzitzit, but if one wraps one's head with the Tzitzit, one should make LeHitatef BeTzitzit.</ref>