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Tzitzit: Difference between revisions
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#Women are exempt, as Tzitzit is a positive time bound mitzvah.<ref>Rabbi Shimon in Gemara Menachot 43a; Shulchan Aruch 17:2. The Rema (ad loc.) comments even though women are exempt, if they want, they may rely upon the opinion of Tosofot on Kiddushin 31a who would allow a woman to wear and make a bracha on Tzitzit. The Rema continues, however, that women still should not do so, since it would appear as arrogant and further that Tzitzit is not a personal obligation anyway. The Mishna Berura (17:5) elaborates that although women may rely on Tosofot for Lulav and Sukkah, Tzitzit are different since even men aren’t required from the Torah except if they wear a four cornered garment. We treat Tzitzit both as and as not a personal obligation towards leniency. Hence, it is a personal obligation in the sense that only if one wears the garment does he need to attach Tzitzit and not just when he owns a garment. And, it is not a personal obligation that one would need to go out and buy a four cornered garment just to perform the mitzvah. Therefore, since men don’t really have to, women certainly shouldn’t do so. Lastly, there is a possible concern of violating Beged Ish as Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel raises on Devarim 22:5. The Levush (17:2) and Ben Ish Chai (Lech Lecha 3) use similar logic.</ref> | #Women are exempt, as Tzitzit is a positive time bound mitzvah.<ref>Rabbi Shimon in Gemara Menachot 43a; Shulchan Aruch 17:2. The Rema (ad loc.) comments even though women are exempt, if they want, they may rely upon the opinion of Tosofot on Kiddushin 31a who would allow a woman to wear and make a bracha on Tzitzit. The Rema continues, however, that women still should not do so, since it would appear as arrogant and further that Tzitzit is not a personal obligation anyway. The Mishna Berura (17:5) elaborates that although women may rely on Tosofot for Lulav and Sukkah, Tzitzit are different since even men aren’t required from the Torah except if they wear a four cornered garment. We treat Tzitzit both as and as not a personal obligation towards leniency. Hence, it is a personal obligation in the sense that only if one wears the garment does he need to attach Tzitzit and not just when he owns a garment. And, it is not a personal obligation that one would need to go out and buy a four cornered garment just to perform the mitzvah. Therefore, since men don’t really have to, women certainly shouldn’t do so. Lastly, there is a possible concern of violating Beged Ish as Targum Yonatan Ben Uziel raises on Devarim 22:5. The Levush (17:2) and Ben Ish Chai (Lech Lecha 3) use similar logic.</ref> | ||
# A Katan, or minor child who is less than 13 years old, should wear tzitzit, with a bracha, once he reaches the age of chinuch <ref>The Shulchan Aruch (17:3) doesn’t specify an exact age, rather the idea is once a child knows how to properly wear the tzitzit so that two strings are behind him and two in front (Rema 17:3) </ref>. | # A Katan, or minor child who is less than 13 years old, should wear tzitzit, with a bracha, once he reaches the age of chinuch <ref>The Shulchan Aruch (17:3) doesn’t specify an exact age, rather the idea is once a child knows how to properly wear the tzitzit so that two strings are behind him and two in front (Rema 17:3) </ref>. | ||
# The proper age of chinuch for tbe mitzvah of tzitzit is nine years old. <ref> Kitzur S | # The proper age of chinuch for tbe mitzvah of tzitzit is nine years old. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, the proper time for tzitzit and who is obligated, seif 2 </ref> | ||
== Time Requirements == | == Time Requirements == | ||
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# If one wears more than one four-cornered garment they are all obligated in tzitzit but the beracha is only recited on the first one that he puts on. But if one recited the beracha and only had in mind to wear one four-cornered garment and then changed his mind and put on another one, he must recite a new beracha. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 8:12 </ref> | # If one wears more than one four-cornered garment they are all obligated in tzitzit but the beracha is only recited on the first one that he puts on. But if one recited the beracha and only had in mind to wear one four-cornered garment and then changed his mind and put on another one, he must recite a new beracha. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 8:12 </ref> | ||
==Shehecheyanu== | ==Shehecheyanu== | ||
# If one buys a new tallit, a shehecheyanu is recited. <ref> S"A 22:1, Kitzur S | # If one buys a new tallit, a shehecheyanu is recited. <ref> S"A 22:1, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, the proper time for tzitzit and who is obligated, seif 5 </ref> According to Ashkenazim some poskim say to say it after the beracha on the tallit<ref> Mishna Berura 22:3 </ref>, while some say to say it prior to the beracha on the tallit<ref> Baer Heitev 22:2 </ref>. Sephardim should say it after. <ref> Birkei Yosef 22:2. </ref> | ||
# The beracha may be recited as long as someone is still wearing it for his first time. <ref> Halacha Berura 22:7, Kitzur S | # The beracha may be recited as long as someone is still wearing it for his first time. <ref> Halacha Berura 22:7, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, the proper time for tzitzit and who is obligated, seif 5 </ref> | ||
# One should recite the beracha on a new tallit katan if it brings him joy. <ref> Ben Ish Chai Bereishit Halacha 7. </ref> | # One should recite the beracha on a new tallit katan if it brings him joy. <ref> Ben Ish Chai Bereishit Halacha 7. </ref> | ||
# If one places new strings on an old garment a shehecheyanu is not recited. <ref> Mishna Berura 22:2, Kaf Hachayim 22:3 </ref> | # If one places new strings on an old garment a shehecheyanu is not recited. <ref> Mishna Berura 22:2, Kaf Hachayim 22:3 </ref> | ||
# One who wears a tallit that has been worn before, even if this is his first time fulfilling the mitzva he doesn't recite a shehecheyanu. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 2:31 </ref> | # One who wears a tallit that has been worn before, even if this is his first time fulfilling the mitzva he doesn't recite a shehecheyanu. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 2:31 </ref> | ||
# Shehecheyanu should not be recited if one acquired a new talit katan. <ref> Kitzur S | # Shehecheyanu should not be recited if one acquired a new talit katan. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, the proper time for tzitzit and who is obligated, seif 6 </ref> | ||
==Borrowed Tallit== | ==Borrowed Tallit== | ||
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===Strings=== | ===Strings=== | ||
# Some ashkenazim have the minhag to tuck their strings in and some leave them out. <ref> Mishna Berura 8:26 was strongly against those who wear their tzitzit in and says that by doing so you are disgracing mitzvot and adds that if you received a gift from the king you would surely wear it outside to show off to others. He also says that tucking them out fulfills the pasuk of "u'riitem oto." This is the psak of S"A Harav 8:18, and the Magen Avraham 8:13 based on the Tosafot Berachot 18a which allows for tucking them in on for a dead person because they don’t have to fulfill "uritem oto" if they cannot see. Magen Avraham says this implies that they should normally be out. He says to at least least leave them tucked out for long enough for the time that it takes to walk four amot. Aruch HaShulchan OC 8:17, 23:2 says that in many communities in eastern Europe they would took the strings in but he says this isn't really correct. In Nefesh HaRav page 105 Rabbi Herschel Schachter says that some have the minhag to tuck the strings into their pockets or wrap it around the belt and this was the minhag of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik. Tzitz Eliezer 8:3 says that whatever you do is fine. </ref> The sephardi minhag is to wear them tucked in. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 2:1, Sh"t Yaskil Avdi 5:3 and 8:2, Rabbi Shalom Messas in Shemesh U'Magen OC 2:74. Rav Ovadia in Yechave Daat 2:1 quotes opinions that if a sephardi wears them out he is disrespected the earlier sephardi poskim. Rav Yaakov Hillel writes in Gevurat HaAri page 137 that the strings should be revealed based on the Arizal (Shaar Hakavanot 7c and Olat Tamid 39a). </ref> A sephardic boy can wear his tzitzit out if it will help him with his yirat shamayim or if he is in an ashkenazi yeshiva and feels uncomfortable. <ref> Sh"t Otzrot Yosef 1:27, Sh"t Or Litzion 2:2:2 </ref> | # Some ashkenazim have the minhag to tuck their strings in and some leave them out. <ref> Mishna Berura 8:26 was strongly against those who wear their tzitzit in and says that by doing so you are disgracing mitzvot and adds that if you received a gift from the king you would surely wear it outside to show off to others. He also says that tucking them out fulfills the pasuk of "u'riitem oto." This is the psak of S"A Harav 8:18, and the Magen Avraham 8:13 based on the Tosafot Berachot 18a which allows for tucking them in on for a dead person because they don’t have to fulfill "uritem oto" if they cannot see. Magen Avraham says this implies that they should normally be out. He says to at least least leave them tucked out for long enough for the time that it takes to walk four amot. Aruch HaShulchan OC 8:17, 23:2 says that in many communities in eastern Europe they would took the strings in but he says this isn't really correct. In Nefesh HaRav page 105 Rabbi Herschel Schachter says that some have the minhag to tuck the strings into their pockets or wrap it around the belt and this was the minhag of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik. Tzitz Eliezer 8:3 says that whatever you do is fine. </ref> The sephardi minhag is to wear them tucked in. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 2:1, Sh"t Yaskil Avdi 5:3 and 8:2, Rabbi Shalom Messas in Shemesh U'Magen OC 2:74. Rav Ovadia in Yechave Daat 2:1 quotes opinions that if a sephardi wears them out he is disrespected the earlier sephardi poskim. Rav Yaakov Hillel writes in Gevurat HaAri page 137 that the strings should be revealed based on the Arizal (Shaar Hakavanot 7c and Olat Tamid 39a). </ref> A sephardic boy can wear his tzitzit out if it will help him with his yirat shamayim or if he is in an ashkenazi yeshiva and feels uncomfortable. <ref> Sh"t Otzrot Yosef 1:27, Sh"t Or Litzion 2:2:2 </ref> | ||
# At a cemetery one must tuck in his strings. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 23:1, Kitzur S | # At a cemetery one must tuck in his strings. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 23:1, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, laws of tzitzit in a cemetary, seif 1 </ref> | ||
===Garment=== | ===Garment=== | ||
# One may wear the tzitzit under his clothes even if it will touch his skin. <ref> Halacha Berura 8:33. Sh"t Rivevot Efraim 4:15 quotes several achronim however who hold that it may be a disgrace to the tzitzit to sweat into them directly, and himself allows being lenient on a hot day. Halichot Shlomo 3:11 says that this would not be a disgrace at all. Sh"t Teshuvot Vihanhagot 1:25 says if you wear them specifically as an undershirt to stop the sweat from wetting your shirt than he's unsure if it would even be obligated in tzitzit, so one should try to refrain from this. </ref> | # One may wear the tzitzit under his clothes even if it will touch his skin. <ref> Halacha Berura 8:33. Sh"t Rivevot Efraim 4:15 quotes several achronim however who hold that it may be a disgrace to the tzitzit to sweat into them directly, and himself allows being lenient on a hot day. Halichot Shlomo 3:11 says that this would not be a disgrace at all. Sh"t Teshuvot Vihanhagot 1:25 says if you wear them specifically as an undershirt to stop the sweat from wetting your shirt than he's unsure if it would even be obligated in tzitzit, so one should try to refrain from this. </ref> | ||
==Symbolism of tzitzit== | ==Symbolism of tzitzit== | ||
# The five knots of the tzitzit represent the 5 books of the Torah. <ref> Kitzur S | # The five knots of the tzitzit represent the 5 books of the Torah. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, proper behavior while wearing tzitzit, seif 1 </ref> | ||
==Treatment of the Tzitzit and its Garment== | ==Treatment of the Tzitzit and its Garment== | ||
# One should make sure his tzitzit stay clean and wash them often so that they remain white in color. <ref> Kitzur S | # One should make sure his tzitzit stay clean and wash them often so that they remain white in color. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 9, proper behavior while wearing tzitzit, seif 1 </ref> | ||
==Sanctity of the tzitzit== | ==Sanctity of the tzitzit== | ||
# One may remove strings from one pair of Tzitzit in order to be put onto another pair of Tzitzit, however, one may not remove the strings from a pair of Tzitzit if it is not going to be used. <ref>Tosfot (Shabbat 22a s.v. 22a), S"A 15:1</ref> | # One may remove strings from one pair of Tzitzit in order to be put onto another pair of Tzitzit, however, one may not remove the strings from a pair of Tzitzit if it is not going to be used. <ref>Tosfot (Shabbat 22a s.v. 22a), S"A 15:1</ref> | ||
