Halocho #2417 - Are my Tzitzit Kosher?

On each of the 4 corners of a Tallis there are 4 strings threaded through the hole. The resulting 8 strings are knotted and twisted one-third of their length and two-thirds is left as tassels. 

If one of the 8 tassels gets cut off - even completely - the Tzitzit are still Kosher. If two of the 8 tassels get cut off the Tzitzit may no longer be Kosher. A tassel shorter than 4 "thumbs" - about 8-10 cm is considered "cut off". 

Each tassel of the Tzitzit is made of multiple strands of wool twisted together. If Tzitzit start untwisting then the frayed section doesn't count as part of the minimal length. 

If the Tzitzit get ripped out of the hole they are hanging on, they cannot be put back in; they have to be untied and then re-tied after the hole is repaired. 

If a Tallis rips into 2 pieces - or a corner gets ripped off - then the Tzitzit on the smaller piece have to be re-tied after the pieces are sewn back together. 

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:13, 15.

צִּיצָה שֶׁנִּפְסַק מִמֶּנָּה חוּט מֵאַרְבַּעַת הַחוּטִין (שֶׁהֵן כְּפוּלִים לִשְׁמוֹנָה) וְנִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה, דְּהַיְנוּ אַרְבָּעָה אֲגוּדָלִין, אוֹ אִם נִפְסְקוּ שְׁנַיִם וְנִשְׁאַר מִכָּל אֶחָד אַרְבָּעָה אֲגוּדָלִין, וּשְׁנֵי חוּטִין הֵן שְׁלֵמִים כַּשִּׁעוּר, כְּשֵׁרָה.

 אֲבָל אִם נִפְסְקוּ שְׁלשָׁה חוּטִין, אֲפִלּוּ נִשְׁאַר מִכָּל אֶחָד אַרְבָּעָה אֲגוּדָלִין וְהַחוּט הָרְבִיעִי הוּא שָׁלֵם, אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְסַק אֲפִלּוּ רַק חוּט אֶחָד וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ אַרְבָּעָה אֲגוּדָלִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁשְּׁלֹשָׁה חוּטִין הֵן שְׁלֵמִים, מִכָּל מָקוֹם פְּסוּלָה.

 וְלָכֵן אִם נִפְסַק חוּט אֶחָד מִן הַשְּׁמוֹנָה חוּטִין הַתְּלוּיִין, אֲפִלּוּ נִפְסַק לְגַמְרֵי עַד הַחֻלְיוֹת פְּשִׁיטָא דִּכְשֵׁרָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁחוּט זֶה אֵינוֹ רַק חֲצִּי חוּט וַהֲרֵי יֵשׁ עֲדַיִּן בְּחֶצְיוֹ הַשֵּׁנִי כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה וְיוֹתֵר. וְאִם נִפְסְקוּ שְׁנֵי חוּטִין וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר מֵהֶן בְּכָל אֶחָד אַרְבָּעָה אֲגוּדָלִין, אִם יֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ שֶׁמָּא שְׁנֵי חוּטִין אֵלּוּ הֵן חוּט אֶחָד, אִם כֵּן הַצִּיצָה פְּסוּלָה.

 אֲבָל אִם הוּא בָטוּחַ שֶׁהֵן מִשְּׁנֵי חוּטִין, כְּגוֹן שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת קְשִׁירָתָן דִּקְדֵּק לִקְשֹׁר תָּמִיד אַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים שֶׁבְּצַד זֶה עִם הָאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים שֶׁבְּצַד זֶה וְעַתָּה נִפְסְקוּ שְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים מִצַּד אֶחָד שֶׁל הַקֶּשֶׁר, אִם כֵּן הֲרֵי הֵן בְּוַדַּאי מִשְּׁנֵי חוּטִין. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל חוּט עֲדַיִן שִׁעוּר אֲגוּדָלִין וְיוֹתֵר בְּצַד הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל הַקֶּשֶׁר וּשְׁנֵי הַחוּטִין הֵן שְׁלֵמִים, הֲרֵי הַצִּיצָה כְּשֵׁרָה. 

אִם נִפְסַק חוּט אֶחָד בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִם בַּנֶּקֶב, פְּסוּלָה. זֶה שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁאִם נִפְסַק חוּט אֶחָד וְנִשְׁאַר מִמֶּנּוּ כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה כְּשֵׁרָה, זֶהוּ דַוְקָא אִם בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיָּה הָיוּ כָּל הַחוּטִין אֲרֻכִּין כַּשִּׁעוּר אֶלָּא שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ נִפְסְקוּ. אֲבָל אִם בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיָּה הָיָה אֲפִלּוּ רַק חוּט אֶחָד קָצָר רַק מַשֶּׁהוּ מִן הַשִּׁעוּר, פְּסוּלָה.

חוּטֵי הַצִּיצִית צְרִיכִין לִהְיוֹת שְׁזוּרִין. וְאִם אֵיזֶה חוּט נִפְרַד מִשְּׁזִירָתוֹ, אֲזַי כָּל הַפָּרוּד נֶחְשָׁב כְּאִלּוּ נִקְצָץ וְאֵינוֹ.

טַלִּית שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ צִיצִית וְנֶחֱלַק לִשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא שָׁכִיחַ בְּהַרְבֵּה טַלִּיתִים שֶׁלָּנוּ שֶׁהֵם מְחֻבָּרִים מִשְּׁנֵי חֲלָקִים, וְלִפְעָמִים מַפְרִידִין אוֹתוֹ כְּדֵי לְכַבְּסוֹ אוֹ לְתַקְּנוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ חוֹזְרִין וּמְחַבְּרִין אוֹתָן בִּתְפִירָה, כֵּיוָן דְּמִסְּתָמָא יֵשׁ בְּכָל חֵלֶק כְּדֵי לְהִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ, עַל כֵּן דַּי אִם יִטֹּל שְׁתֵּי הַצִּיצִית מֵאֵיזֶה חֵלֶק שֶׁיִּרְצֶה. וּלְאַחַר שֶׁיְּחַבֵּר אֶת הַטַּלִּית, יַחֲזֹר וְיִקְשְׁרֵם. אֲבָל אִם אֵין בְּכָל חֵלֶק בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ כְּדֵי לְהִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ, צָרִיךְ לְהָסִיר כָּל הַצִּיצִית (מִשּׁוּם שֶׁכְּשֶׁנִּתְפָּרְדוּ הַחֲלָקִים, נִפְטַר כָּל חֵלֶק מִצִּיצִית. וּלְאַחַר שֶׁשּׁוּב נִתְחַבְּרוּ וְנִתְחַיָּב בְּצִיצִית, אִם יִשָּׁאֲרוּ בוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, פָּסוּל מִשּׁוּם תַּעֲשֶׂה וְלֹא מִן הֶעָשׂוּי). וְאִם בְּחֵלֶק אֶחָד יֶשׁ בּוֹ כְּדֵי עִטּוּף וּבְחֵלֶק אֶחָד אֵין בּוֹ כְּדֵי עִטּוּף, יָסִיר אֶת הַצִּיצִית מֵחֵלֶק זֶה שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּדֵי עִטּוּף.

- Danny

Tuesday, 20 Iyar 5784 - 35th day of the Omer

Please daven for the full recovery of the seriously wounded soldier

 מֹשֶׁה אַהֲרֹן בֶּן לֵאָה בֵּילָא לרפואה שלמה

Halocho #2076 - Do bedsheets need Tzitzit?

On Shabbat we will read Parshat Shlach which ends with the third paragraph of Shma which talks about the Mitzvah of Tzitzit.

Wearing Tzitzit is supposed to remind one of all 613 Mitzvoth - as it says "...make Tzitzit, and see them and thereby remember all the Mitzvoth of Hashem and do them".

Once a boy is toilet-trained he should wear a Tallit Katan - a 4-cornered garment with Tzitzit from the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep. This is besides for the Tallit worn in shul.

Women are exempt from the Mitzvah of Tzitzit, as it's a time-bound Mitzvah; it only applies during the day.

When putting on Tzitzit in the morning, the Bracha cannot be made until it is light enough outside to recognize a casual acquaintance from 4 Amos (~2 meters) away. This is about an hour before sunrise in Israel.

Men must put Tzitzit on all 4-cornered garments they wear, including ponchos. Bedsheets do not need Tzitzit.

Tzitzit may be worn even when going into a bathroom. However, the Tallit used for Davening should not be taken into the bathroom.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:9-10

- Danny
Wednesday, 23 Sivan 5778

גְּדוֹלָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַכָּתוּב שְׁקָלָהּ וְתָלָה בָהּ כָּל הַמִצְוֹת כֻּלָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וּרְאִיתֶם אוֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם אֶת כָּל מִצְוַת ה'. צִיצִית בְּגִימַטְרִיָּא ת"ר. שְׁמוֹנָה חוּטִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה קְשָׁרִים, הֲרֵי תַּרְיַ"ג. לָכֵן צָרִיךְ כָּל אִישׁ לִהְיוֹת נִזְהָר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ טַלִּית קָטָן שֶׁיְּהֵא מְלֻבָּשׁ בּוֹ כָּל הַיּוֹם. וְיִהְיֶה שֶׁל צֶמֶר רְחֵלִים לָבָן וְגָדוֹל כַּשִּׁעוּר, דְּהַיְנוּ שְׁלשָׁה רִבְעֵי אַמָּה בָּאֹרֶךְ וַחֲצִי אַמָּה בָּרֹחַב. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, אַמָּה עַל אַמָּה

אֵין מְבָרְכִים עַל הַצִּיצִית אֶלָּא בַיּוֹם וְלֹא בַלָּיְלָה. וּלְכַתְּחִלָּה יִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא יְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כָּל כָּךְ אוֹר שֶׁיַּכִּיר בֵּין תְּכֵלֶת לְלָבָן. וְאִם לָבַשׁ אֶת הַטַּלִּית קָטָן בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה וְלֹא בֵרַךְ עָלָיו אוֹ שֶׁלְּבָשׁוֹ בְּעוֹד שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יָדָיו נְקִיּוֹת וְלָכֵן לֹא בֵרַךְ עָלָיו, אֲזַי כְּשֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַטַּלִּית גָּדוֹל, יְכַוֵּן בִּבְרָכָה זוֹ גַּם עַל הַטַּלִּית קָטָן

Halocho # 492 - Travel preparations

Before leaving on a trip one should give charity.

Since one should learn Torah or say Tehilim while traveling, one should remember to take along a Sefer.

One should never go on a trip - even a short one - without taking along food.

Men should also take along spare Tzitzit in case the one they are wearing rip and become Pasul (unfit), as well as their Tefillin if there's a chance they won't be back home before the morrow.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 68:6

- Danny
Wednesday, 27 Tevet 5770

Halocho #386 - What to do with old Tzitzit

Tzitzit that were removed from a Tallis, or fell off, should not be thrown into the garbage, since they were once used for a Mitzva.

Some people use them as bookmarks.

An old Tallis - even after the Tzitzit are removed - should not be treated disrespectfully, such as being used for a cleaning rag.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:19

- Danny Sunday, 19 Av 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Tamar bat Naama - תמר בת נעמה

Halocho #345 - Are my Tzitzit Kosher?

On each of the 4 corners of a Tallit there are 4 strings threaded through the hole.

The resulting 8 strings are knotted and twisted one-third of their length, and two-thirds is left as tassels.

If one of the 8 tassels gets cut off - even completely - the Tzitzit are still Kosher.

If two of the 8 tassels get cut off the Tzitzit may no longer be Kosher.

A tassel shorter than 4 "thumbs" - about 8-10 cm is considered "cut off".

Each tassel of the Tzitzit is made of multiple strands of wool twisted together. If Tzitzit start untwisting then the frayed section doesn't count as part of the minimal length.

If the Tzitzit get ripped out of the hole they are hanging on, they cannot be put back in; they have to be untied and then re-tied after the hole is repaired.

If a Tallit rips into 2 pieces - or a corner gets ripped off - then the Tzitzit on the smaller piece have to be re-tied after the pieces are sewn back together.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:13, 15.

- Danny Wednesday, 18 Sivan 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Yaakov-Nisan ben Rochel-Leah - יעקב ניסן בן רחל לאה

Halocho #344 - Do bed sheets need Tzitzit?

Parshat Shlach ends with the third paragraph of Shma which talks about the Mitzva of Tzitzit.

Wearing Tzitzit is supposed to remind one of all 613 Mitzvoth - as it says "...make Tzitzit, and see them and thereby remember all the Mitzvoth of Hashem and do them".

Once a boy is toilet-trained he should wear a Tallit Katan - a 4-cornered garment with Tzitzit from the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep. This is besides the Tallit worn in shul.

Women are exempt from the Mitzva of Tzitzit, as it's a time-bound Mitzva; it only applies during the day.

When putting on Tzitzit in the morning, the Bracha cannot be made until it is light enough outside to recognize a casual acquaintance from 4 Amos (2 meters) away. This is about an hour before sunrise in Israel.

Men must put Tzitzit on all 4-cornered garments they wear, including ponchos. Bed sheets do not need Tzitzit.

Tzitzit may be worn even when going into a bathroom, however the Tallit used for Davening should not be taken into the bathroom.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:9-10

- Danny Tuesday, 17 Sivan 5769

Please daven for a complete recovery for Miryam bat Esther and her baby boy - a preemie - Tinok ben Miryam

Halocho #247 - Always wear your Tzitzit

Jewish males should not walk 4 Amot (~2 meters) without wearing Tzitzit.

As soon as he gets out of bed he should put on Tzitzit. 

If he has not yet washed his hands, he should not make the Bracha on Tzitzit yet.

One also cannot make the Bracha on Tzitizit until "Misheyakir": When it's light enough outside to recognize a casual acquaintance from a distance of 4 Amot.

Misheyakir is about an hour before sunrise. Check a Lu'ach for precise times.

Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 2:2, 9:9

- Danny 

 Tuesday, 17  Tevet 5769

Halocho #104 - Are my Tzitzis Kosher?

On each of the 4 corners of a Tallis there are 4 strings threaded through the hole. The resulting 8 strings are knotted and twisted one-third of their length and two-thirds is left as tassels. If one of the 8 tassels gets cut off - even completely - the Tzitzis are still Kosher. If two of the 8 tassels get cut off the Tzitzis may no longer be Kosher. A tassel shorter than 4 "thumbs" - about 8-10 cm is considered "cut off". Each tassel of the Tzitzis is made of multiple strands of wool twisted together. If Tzitzis start untwisting then the frayed section doesn't count as part of the minimal length. If the Tzitzis get ripped out of the hole they are hanging on, they cannot be put back in; they have to be untied and then re-tied after the hole is repaired. If a Tallis rips into 2 pieces - or a corner gets ripped off - then the Tzitzis on the smaller piece have to be re-tied after the pieces are sewn back together. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:13, 15. - Danny

=========================

Please daven for a little girl

TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה

who is undergoing chemotherapy

===========================

Halocho #103 - Who should wear Tzitzis?

This week's Parsha - Shlach - ends with the third paragraph of Shma which talk about the Mitzva of Tzitzis. Wearing Tzitzis is supposed to remind one of all 613 Mitzvos - as it says in this week’s Parsha "...make Tzitzis, and see them and thereby remember all the Mitzvos of Hashem and do them". Once a boy is toilet-trained he should wear a Tallis Katan - a 4-cornered garment with Tzitzis from the time he wakes up until he goes to sleep. This is besides the Tallis worn in shul. Women are exempt from the Mitzva of Tzitzis, as it's a time-bound Mitzva; it only applies during the day. When putting on Tzitzis in the morning, the Bracha cannot be made until it is light enough outside to recognize a casual acquaintance from 4 Amos (2 meters) away. This is about an hour before sunrise in Israel. Men must put Tzitzis on all 4-cornered garments they wear, including ponchos. Bed sheets do not need Tzitzis. Tzitzis may be worn even when going into a bathroom, however the Tallis used for davening should not be taken into the bathroom. Source: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 9:9-10 - Danny

=========================

Please daven for a little girl

TAMAR bat NAAMA - תמר בת נעמה

who is undergoing chemotherapy

===========================