Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email - 25 Adar II/March 28

Which type of garment is appropriate for silk tzitzis strings?

Wool tzizis strings should be affixed to a woolen garment and linen strings to a linen garment. Wool or linen strings may be used for all other types of garments. Strings made from other materials may only be used on garments of the same material (e.g. cotton strings for a cotton garment, silk strings for a silk garment, etc.). It is unclear whether one can be yotzei by affixing some strings made from the same material as the garment and some from wool or linen. Such a garment should not be worn; since the tzitzis may not be acceptable, one could end up wearing a four-cornered garment without proper tzitzis.

[שו"ע ט, ב-ד, ומשנ"ב יד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 15]

Is wearing a four-cornered linen garment permitted?

The Torah states that some of the wool tzitzis strings should be dyed with techeles dye. Techeles is a dye made from the blood of the chilozon. There are various opinions among the Rishonim as to how many strings should be dyed. Mishnah Berurah quotes the view that two strings on each corner should be dyed blue. Min haTorah, one should even affix dyed woolen strings to a linen garment, since the mitzvah of wearing techeles overrides the aveirah of wearing shatnez. Nowadays, since we no longer have techeles and the mitzvah of tzizis is no longer kept in its entirety, it is forbidden to affix woolen strings to a linen garment. It is certainly forbidden to attach linen strings to a woolen garment. As a safeguard against shatnez, it is advisable not to wear garments or strings made from linen at all.

[שו"ע ט, ב ו־ו, ומשנ"ב ז, ח ו־יז; וראה שעה"צ כז; וראה ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 21]

Why do we wear a white tallis?

Shulchon Aruch rules that a person should wear tzitzis dyed the same color as his garment. Doing so adorns the mitzvah, fulfilling the dictum of zeh Keili v’anveihu. In addition, the Torah writes hakanaf – suggesting that tzitzis should be like the corner of the garment. Keeping them the same color adds to this similarity. Rema maintains that tzitzis strings should always be white, regardless of the color of the garment. In order to satisfy both views, tzitzis garments should be white, matching the white strings. Although it is customary to add a dark stripe on the bottom of the garment, this does not detract from the primary color of the garment; it is still considered white.

[שו"ע ט, ה, ומשנ"ב טו-טז; וראה ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 19]

Shulchon Aruch rules that min haTorah, only linen or wool garments are required to have tzitzis. Garments made from other materials (e.g. silk or cotton) are only obligated mid‘rabonon.

Rema maintains that there is a Torah obligation to affix tzitzis even to garments that are not made from wool or linen. Garments made from non-woven materials are exempt from tzitzis.

Mishnah Berurah writes that yerei Shomayim should be careful to wear woolen garments so that they will be obligated min haTorah in the mitzvah of tzitzis even according to the view of the Shulchan Aruch. However, it is recorded that the Vilna Gaon wore a garment made from other materials.

Is a five-cornered garment required to have tzitzis?

Can a four-cornered garment be changed into a three-cornered garment?

Can tzitzis be attached to a three-cornered garment?

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.