Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Can tzitzis be purchased on credit?

In order for a person to be yotzei the mitzvah of tzitzis, he must own the strings. In addition, only a garment which a person owns is obligated to have tzitzis. If a garment was stolen, there is no obligation to affix tzitzis to it. Therefore, it is appropriate for a person to pay for his tallis completely when he buys it. This will ensure that he has a kinyan kesef (an acquisition through paying money). If he were to purchase on credit, his kinyan would only be effective mid’rabonon. If a tallis was purchased on credit and the seller asks for the payment but does not receive it, it is considered as if the tallis was stolen.

[שו"ע יא, ו, משנ"ב כז, וביה"ל ד"ה אם, וד"ה מצמר; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 47 ,וראה שם, 42-4]

Will a person be yotzei after he pays for stolen tzitzis?

A person who stole tzitzis strings, affixed them to his garment and then paid the former owner for them is not yotzei the mitzvah. Although he compensated the owner and acquired the tzitzis (assuming that the owner agreed), since he affixed them at a time when they were not effective for the mitzvah, they must be untied and retied once he legitimately acquires them. If, however, he stole a garment and affixed his own tzitzis strings to it, once he pays and acquires the garment he does not need to untie and retie the tzitzis.

[ביה"ל ד"ה מצמר; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 3]

When does a ganav acquire a stolen object?

There is a mitzvah for a ganav to return a stolen object to its owner. If, however, a shinui ma’aseh (a significant change) happened to the object, he acquires it and must compensate the owner for its value. This acquisition as a result of a shinui ma’aseh is effective even if the owner was never meya’esh (i.e. never gave up hope that he would retrieve the object). Likewise, if a shinui hashem (a change in status) or shinui reshus (a change in possession) occurred, the object can be acquired if the owner gave up hope that he would ever get the object back. In the case of shinui reshus, the poskim disagree about whether the yiush must occur prior to the shinui reshus in order to allow the object to be acquired.

[שו"ע יא, ו, משנ"ב ל, וביה"ל ד"ה ודוקא, וד"ה אבל; וראה שו"ע חו"מ שנג, א-ב, לענין שינוי השם ללא יאו]

Min haTorah, there is no minimal length for tzitzis strings. Mid’rabonon, however, they must be a certain length. Some Rishonim say they must at least the length of four gudlin. Other say that twelve gudlin is the minimal length.

Tzitzis must have both a g’dil (a wrapped and knotted section) and an anaf (a free-hanging part). L’chatchilah, the anaf should be double the length of the g’dil.

Low-grade wool is not kosher for tzitzis. Therefore, wool from a lamb which got caught in a thorn thicket is not valid for tzitzis. Similarly, remnants of wool which remain from another garment cannot be used for tzitzis.

Where should the tzitzis be affixed on a garment?

How close to the edge of the garment may the hole be placed?

How many holes should the tzitzis hang from?

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.