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There is a mitzva for a man to wear tzitzit (ritual fringes), if he is wearing a garment with four corners. Spinning the threads, weaving them into strings, and tying them on the corners must be done while having the mitzva in mind (though many people today simply buy the garment with the tzitzit already attached). A hole is made in each corner, four strings are threaded through, and all the ends are lined up so there are eight, one of which is longer than the others. The strings are knotted together, the long one is wrapped around the others, another knot is made, and this is repeated until there are five knots. The remaining length of the strings, which will hang down, needs to be at least 24 cm (9.5 inches). If they later rip, the tzitzit are kosher as long as every string has at least 4 cm (about 2 inches) left.
Only garments with four square corners must have tzitzit attached. Garments with rounded edges or only three corners are exempt. The clothes men usually wear today – shirts, pants, suits, and coats – do not require tzitzit since they do not have four corners. Nevertheless, to have the privilege of fulfilling this mitzva, it is customary to buy a special garment which has four corners and attach tzitzit to it (or buy such a garment with the tzitzit already attached). This garment, called a tallit katan (small prayer shawl, commonly referred to simply as tzitzit), is worn all day under the shirt. Some leave the tzitzit strings out (see below).
During Shaĥarit, men wrap themselves in a tallit gadol (large prayer shawl with tzitzit attached, commonly referred to simply as a tallit). Ashkenazic custom is to start wearing a tallit only after marriage. For this reason, some have the custom for the bride to give the groom a tallit as a gift.
A blessing is recited before doing the mitzva. The blessing on a tallit is: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us to wrap ourselves in tzitzit.” Those who wear a tallit for prayer do not recite a blessing earlier in the morning when they get dressed and put on a tallit katan. Those who fulfill the mitzva exclusively with a tallit katan do recite a blessing on it: “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His mitzvot and commanded us concerning the mitzva of tzitzit.” (No blessing is recited on any tallit at night, because the mitzva of wearing tzitzit applies only during the day.)
Whenever doing a ritual mitzva, one should have in mind that the purpose of the action is to fulfill the mitzva. When putting on tzitzit, one should also have in mind that the purpose is to remember all 613 commandments, in accordance with the verse (Numbers 15:39): “Look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not stray after your heart and eyes, following your sinful desires.” (The eight strings and five knots, when added to the numerical value of the Hebrew word tzitzit, add up to 613.) In light of this verse, it is preferable for someone wearing a tallit katan to have the tzitzit strings out and visible, so one can see them and be reminded of the mitzvot.
Tallit and tzitzit also have symbolic significance. The four square corners of the tallit correspond to the four directions of the material world. This world is bursting with raw power and diverse inclinations. Unfortunately, controlling them is sometimes very challenging. We can realize and positively channel the great potential of the material world through our performance of the 613 mitzvot, symbolized by tzitzit.
