Why a Level 4 dedicated to the Alter Rebbe? The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe is not a commentary on the Mehaber (מחבר) — it is an autonomous and complete Shulchan Aruch, written by the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad, disciple of the Maggid (מגיד) of Mezeritch). Its singularity: it combines halacha (הלכה) + the reasons of the mitzvot (טעמי המצוות) + the inner dimension in a single work, and it rules with a unique Talmudic rigor.
For Chabad, the Alter Rebbe is הפוסק האחרון — his ruling is the decisive authority. The Rebbe explicitly instructed to study the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב) seriously. This page gathers the Rav's way on siman י״ז — מי הם חייבין בציצית (who is obligated in tsitsit) — where the Mehaber treats this siman in 3 seifim (ג׳ סעיפים), while the Alter Rebbe arranges it in 4 seifim (ד׳ סעיפים): he develops the exemption of נשים ועבדים with its full chain (tsitsit as a מ״ע שהזמן גרמא — since the כסות לילה is exempt — and the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין, « למען תהיה תורת ה׳ בפיך »), the טומטום ואנדרוגינוס (obligated מספק, without a blessing — ספק ברכות להקל), the permission to wrap oneself and bless (הרשות בידן, קצת שכר) tempered by the מחזי כיוהרא (for the mitzva is not חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב), and the קטן היודע להתעטף (his father buys him a talit — chinuch).
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן י״ז — מִי הֵם הַחַיָּבִים בְּצִיצִית
The full text of the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן י״ז — מִי הֵם הַחַיָּבִים בְּצִיצִית — וּבוֹ ד׳ סְעִיפִים
The text of the Alter Rebbe himself (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.17), followed by our English translation. The Mehaber treats this siman in 3 seifim (ג׳ סעיפים); the Alter Rebbe in 4 (ד׳ סעיפים).
סעיף א נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים — פְּטוּרִים מִצִּיצִית… מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּצְוַת צִיצִית הִיא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּסוּת לַיְלָה פְּטוּרָה.
נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים — פְּטוּרִים מִצִּיצִית, אֲפִלּוּ מִתְלַבְּשִׁים בְּטַלִּית שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְהָטִיל בָּהּ צִיצִית, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמִּצְוַת צִיצִית הִיא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְּסוּת לַיְלָה פְּטוּרָה מִן הַצִּיצִית, וְכָל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים פְּטוּרִים מִמֶּנָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּתְפִלִּין: "לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת ה׳ בְּפִיךָ", הֻקְשָׁה כָּל הַתּוֹרָה כֻּלָּהּ לִתְפִלִּין, מַה תְּפִלִּין שֶׁהוּא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, שֶׁהֲרֵי שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב אֵינָן זְמַן תְּפִלִּין, וְנָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים פְּטוּרִים מֵהֶם מִטַּעַם שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן לח, אַף כָּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא נָשִׁים וַעֲבָדִים פְּטוּרִים מֵהֶם, חוּץ מִמִּצְוֹת פְּרָטִיּוֹת שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּעֶזְרַת הַשֵּׁם:
נשים ועבדים — the exemption and its full chain. Women and slaves are exempt from tsitsit: even if they wear a four-cornered garment — they need not attach tsitsit to it, because the mitzva of tsitsit is a מצות עשה שהזמן גרמא (positive time-bound commandment) — since a כסות לילה (night garment) is exempt from tsitsit (cf. siman 18) — and from every positive time-bound mitzva women and slaves are exempt: as it is said regarding תפילין, « לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת ה׳ בְּפִיךָ » — the whole Torah is compared (הוקשה) to תפילין; just as תפילין is a time-bound positive mitzva — Shabbat and Yom Tov not being the time of תפילין — and women and slaves are exempt from it (for the reason explained in סימן לח), so too every positive time-bound mitzva — apart from particular mitzvot. The Rav's chiddush: he lays out the entire chain of the exemption — tsitsit is time-bound through the כסות לילה, and the exemption of women rests on the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין.
סעיף ב טֻמְטוּם וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס — חַיָּבִים בְּצִיצִית מִסָּפֵק, שֶׁמָּא הֵם זְכָרִים. אֲבָל אֵין צְרִיכִין לְבָרֵךְ, דִּסְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל.
טֻמְטוּם (שֶׁהוּא אָטוּם לְגַמְרֵי וְלֹא נוֹדַע אִם הוּא זָכָר אוֹ נְקֵבָה) וְאַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס (שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ זַכְרוּת וְנַקְבוּת) — חַיָּבִים בְּצִיצִית מִסָּפֵק, שֶׁמָּא הֵם זְכָרִים. אֲבָל אֵין צְרִיכִין לְבָרֵךְ, דִּסְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל:
טומטום ואנדרוגינוס — obligated out of doubt, without a blessing. The טומטום (entirely sealed, of whom it is not known whether male or female) and the אנדרוגינוס (who shows both characters) — are obligated in tsitsit out of doubt (מספק): perhaps they are males. But they need not bless, for ספק ברכות להקל (in a doubt regarding blessings, we are lenient). The Rav's chiddush: he defines both terms within the body of the din and articulates the double movement — stringency in the act (wrapping oneself, שמא הם זכרים), leniency in the blessing (ספק ברכות להקל).
סעיף ג אִם יִרְצוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית וּלְבָרֵךְ — הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָן… וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הוֹאִיל וּמֶחֱזֵי כְּיֻהֲרָא — אֵין לָהֶם לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּצִיצִית.
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם, אֲפִלּוּ נְקֵבוֹת וַדָּאִים וְכֵן עֲבָדִים אִם יִרְצוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית וּלְבָרֵךְ — הָרְשׁוּת בְּיָדָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין בִּשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, וִיכוֹלִין לוֹמַר "וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית" אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁהֵן אֵינָן מְצֻוִּין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָאֲנָשִׁים מְצֻוִּים עַל כָּךְ, וְגַם הֵן כְּשֶׁמְּקַיְּמִין מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵם פְּטוּרִים מֵהֶם אַף־עַל־פִּי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שָׂכָר גָּדוֹל כִּמְצֻוֶּה וְעוֹשֶׂה, מִכָּל מָקוֹם קְצָת שָׂכָר יֵשׁ לָהֶם, לָכֵן יְכוֹלוֹת הֵן לְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל מִצְוֹת שֶׁהֵן פְּטוּרִין מֵהֶם, אִם עוֹשִׂין הַמִּצְוֹת כְּתִקּוּנָן בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהָאֲנָשִׁים יְכוֹלִים לְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם הוֹאִיל וּמֶחֱזֵי כְּיֻהֲרָא — אֵין לָהֶם לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּצִיצִית, כֵּיוָן דְּגַם הָאֲנָשִׁים אֵינָם חַיָּבִים בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן יֵשׁ לָהֶם טַלִּית בַּת אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת, וְאֵינוֹ חוֹבַת הַגּוּף כְּמוֹ שׁוֹפָר וְלוּלָב שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים נוֹהֲגוֹת לְהַחֲמִיר עַל עַצְמָן:
הרשות בידן — the blessing, then the יוהרא. Nevertheless, even definite women (נקבות ודאים) and likewise slaves, if they wish to wrap themselves in tsitsit and bless — the permission is in their hands (הרשות בידן), as is done for the other positive time-bound mitzvot; and they may say « וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית » although they are not commanded, because the men are commanded; and they too, when they fulfill mitzvot from which they are exempt — even without the great reward of the מצווה ועושה — have some reward (קצת שכר); they may therefore bless on every mitzva from which they are exempt, if they perform it properly, in the manner in which men may bless on it. And nevertheless, since it looks like יוהרא (ostentation) — they should not clothe themselves in tsitsit: for even men are bound to this mitzva only if they own a four-cornered talit — it is not a חובת הגוף (obligation borne by the person) like שופר and לולב, on which women customarily are stringent upon themselves (cf. siman 19: no one is required to buy a talit). The Rav's chiddush: he gives the reason for the blessing (the men are מצווים; קצת שכר) and then the fine line of the יוהרא — specific to tsitsit, an obligation of the garment and not חובת הגוף.
סעיף ד קָטָן הַיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִתְעַטֵּף… אָבִיו חַיָּב לִקְנוֹת לוֹ טַלִּית בַּת אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת וּלְהָטִיל בָּהּ צִיצִית כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת.
קָטָן הַיּוֹדֵעַ לְהִתְעַטֵּף, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לְהַשְׁלִיךְ שְׁתֵּי כְּנָפוֹת לְפָנָיו וּשְׁתֵּי כְּנָפוֹת לְאַחֲרָיו וְיוֹדֵעַ לֶאֱחֹז הַצִּיצִית בְּיָדוֹ בִּשְׁעַת קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע כְּמוֹ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין — אָבִיו חַיָּב לִקְנוֹת לוֹ טַלִּית בַּת אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת וּלְהָטִיל בָּהּ צִיצִית כְּדֵי לְחַנְּכוֹ בְּמִצְוֹת (וְעַיֵּן סִימָן כד דְּזֶה אֵינָהּ חוֹבָה כָּל כָּךְ, אֲבָל מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָבִיו חַיָּב לְהָטִיל צִיצִית לְכָל בֶּגֶד שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת שֶׁהַבֵּן מִתְלַבֵּשׁ בּוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁכְּבָר הִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ):
The קטן who knows how to wrap himself — chinuch. A child who knows how to wrap himself — for example, who knows how to throw two corners in front of him and two corners behind him, and knows how to hold the tsitsit in his hand during קריאת שמע, as is customary — his father is obligated to buy him a four-cornered talit and attach tsitsit to it, in order to educate him in the mitzvot (לחנכו במצוות). (And see סימן כד: this obligation to buy is not so absolute; but in any case, his father is obligated to attach tsitsit to every four-cornered garment the son wears, since he has already reached chinuch.) The Rav's chiddush: he embeds the Rama's measure (two corners in front / two behind + holding the tsitsit during the Shema) in the body of the din, and distinguishes buying the talit (a less absolute obligation) from attaching tsitsit to every garment worn (a full obligation).
Source: Sefaria — Shulchan Arukh HaRav, Orach Chayim י״ז (Kehot edition, 4 seifim / ד׳ סעיפים). English translation: DAAT. The Mehaber treats this siman in 3 seifim (ג׳ סעיפים); no passage is cited outside this verifiable text.
היסוד — פטור נשים ועבדים, טומטום ואנדרוגינוס, הברכה והיוהרא, חינוך הקטן
The yesod: the exemption of נשים ועבדים, the ספק of the טומטום, the blessing and the יוהרא, the chinuch of the קטן
The Alter Rebbe's reading of this siman holds in four movements. First, he grounds the exemption of נשים ועבדים: tsitsit is a מ״ע שהזמן גרמא — since the כסות לילה is exempt — and the exemption of women rests on the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין (seif א). Then he decides the doubt of the טומטום ואנדרוגינוס: obligated מספק, but without a blessing — ספק ברכות להקל (seif ב). Then he opens and closes the door for women: הרשות בידן to wrap themselves and bless (קצת שכר), but מחזי כיוהרא — for the mitzva is not חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב (seif ג). Finally, he sets the chinuch: the קטן who knows how to wrap himself — his father buys him a four-cornered talit (seif ד).
נשים ועבדים — מ״ע שהזמן גרמא
The exemption of נשים ועבדים (the full chain)
The principle (seif א). Women and slaves are exempt from tsitsit, even when wearing a four-cornered garment: tsitsit is a מ״ע שהזמן גרמא, since the כסות לילה is exempt (cf. siman 18).
The source. The exemption rests on the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין (« למען תהיה תורת ה׳ בפיך ») — תפילין themselves being time-bound (שבת ויום טוב אינן זמן תפילין), with a reference to סימן לח — apart from particular mitzvot.
טומטום ואנדרוגינוס — חייבים מספק
The ספק of the טומטום ואנדרוגינוס
The principle (seif ב). The טומטום (entirely sealed) and the אנדרוגינוס (both characters) are obligated in tsitsit out of doubt — perhaps they are males (שמא הם זכרים).
The blessing. But they do not bless: ספק ברכות להקל — stringency in the act, leniency in the blessing.
הרשות בידן — הברכה והיוהרא
The possible blessing, the decided יוהרא
The open door (seif ג). Even definite women and slaves, if they wish to wrap themselves and bless — הרשות בידן: they may say « וצוונו » because the men are commanded, and whoever fulfills without being commanded has קצת שכר.
The closed door. Nevertheless מחזי כיוהרא — they should not clothe themselves in tsitsit: even men are bound only if they own a four-cornered talit — tsitsit is not a חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב (cf. siman 19: no one is required to buy a talit).
קטן היודע להתעטף — חינוך
The chinuch of the קטן
The principle (seif ד). The קטן who knows how to wrap himself — throwing two corners in front and two behind, and holding the tsitsit during קריאת שמע — his father must buy him a four-cornered talit and attach tsitsit to it, to educate him in the mitzvot.
The nuance. The purchase is not such an absolute obligation (וע׳ סימן כד); but attaching tsitsit to every four-cornered garment the child wears once he has reached chinuch — the father is bound to it.
Referral for study. The inner dimension of מי הם חייבין בציצית — beyond the halachic principle laid out here (the exemption of נשים ועבדים, the ספק of the טומטום, the blessing and the יוהרא, the chinuch of the קטן) — touches the thought of Chabad (Tanya, Likkutei Torah, and the sichot on tsitsit, the mitzva fulfilled without command, and chinuch). This page presents it at the level of the attested principle, without citing a chapter or a precise formulation. For in-depth study of this dimension, learn with a Chabad Rav and in the texts themselves.
כחו של אדמו״ר הזקן בפסק
The strength of the Alter Rebbe's psak
Comparison of the way of the Alter Rebbe with those of the Mehaber, the Rama (רמ״א) and the Mishna Berura (משנה ברורה) on the key points of siman י״ז. The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב) line is highlighted — it shows the Rav's own sensibility, as it emerges from his text (§1, 4 seifim). The Rav arranges in 4 seifim (ד׳ סעיפים) what the Mehaber treats in 3 (ג׳ סעיפים).
| Topic | Mehaber | Rama | Mishna Berura | Way of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| סומא (the blind) — obligated (Mehaber 17:1) | OH 17:1 — the סומא is obligated in tsitsit: he is included by « אשר תכסה בה »; « וראיתם אותו » comes to exclude the כסות לילה (cf. siman 18). | — | On 17:1 — the drasha of the סומא (Menachot 43a); the detail of the ס״ק is left « על דרך הסברה ». | — In the ד׳ סעיפים of this siman (§1), the Rav has no seif devoted to the סומא: his text opens directly with נשים ועבדים. (Observation from the reproduced text — no ruling is cited beyond it.) |
| נשים ועבדים exempt — מ״ע שהזמן גרמא (seif א) | OH 17:2 — « נשים ועבדים פטורים » — for it is a positive time-bound commandment. | — (his gloss deals with the blessing — see below). | On 17:2 — the reason: the כסות לילה makes tsitsit time-dependent (Menachot 43a). | Way of the Alter Rebbe — chiddush: he lays out the entire chain of the exemption — tsitsit is time-bound because the כסות לילה is exempt; and the exemption of women rests on the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין (« למען תהיה תורת ה׳ בפיך »), תפילין themselves being time-bound (שבת ויום טוב) — reference to סימן לח (seif א). |
| טומטום ואנדרוגינוס — מספק (seif ב) | OH 17:2 — טומטום ואנדרוגינוס are obligated out of doubt — they wrap themselves without blessing. | On 17:2 — according to the custom where women bless on positive time-bound mitzvot, they too bless. | On 17:2 — the doubt and the blessing; the detail of the ס״ק is left « על דרך הסברה ». | Way of the Alter Rebbe — chiddush: he defines the terms within the body of the din (טומטום — entirely sealed; אנדרוגינוס — both characters), grounds the obligation on שמא הם זכרים and decides the blessing by ספק ברכות להקל (seif ב). |
| הרשות בידן — the blessing and the יוהרא (seif ג) | OH 17:2 — states the exemption; the question of the blessing is not developed there. | Gloss on 17:2 — if they wish to wrap themselves and bless, הרשות בידן (as for the other positive time-bound mitzvot); but it looks like יוהרא — all the more since the obligation is not borne by the person (cf. siman 19). | On 17:2 — the blessing of women (customs differ) and the יוהרא specific to tsitsit. | Way of the Alter Rebbe — chiddush: he spells out the mechanism of the blessing — « וצוונו » because the men are commanded, and קצת שכר for whoever fulfills without being commanded — then decides: מחזי כיוהרא, they should not clothe themselves — for even men are bound only if they have a four-cornered talit: tsitsit is not חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב (seif ג). |
| קטן היודע להתעטף — chinuch (seif ד) | OH 17:3 — the קטן who knows how to wrap himself: his father buys him tsitsit to educate him (chinuch). | On 17:3 — the measure: knowing how to throw two corners in front and two behind, and to hold the tsitsit during קריאת שמע. | On 17:3 — the definition of יודע להתעטף and the age of chinuch (Sukka 42a). | Way of the Alter Rebbe — chiddush: he embeds the Rama's measure in the body of the din, and distinguishes — buying the talit is not an absolute obligation (וע׳ סימן כד), but attaching tsitsit to every four-cornered garment worn by the child who has reached chinuch is a full obligation (seif ד). |
Table drawn from the full text of the Mehaber (Orah Haim י״ז, Sefaria source), the verifiable nossei kelim (Beit Yossef, Tur, Tosafot / Rosh / Ran — ר״ה פ״ב, קידושין פ״ק, Agur סי׳ כ״ז, Hagahot Maimoniot פ״ג, Mordechai — סוף לולב הגזול, Rambam, Magen Avraham, Taz, Mishna Berura, Beur Halacha, Pri Megadim, Aruch haShulchan, Kaf haChaim; Talmud Menachot 43a, Sukka 42a). The Alter Rebbe column rests on the real text of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav reproduced in §1 (ד׳ סעיפים). Uncertain seif-katan attributions are left « על דרך הסברה ».
קווי היסוד של שיטת הרב
The main lines of the Rav's way on this siman
Four orientations that characterize the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe on « who is obligated in tsitsit » — beyond the mere application of the rules. Each follows the structure: principle of the siman → the Rav's reading → practical consequence. Each line rests on the Rav's real text (§1).
קו א — פטור נשים ועבדים
The exemption of נשים ועבדים and its chain
Principle of the siman: women and slaves are exempt from tsitsit — a positive time-bound commandment (Mehaber 17:2).
The Rav's reading: he gives the full chain — the כסות לילה makes tsitsit a time-bound mitzva, and the exemption rests on the comparison of the whole Torah to תפילין (reference to סימן לח).
Practical consequence: the exemption is a structural din (the time of the mitzva), not a judgment on persons; for the conduct of communities → consult a Rav (seif א).
קו ב — טומטום ואנדרוגינוס
The doubt decided on both sides
Principle of the siman: the טומטום and the אנדרוגינוס are obligated out of doubt (Mehaber 17:2).
The Rav's reading: stringency in the act — they wrap themselves, שמא הם זכרים; leniency in speech — without a blessing, for ספק ברכות להקל.
Practical consequence: wrap oneself without blessing; for any concrete and sensitive case → consult a Rav, with delicacy (seif ב).
קו ג — הברכה והיוהרא
The possible blessing, the decided יוהרא
Principle of the siman: the Rama (on 17:2) — if women wish to wrap themselves and bless, they may; but it looks like יוהרא.
The Rav's reading: he grounds the blessing (« וצוונו » — the men are commanded; קצת שכר) then decides they should not clothe themselves: tsitsit is not חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב — even men are bound only if they have a four-cornered talit (cf. siman 19).
Practical consequence: in practice, women do not wear the talit; respect for persons and communities — referral to the community Rav (seif ג).
קו ד — חינוך הקטן
The chinuch of the קטן
Principle of the siman: the קטן who knows how to wrap himself — his father buys him tsitsit (Mehaber 17:3; Rama: the measure).
The Rav's reading: he integrates the measure (two corners in front / two behind + holding the tsitsit during the Shema) and distinguishes — the purchase (a less absolute obligation, וע׳ סימן כד) from attaching tsitsit to every four-cornered garment worn by the child (a full obligation).
Practical consequence: buy the talit katan as soon as the child knows how to wrap himself; in any case, tsitsit on every four-cornered garment he wears; for the precise age → consult a Rav (seif ד).
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Chabad conduct
Six points of conduct flowing directly from siman י״ז in the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe and Chabad — presented at the level of principle, referring to the Rav for the detail of particular cases and minhagim.
For the Chabad Chassid — Siman י״ז (מי הם חייבין בציצית)
- ① נשים ועבדים — exempt. Women and slaves are exempt from tsitsit, even when wearing a four-cornered garment: tsitsit is a מ״ע שהזמן גרמא (the כסות לילה is exempt — cf. siman 18; the comparison to תפילין). Basis: SA HaRav seif א.
- ② הרשות בידן — the blessing is possible. If they wish to wrap themselves and bless — the permission is in their hands, as for the other positive time-bound mitzvot: « וצוונו » is said because the men are commanded, and there is קצת שכר for whoever fulfills without being commanded. Basis: SA HaRav seif ג.
- ③ But מחזי כיוהרא — in practice, no talit for women. The Rav decides: they should not clothe themselves in tsitsit — for even men are bound only if they own a four-cornered talit; tsitsit is not חובת הגוף like שופר ולולב (cf. siman 19). Respect and delicacy toward each one. Basis: SA HaRav seif ג.
- ④ טומטום ואנדרוגינוס — wrap without blessing. They are obligated out of doubt (שמא הם זכרים) but do not bless — ספק ברכות להקל. Basis: SA HaRav seif ב.
- ⑤ The child's talit katan — as soon as he knows how to wrap himself. As soon as the קטן knows how to throw two corners in front and two behind and to hold the tsitsit during the Shema — his father buys him a four-cornered talit with tsitsit (chinuch); and in any case, tsitsit on every four-cornered garment he wears. Basis: SA HaRav seif ד.
- ⑥ The sensitivity of the subject. Women and the talit, טומטום ואנדרוגינוס, the age of chinuch: questions of persons as much as of din — speak of them with respect, and for concrete conduct → consult your Rav. Basis: the whole siman (seifim א-ד).
⚠ This section presents the Chabad conduct grounded in the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, siman י״ז (real text reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic decision for a particular case. For any concrete question — and especially regarding women and the talit (respect of communities), the טומטום ואנדרוגינוס and the age of chinuch: consult your Rav, and for Chabad, a Chabad Rav.