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 כ׳ — דיני לקיחת ומכירת טלית (the laws of buying and selling a tallit) — where the Mehaber treats this siman in 2 seifim (ב׳ סעיפים), while the Alter Rebbe develops it across 6 seifim (ו׳ סעיפים): he spells out the חֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת of buying from a Jew (כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין), the double foundation of the חֶזְקַת הַתַּגָּר (the merchant does not lie, and a non-Jew does not know how the חֻלְיוֹת and קְשָׁרִים are made) with its limit (loose threads — forbidden), sending tsitsit with a non-Jew (חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם and the criterion of הֲנָאָה), the objective sign of the ד׳ חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים שְׁזוּרִין (for sending and for a found object), and the prohibition of selling / pledging / depositing a tsitsit-bearing tallit with a non-Jew, with the לְפִי שָׁעָה exception and its criterion.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן כ׳ — דִּינֵי לְקִיחַת וּמְכִירַת טַלִּית
The full text of the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן כ׳ — דִּינֵי לְקִיחַת וּמְכִירַת טַלִּית — וּבוֹ ו׳ סְעִיפִים
The text of the Alter Rebbe himself (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.20), followed by our English translation. The Mehaber treats this siman in 2 seifim (ב׳ סעיפים); the Alter Rebbe in 6 (ו׳ סעיפים).
סעיף א הַלּוֹקֵחַ טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל — הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין בְּהֶכְשֵׁר תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית.
דִּינֵי לְקִיחַת וּמְכִירַת טַלִּית וּבוֹ ו׳ סְעִיפִים: הַלּוֹקֵחַ טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל — הֲרֵי זֶה בְּחֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין בְּהֶכְשֵׁר תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית:
The חֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת of buying from a Jew. "The laws of buying and selling a tallit — in 6 seifim (ו׳ סעיפים)." One who buys a tsitsit-bearing tallit (טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת) from a Jew — it is בְּחֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת (presumed valid), because all Jews are expert (בְּקִיאִין) in the proper making of the tsitsit. The Rav's חידוש: where the Mehaber simply states the din ("הלוקח טלית מצוייצת מישראל — כשרה"), the Rav spells out its foundation — the presumption rests not on mere probability but on the universal competence of Israel: כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין בְּהֶכְשֵׁר תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית.
סעיף ב הַלּוֹקֵחַ טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת מִתַּגָּר נָכְרִי… וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁלָּקַח טַלִּית זוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עִם צִיצִיּוֹתֶיהָ — נֶאֱמָן, דַּחֲזָקָה עַל הַתַּגָּר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁקֵּר.
הַלּוֹקֵחַ טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת מִתַּגָּר נָכְרִי, אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ תַּגָּר לִמְכֹּר טַלִּיתוֹת אֶלָּא הוּא תַּגָּר לִשְׁאָר סְחוֹרוֹת, וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁלָּקַח טַלִּית זוֹ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עִם צִיצִיּוֹתֶיהָ — נֶאֱמָן, דַּחֲזָקָה עַל הַתַּגָּר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְשַׁקֵּר, שֶׁאִם יִמָּצֵא בַּדַּאי בְּדָבָר אֶחָד לֹא יַאֲמִינוּהוּ בִּדְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים. וְאֵין סוֹמְכִין עַל חֲזָקָה זוֹ אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁמּוֹכֵר טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת כְּהִלְכָתָהּ, דְּיֵשׁ עוֹד צַד לְהָקֵל, מִשּׁוּם דְּאֵין דֶּרֶךְ נָכְרִי לֵידַע הֵיאַךְ עוֹשִׂין הַחֻלְיוֹת וְהַקְּשָׁרִים וּמִסְּתָמָא לְקָחָהּ עִם צִיצִיּוֹתֶיהָ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. אֲבָל אֵין לוֹקְחִין צִיצִית שֶׁאֵינָן תְּלוּיִין בַּטַּלִּית מִנָּכְרִי אֲפִלּוּ הוּא תַּגָּר, שֶׁמָּא הוּא עַצְמוֹ טְוָאָן אוֹ שְׁזָרָן:
The חֶזְקַת הַתַּגָּר — the merchant does not discredit himself (לֹא מְרַע נַפְשֵׁיהּ). One who buys a tsitsit-bearing tallit from a non-Jewish merchant (תַּגָּר נָכְרִי) — even if he is not a merchant of tallitot but a merchant of other goods — and he says he bought this tallit from a Jew with its tsitsiyot: he is believed (נֶאֱמָן), for there is a chazaka on the merchant that he does not lie — were he found a liar in one thing, he would no longer be believed in others. And one relies on this chazaka only when he sells a tallit tsitsited כְּהִלְכָתָהּ, for there is a second ground for leniency (עוֹד צַד לְהָקֵל): a non-Jew does not commonly know how the חֻלְיוֹת (windings) and קְשָׁרִים (knots) are made, so he presumably bought it from a Jew with its tsitsiyot. But one does not buy from a non-Jew — even a merchant — tsitsit that are not hanging on a tallit: perhaps he himself spun (טְוָאָן) or twisted (שְׁזָרָן) them. The Rav's חידוש: he gives the chazaka its double foundation — commercial credibility (a תגר, even of other goods) and the non-Jew's presumed technical ignorance — and fixes its precise limit: for loose threads the chazaka does not cover the שֶׁמָּא הוּא עַצְמוֹ טְוָאָן (the לְשֵׁם צִיצִית would be lacking, cf. sim. י״ד).
סעיף ג הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ צִיצִית לַחֲבֵרוֹ בְּיַד נָכְרִי — צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּחְתְּמֶנּוּ חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם… שֶׁמָּא יַחֲלִיף הַנָּכְרִי בְּחוּטִין אֲחֵרִים.
הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ צִיצִית לַחֲבֵרוֹ בְּיַד נָכְרִי — צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּחְתְּמֶנּוּ חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם, וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּיוֹרֶה דֵּעָה סִימָן קיח, לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָחֹש שֶׁמָּא יַחֲלִיף הַנָּכְרִי בְּחוּטִין אֲחֵרִים שֶׁלֹּא נִטְווּ לְשֵׁם צִיצִית. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? כְּשֶׁהוּא בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁיֵּהָנֶה הַנָּכְרִי בַּחֲלִיפִין, אֲבָל אִם לֹא יִהְיֶה לוֹ הֲנָאָה כְּלָל מֵחֲלִיפִין — אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין שֶׁמָּא יַחֲלִיף הַנָּכְרִי כְּדֵי לְהַכְשִׁיל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Sending with a non-Jew — חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם. One who sends tsitsit to his fellow by the hand of a non-Jew — he must seal them with a double seal (חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם), in the manner explained in Yoreh Deah siman קיח, for there is reason to fear the non-Jew might exchange them for other threads that were not spun לְשֵׁם צִיצִית. When does this apply? When the non-Jew would benefit (הֲנָאָה) from the exchange; but if he has no benefit at all from the exchange — we do not suspect that the non-Jew would exchange in order to make Israel stumble. The Rav's חידוש: the criterion of suspicion is הֲנָאָה — the carrier's interest, not presumed malice; without benefit, אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין.
סעיף ד אֲבָל אִם הֵן שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים — אֵין לָחֹש שֶׁיַּחֲלִיף אוֹתָם הַנָּכְרִי.
וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁשּׁוֹלֵחַ חוּטִין שֶׁאֵינָן שְׁזוּרִין, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הֵן שְׁזוּרִין אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵינָן מֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים רַק עֲדַיִן הֵן חוּט אֶחָד אָרֹךְ. אֲבָל אִם הֵן שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים — אֵין לָחֹש שֶׁיַּחֲלִיף אוֹתָם הַנָּכְרִי, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי אֵין לוֹ חוּטִין אֲחֵרִים כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין חוּטִין עַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה אֶלָּא לְשֵׁם צִיצִית:
The objective sign — ד׳ חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים שְׁזוּרִין. All this is when he sends threads that are not twisted (שֶׁאֵינָן שְׁזוּרִין), or even twisted but not separated into four long threads (still one long thread). But if they are twisted and separated into four long threads — there is no fear that the non-Jew will exchange them: he certainly has no other threads like them, for such threads are made only לְשֵׁם צִיצִית. The Rav's חידוש: the very form of the thread (twisted and cut into four lengths) testifies to its purpose — an objective sign that renders the double seal unnecessary.
סעיף ה הַמּוֹצֵא חוּטֵי צִיצִית בַּשּׁוּק, אִם הֵם שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּין — כְּשֵׁרִים.
וְכֵן הַמּוֹצֵא חוּטֵי צִיצִית בַּשּׁוּק, אִם הֵם שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּין — כְּשֵׁרִים, שֶׁבְּוַדַּאי לְשֵׁם צִיצִית נַעֲשׂוּ:
Threads found in the market (הַמּוֹצֵא בַּשּׁוּק). Likewise, one who finds tsitsit threads in the market: if they are twisted and separated into four long threads — they are kosher, for they were certainly made לְשֵׁם צִיצִית. The Rav's חידוש: he applies the same objective sign to a found object (מְצִיאָה) — the certainty born of the form (בְּוַדַּאי לְשֵׁם צִיצִית נַעֲשׂוּ) holds even when the provenance is entirely unknown.
סעיף ו אֵין מוֹכְרִין טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת לְנָכְרִי אֲפִלּוּ הוּא תַּגָּר… וְכֵן אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין וְאֵין מַפְקִידִין, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הוּא לְפִי שָׁעָה.
אֵין מוֹכְרִין טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת לְנָכְרִי אֲפִלּוּ הוּא תַּגָּר, שֶׁלֹּא יִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהּ הַנָּכְרִי וְיִדְמֶה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא לָבוּשׁ בְּצִיצִית, וְיִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְיַהַרְגֶנּוּ הַנָּכְרִי, שֶׁהַנָּכְרִי חָשׁוּד עַל שְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים. וְכֵן אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין וְאֵין מַפְקִידִין טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת אֵצֶל נָכְרִי, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הוּא לְפִי שָׁעָה, בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין לָחֹש שֶׁמָּא יִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּדֶּרֶךְ:
אֵין מוֹכְרִין — sale, pledge and deposit with a non-Jew. One does not sell a tsitsit-bearing tallit to a non-Jew, even a merchant — lest the non-Jew wear it, and a Jew who sees him take him for a Jew (since he is dressed in tsitsit), join him on the road, and come to harm on the way — the reason given by the Gemara, against the background of the dangerous roads of its era. Likewise one does not pledge (אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין) nor deposit (אֵין מַפְקִידִין) a tsitsit-bearing tallit with a non-Jew — unless it is לְפִי שָׁעָה (temporary), in circumstances where there is no concern that a Jew might join him on the road. The Rav's חידוש: he extends the prohibition of sale to the מַשְׁכּוֹן and the פִּקָּדוֹן, and defines the לְפִי שָׁעָה exception not by duration alone but by its criterion: בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין לָחֹש שֶׁמָּא יִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּדֶּרֶךְ.
Source: Sefaria — Shulchan Arukh HaRav, Orach Chayim כ׳ (Kehot edition, 6 seifim / ו׳ סעיפים). English translation: DAAT. The Mehaber treats this siman in 2 seifim (ב׳ סעיפים); no passage is cited outside this verifiable text.
היסוד — חזקת הלוקח, חותם בתוך חותם, ד׳ חוטין ארוכים, אין מוכרין
The yesod: the buyer's chazaka, the חותם בתוך חותם, the ד׳ חוטין ארוכים, the אין מוכרין
The Alter Rebbe's reading of this siman rests on four movements. First, he grounds the buyer's chazaka: from a Jew — חֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת (כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין); from a non-Jewish merchant — נֶאֱמָן, on the double support of the חֶזְקַת הַתַּגָּר and the ignorance of the חֻלְיוֹת וְהַקְּשָׁרִים — but never loose threads (seifim א-ב). Second, he regulates transport: sending with a non-Jew requires the חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם, and only where there is הֲנָאָה in the exchange (seif ג). Third, he extracts the objective sign: threads twisted and separated into four lengths are made only לְשֵׁם צִיצִית — for sending and for threads found in the market alike (seifim ד-ה). Finally, he forbids selling, pledging or depositing a tsitsit-bearing tallit with a non-Jew — except לְפִי שָׁעָה, per its criterion (seif ו).
חזקת הלוקח — מישראל ומתגר נכרי
The buyer's chazaka (seifim א-ב)
From a Jew. A tallit bought from a Jew is בְּחֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת — foundation: כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין in the proper making of the tsitsit (seif א).
From a non-Jewish merchant. Two combined supports: the חֶזְקַת הַתַּגָּר (a liar in one thing is discredited in all) and the presumed ignorance of the חֻלְיוֹת וְהַקְּשָׁרִים — hence the limit: a tallit tsitsited כְּהִלְכָתָהּ yes, loose threads never (שֶׁמָּא הוּא עַצְמוֹ טְוָאָן) (seif ב).
חותם בתוך חותם — קריטריון ההנאה
The double seal and the criterion of הֲנָאָה (seif ג)
The principle. Sending tsitsit by the hand of a non-Jew requires a חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם (as in Yoreh Deah siman קיח) — a fear of exchange for threads not spun לְשֵׁם צִיצִית.
The measure of suspicion. The suspicion follows the הֲנָאָה: where the carrier gains nothing from the exchange, אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין — we do not attribute to him the intention of making a Jew stumble.
ד׳ חוטין ארוכים — סימן הלשמה
The objective sign of the four long threads (seifim ד-ה)
The principle. Threads שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים are made only לְשֵׁם צִיצִית — the carrier certainly has none like them: no further fear of exchange (seif ד).
The extension. The same sign validates threads found in the market (הַמּוֹצֵא בַּשּׁוּק) — בְּוַדַּאי לְשֵׁם צִיצִית נַעֲשׂוּ (seif ה).
אין מוכרין — משכון, פקדון, לפי שעה
Sale, pledge and deposit (seif ו)
The principle. אֵין מוֹכְרִין טַלִּית מְצֻיֶּצֶת לְנָכְרִי, even a merchant — for the Talmudic reason tied to the danger of the roads of that era (treated soberly); the prohibition extends to the מַשְׁכּוֹן and the פִּקָּדוֹן.
The exception. לְפִי שָׁעָה — permitted only where the criterion is met: אֵין לָחֹש שֶׁמָּא יִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּדֶּרֶךְ.
Referral for study. The inner dimension of the דיני לקיחת ומכירת טלית — beyond the halachic principle set out here (the buyer's chazaka, the לְשֵׁם צִיצִית guarded by seal and sign, the responsibility toward others of the אין מוכרין) — touches the thought of Chabad (Tanya, Likkutei Torah, and the sichot on the tsitsit and the לבוש). The question of the kedusha of the tallit belongs to siman כ״א. This page presents it at the level of the attested principle, without citing a specific chapter or formulation. For in-depth study of this dimension, learn with a Chabad Rav and within the texts themselves.
כחו של אדמו״ר הזקן בפסק
The force of the psak of the Alter Rebbe
Comparison of the way of the Alter Rebbe with those of the Mehaber, the Rama (רמ״א) and the Mishna Beroura (משנה ברורה) on the key points of siman כ׳. The Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב) row is highlighted — it presents the Rav's own sensibility, as it emerges from his text (§1, 6 seifim). The Rav unfolds in 6 seifim what the Mehaber sets out in 2.
| Topic | Mehaber | Rama | Mishna Beroura | Way of the Alter Rebbe (שולחן ערוך הרב) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הלוקח מישראל — חזקת כשרות (seif א) | OH 20:1 — "הלוקח טלית מצוייצת מישראל — כשרה". | — | MB on 20:1 — the chazaka of kashrut when buying from a Jew. | Way of the Alter Rebbe — חידוש: he spells out the foundation of the presumption — כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין בְּהֶכְשֵׁר תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית — the competence of Israel, not mere probability (seif א). |
| תגר נכרי — חזקת התגר (seif ב) | OH 20:1 — from the non-Jewish תגר who says he bought it from a Jew — kosher; from a non-Jew who is not a merchant — pasoul. | Hagaha on 20:1 (in the name of the Nimoukei Yossef) — "ואומר שלקחן מישראל נאמן". | MB on 20:1 — the לא מרע נפשיה mechanism and the limits of the merchant's נאמנות. | Way of the Alter Rebbe — חידוש: a double foundation — the חֶזְקַת הַתַּגָּר (even a merchant of other goods) and the עוֹד צַד לְהָקֵל (אֵין דֶּרֶךְ נָכְרִי לֵידַע the חוליות וקשרים); a clear limit: loose threads — אֵין לוֹקְחִין (שמא הוא עצמו טוואן) (seif ב). |
| משלוח ומציאה — חותם, ד׳ חוטין (seifim ג-ה) | — (the Mehaber does not develop these cases in this siman). | — | — (treated elsewhere in the laws of tsitsit; על דרך הסברה). | Way of the Alter Rebbe — חידוש: he codifies sending with a non-Jew (חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם, with the criterion of הֲנָאָה) and extracts the objective sign — threads שְׁזוּרִין וּמֻפְסָקִין לְאַרְבַּע are made only לְשֵׁם צִיצִית — valid for sending and for a found object alike (seifim ג-ה). |
| מכירה / משכון / פקדון (seif ו) | OH 20:2 — "אין מוכרין טלית מצוייצת לעכו״ם"; even pledge and deposit, except לפי שעה. | — | MB on 20:2 — the reason for the prohibition and the scope of the לפי שעה. | Way of the Alter Rebbe — חידוש: he formulates the Talmudic reason (the context of the era's dangerous roads, treated soberly) and defines the לְפִי שָׁעָה by its criterion — בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁאֵין לָחֹש שֶׁמָּא יִתְלַוֶּה עִמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּדֶּרֶךְ (seif ו). |
Table drawn up from the full text of the Mehaber (Orah Haim כ׳, Sefaria source), the verifiable nossei kelim (Beit Yossef, Tour, Nimoukei Yossef — hilchot tsitsit, Magen Avraham, Taz, Mishna Beroura + Beour Halakha, Pri Megadim, Aroukh haShulchan, Kaf haḤaim; Talmud Menachot 42b-43a). The Alter Rebbe column rests on the real text of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav reproduced in §1. 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 buying and selling the tallit — beyond the simple 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 — כל ישראל בקיאין
Trust founded on the competence of Israel
Principle of the siman: a tallit bought from a Jew is presumed valid (seif 1 of the Mehaber).
The Rav's reading: the חֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת rests on כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין בְּהֶכְשֵׁר תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית — the presumption expresses the halachic reliability of the community.
Practical consequence: buy tallit and tsitsit from a Jew or a trusted house; in case of doubt about provenance → consult a Rav (seif א).
קו ב — חזקת התגר וגבולה
The chezkat hatagar and its limit
Principle of the siman: the non-Jewish merchant who says he bought the tallit from a Jew is believed; the non-merchant is not (seif 1 of the Mehaber, with the Rama's Hagaha).
The Rav's reading: the נאמנות rests on two combined supports — commercial credibility (לא מרע נפשיה) and the presumed ignorance of the חוליות וקשרים — and ceases where they cease: threads detached from the tallit — אין לוקחין.
Practical consequence: a complete tallit bought from a reliable non-Jewish merchant can be kosher; tsitsit threads on their own, never from a non-Jewish hand → consult a Rav (seif ב).
קו ג — שמירת הלשמה
Guarding the לשם ציצית: seal and sign
Principle of the siman: tsitsit threads must have been spun לְשֵׁם צִיצִית (cf. sim. י״ד) — how is this guaranteed when they pass through third-party hands?
The Rav's reading: two safeguards — the חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם (measured by the criterion of הֲנָאָה), and the objective sign of the ד׳ חוטין ארוכים שזורין, which holds even for threads found in the market.
Practical consequence: when sending or transporting tsitsit through a third party, take care over the seal / attested packaging; threads in their characteristic form keep their presumption → consult a Rav (seifim ג-ה).
קו ד — אחריות כלפי הזולת
The responsibility toward others of the אין מוכרין
Principle of the siman: one does not sell a tsitsit-bearing tallit to a non-Jew; even pledge and deposit are forbidden, except לפי שעה (seif 2 of the Mehaber).
The Rav's reading: he reports the Talmudic reason — the danger, in that era, that a Jew might trust on the road someone wearing tsitsit — and extends the prohibition to the משכון and the פקדון; the לפי שעה is permitted only if אין לחוש שמא יתלוה עמו ישראל בדרך.
Practical consequence: do not sell nor hand over durably a tsitsit-bearing tallit to someone who is not Jewish; a brief deposit may be permitted according to the circumstances → consult a Rav (seif ו).
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Chabad conduct
Six points of conduct that flow directly from siman כ׳ in the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe and of Chabad — presented at the level of principle, referring to the Rav for the detail of particular cases and minhagim.
For the Chabad Chassid — Siman כ׳ (דיני לקיחת ומכירת טלית)
- ① Buy from a Jew — חֶזְקַת כַּשְׁרוּת. A tsitsit-bearing tallit bought from a Jew is presumed valid, for כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּקִיאִין in the proper making of the tsitsit — hence the practical preference for a Jewish seller or a trusted house (certification). Foundation: SA HaRav seif א.
- ② From a non-Jewish merchant — only a complete tallit. A tallit tsitsited כְּהִלְכָתָהּ bought from a תַּגָּר who says he bought it from a Jew — נֶאֱמָן (double support: chezkat hatagar + ignorance of the חוליות וקשרים); but loose tsitsit threads — אֵין לוֹקְחִין, even from a merchant. Foundation: SA HaRav seif ב.
- ③ Sending through a non-Jewish third party — חוֹתָם בְּתוֹךְ חוֹתָם. One who sends tsitsit by the hand of a non-Jew seals them with a double seal — where the carrier would have a הֲנָאָה from an exchange; where he gains nothing, אֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין. Foundation: SA HaRav seif ג.
- ④ The sign of the ד׳ חוּטִין אֲרֻכִּים. Threads twisted and separated into four long threads are made only לְשֵׁם צִיצִית: no more fear of exchange when sending, and threads found in the market in this form are kosher. Foundation: SA HaRav seifim ד-ה.
- ⑤ Do not sell, pledge or deposit — except לְפִי שָׁעָה. One does not sell a tsitsit-bearing tallit to someone who is not Jewish, even a merchant — a Talmudic reason tied to the danger of the roads of that era — and likewise אֵין מְמַשְׁכְּנִין וְאֵין מַפְקִידִין; the לְפִי שָׁעָה exception presumes there is no concern that a Jew might join him on the road. Foundation: SA HaRav seif ו.
- ⑥ In modern practice — provenance. For a purchase in a shop or online: check the provenance and certification (who made the tsitsiyot, לְשֵׁם צִיצִית?); in case of doubt — and for any concrete case — consult a Rav. On the basis of: SA HaRav seifim א-ב.
⚠ This section presents the Chabad conduct founded on the Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe, siman כ׳ (real text reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic decision for a particular case. For any concrete question — and notably for buying a tallit of uncertain provenance, sending tsitsit and the לפי שעה deposit: consult your Rav, and for Chabad, a Chabad Rav.