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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ח׳ · The Laws of Tsitsit and the atifa

הלכות ציצית ועטיפתו — enwrapping in the talit, blessing, and remembering all the mitsvot
סימן ח׳ · י״ז סעיפים
הלכות ציצית ועטיפתו
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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A first approach to the 17 seifim: vocalized Hebrew text, clear English translation and pedagogical explanations on the enwrapping while standing, the berakha « lehitatef ba-tsitsit », the talit katan and its berakha, the kavana « lema'an tizkerou », the rule of hefsek between several talitot — with a section of practical cases.

Topic: The laws of the tsitsit and of the enwrapping (atifa) of the talit, and the awareness of the mitsvot it awakens
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ח׳ · י״ז סעיפים

Compiled by: Rav Yossef Haim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com

With this siman open the laws of the tsitsit — one of the most cherished mitsvot of the Jew, which one wears upon oneself all day long. The Shulchan Aroukh first teaches the conduct of the enwrapping (atifa): how to don the talit, standing and with dignity, how to bless over it, and above all in what spirit — for the purpose of the tsitsit, says the Torah, is « לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ », « so that you may remember all the mitsvot of Hashem and perform them ». The 17 seifim weave very concrete gestures (enwrapping, arranging the strands, examining them) with an entirely inward aim: to make the garment a constant reminder of the presence of the mitsvot. We study here at the level of principle; for the details of conduct and the cases where one must bless again, we refer to the ruling of the Rav.

📑 Study outline

A. The enwrapping (atifa) — enwrapping in the talit while standing, the order of the atifa, covering the head (seifim 1-2)
B. The berakha « lehitatef ba-tsitsit » — bringing two strands to the front, two to the back; with several people, who blesses (seifim 4-5)
C. The talit katan — one fulfills the obligation by it without atifa; its berakha « al mitsvat tsitsit » (וכן נוהגין); wearing it over one's clothes (seifim 3, 6, 11)
D. Kavana and preparation — separating the strands, intending the remembrance of the mitsvot, examining the strands before the berakha (seifim 7-9-10)
E. Hefsek: one or several berakhot — several talitot, talit removed, talit fallen, hilan be-talito (seifim 12-16); and one who did not put on tsitsit (seif 17)
+ Practical cases and comprehension questions

A. The enwrapping (atifa): standing, and with dignity (seifim 1-2)

Original text (seifim 1-2)

[א] יִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית וִיבָרֵךְ מְעֻמָּד. [ב] סֵדֶר עֲטִיפָתוֹ כְּדֶרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁמִּתְכַּסִּים בִּכְסוּתָם וְעוֹסְקִים בִּמְלַאכְתָּם, פְּעָמִים בְּכִסּוּי הָרֹאשׁ פְּעָמִים בְּגִלּוּי הָרֹאשׁ ; וְנָכוֹן שֶׁיְּכַסֶּה רֹאשׁוֹ בְּטַלִּית.
[1] One enwraps oneself in the tsitsit and blesses while standing. [2] The order of the enwrapping is as people do when they cover themselves with their garment and go about their work — sometimes with the head covered, sometimes with the head uncovered; and it is fitting to cover one's head with the talit.
עֲטִיפָה (atifa) — the enwrapping — the act of draping oneself in the talit gadol (the large prayer shawl), wrapping the body in it, rather than merely "wearing" it like an ordinary garment. The mitsva of the tsitsit is fulfilled when one dons a four-cornered garment fitted with its fringes; the large talit one enwraps oneself in (atifa), whereas the small talit one dons (see section C).
Two teachings of conduct:
Seifim 1-2 in one sentence: one dons the talit gadol through a true enwrapping (atifa), standing, and it is fitting to cover one's head with it as well — the mitsva is lived with dignity and presence.

B. The berakha « lehitatef ba-tsitsit » (seifim 4-5)

Original text (seifim 4-5)

[ד] מַחֲזִיר שְׁתֵּי צִיצִיּוֹת לְפָנָיו וּשְׁתַּיִם לַאֲחוֹרָיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא מְסֻבָּב בְּמִצְוֹת. [ה] מְבָרֵךְ « לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית ». אִם שְׁנַיִם אוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה מִתְעַטְּפִים בְּטַלִּית כְּאַחַת — כֻּלָּם מְבָרְכִים ; וְאִם רָצוּ, אֶחָד מְבָרֵךְ וְהָאֲחֵרִים יַעֲנוּ אָמֵן.
[4] One brings two fringes (tsitsiyot) to the front and two to the back, so as to be surrounded by mitsvot. [5] One blesses « lehitatef ba-tsitsit » (« to enwrap oneself in the tsitsit »). If two or three people enwrap themselves in a talit at once — all bless; and if they wish, one blesses and the others answer amen.
מְסֻבָּב בְּמִצְוֹת (mesoubav be-mitsvot) — "surrounded by mitsvot." By arranging two fringes in front and two behind, one is encircled on all sides by the mitsva: the tsitsit envelops him like a presence that guards him and reminds him, at every movement, that he belongs to Hashem.
The wording and the gesture of the berakha:
Remember: one brings two fringes to the front, two to the back to be "surrounded by mitsvot," then blesses לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית over the large talit. With several people, either each blesses, or one blesses for all and the others answer amen.

C. The talit katan: the mitsva over the clothes (seifim 3, 6, 11)

Original text (seifim 3, 6, 11)

[ג] טַלִּיתוֹת קְטַנִּים שֶׁלָּנוּ שֶׁאָנוּ נוֹהֲגִים לִלְבֹּשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם עִטּוּף — יוֹצְאִים בָּהֶם יְדֵי חוֹבַת צִיצִית ; וְטוֹב לְהָנִיחַ אוֹתוֹ עַל רֹאשׁוֹ רָחְבּוֹ לְקוֹמָתוֹ וּלְהִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ, וְיַעֲמֹד כָּךְ מְעֻטָּף לְפָחוֹת כְּדֵי הִלּוּךְ ד' אַמּוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִמְשְׁכֶנּוּ מֵעַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְיַלְבִּישֶׁנּוּ. [ו] עַל טַלִּית קָטָן יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ « לְהִתְעַטֵּף » אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְעַטֵּף אֶלָּא לוֹבְשׁוֹ. הַגָּהּ: וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמְּבָרְכִין עָלָיו « עַל מִצְוַת צִיצִית », וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין וְאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת. [יא] עִקַּר מִצְוַת טַלִּית קָטָן לְלָבְשׁוֹ עַל בְּגָדָיו, כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּמִיד יִרְאֵהוּ וְיִזְכֹּר הַמִּצְוֹת.
[3] Our small talitot that we are accustomed to wear — although they do not involve enwrapping — one fulfills through them the obligation of the tsitsit; and it is good to place it upon one's head, its width across one's height, to enwrap oneself in it, to stand thus enwrapped at least the time of walking four cubits (4 amot), then to draw it down from the head and don it. [6] Over a talit katan one may bless « lehitatef » although one does not enwrap oneself but dons it. Gloss (Rama): some say that one blesses over it « al mitsvat tsitsit », and so the custom is (וכן נוהגין) and one should not change it. [11] The essence (ikar) of the mitsva of the talit katan is to wear it over one's clothes, so that one may always see it and remember the mitsvot.
טַלִּית קָטָן (talit katan) — "small talit": the four-cornered garment, fitted with tsitsit, worn under (or over) one's clothes all day long. One does not truly enwrap oneself in it: one dons it (לובשו). Yet it fully fulfills the mitsva of the tsitsit — it is the one that "accompanies" the Jew throughout the day.
Three teachings on the talit katan:
Remember: the talit katan fulfills the mitsva without atifa; its berakha, according to the custom, is עַל מִצְוַת צִיצִית (and not lehitatef); and its ikar is to wear it visible, over the clothes, in order to remember the mitsvot always.

D. Kavana and preparation: separate, intend, examine (seifim 7-8-9-10)

Original text (seifim 7-8-9-10)

[ז] צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִיד חוּטֵי הַצִּיצִית זֶה מִזֶּה. [ח] יְכַוֵּן בְּהִתְעַטְּפוֹ שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהִתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁנִּזְכֹּר כָּל מִצְוֹתָיו לַעֲשׂוֹתָם. [ט] קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ יְעַיֵּן בְּחוּטֵי הַצִּיצִית אִם הֵם כְּשֵׁרִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְבָרֵךְ לְבַטָּלָה. [י] אִם לוֹבֵשׁ טַלִּית קָטָן בְּעוֹד שֶׁאֵין יָדָיו נְקִיּוֹת — יַלְבִּישֶׁנּוּ בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה, וּכְשֶׁיִּטֹּל יָדָיו יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בַּצִּיצִית וִיבָרֵךְ עָלָיו.
[7] One must separate the strands of the tsitsit one from another. [8] One intends (kavana), while enwrapping oneself, that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us to enwrap ourselves in it so that we may remember all His mitsvot to perform them. [9] Before blessing, one examines the strands of the tsitsit, whether they are kosher, so as not to bless in vain (lévatala). [10] If one dons a talit katan while one's hands are not clean — one dons it without a berakha, and when one washes one's hands, one touches the tsitsit (mishmoush) and blesses.
לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ (lema'an tizkerou) — "so that you may remember." This is the very verse of the tsitsit (Bamidbar / Numbers 15:39): "... and you shall see it, and you shall remember all the mitsvot of Hashem, and you shall perform them." The whole mitsva is directed toward this active remembrance: to see the tsitsit, to remember, and to do.
Four gestures surrounding the berakha:
Remember: before the berakha one separates the strands and examines that they are kosher (so as not to bless in vain); and one enwraps oneself with the kavana of the verse « לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ » — to remember all the mitsvot and perform them.

E. Hefsek: one or several berakhot (seifim 12-16) and seif 17

Original text (seifim 12-16)

[יב] אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ כַּמָּה בְּגָדִים שֶׁל אַרְבַּע כְּנָפוֹת, כֻּלָּם חַיָּבִים בְּצִיצִית ; וְאִם לְבָשָׁם כֻּלָּם בְּלֹא הֶפְסֵק וְהָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה עַל כֻּלָּם — לֹא יְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא בְּרָכָה אַחַת ; וְאִם מַפְסִיק בֵּינֵיהֶם, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל אֶחָד. [יג] הַלּוֹבֵשׁ טַלִּית קָטָן... וּמִתְעַטֵּף בְּטַלִּית גָּדוֹל — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו, דַּהֲלִיכָה מִבֵּיתוֹ לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת חֲשִׁיבָה הֶפְסֵק. [יד] וְאִם פָּשַׁט טַלִּיתוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ לַחֲזֹר... צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ כְּשֶׁיַּחֲזֹר. [טו] אִם נָפְלָה טַלִּיתוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּמִתְכַּוֵּן וְחוֹזֵר וּמִתְעַטֵּף — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ, וְהוּא שֶׁנָּפְלָה כֻּלָּהּ. [טז] הַלָּן בְּטַלִּיתוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו בַּבֹּקֶר.
[12] If one has several four-cornered garments, all are obligated in tsitsit; and if one dons them all without interruption (hefsek), having had in mind from the outset to wear all of them — one says only a single berakha; but if one interrupts between them, one must bless over each. [13] One who dons a talit katan [and blesses] then enwraps himself in a talit gadol [going to the synagogue] — must bless over it, for the walk from home to the synagogue is considered an interruption. [14] And if he removed his talit, even with the intention of returning to it, he must bless when he returns [and some say: not if he intended to return, or only when a talit katan remains upon him]. [15] If his talit fell unintentionally and he enwraps himself again, he must bless — and this provided it fell entirely [but if it did not fall entirely, even if most of it fell, he need not bless]. [16] One who passes the night in his talit must bless over it in the morning.
הֶפְסֵק (hefsek) — "interruption." What determines whether one or several berakhot are needed is the continuity of intention: if the mind aimed from the start at all the garments and one dons them without a break, a single berakha suffices. A real interruption — a walk, an extraneous word, removing the garment — "cuts" and requires blessing again.
When is a new berakha needed?
Seif 17, and the overall meaning: the last seif recalls what is at stake: נִתְכַּסָּה בְּבֶגֶד שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בְּצִיצִית וְלֹא הֵטִיל בּוֹ צִיצִית — בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת צִיצִית — "one who covered himself with a garment obligated in tsitsit without putting fringes on it has nullified (forfeited) the mitsva of the tsitsit." This entire siman revolves around a single awareness: to wear the tsitsit, to bless it with kavana, and never to treat it as a trivial matter. To know precisely when to bless again in this or that case (talit removed, fallen, several talitot), one refers to the ruling of the Rav.

Practical cases

Case 1 — Putting on the talit gadol in the morning

Situation: one is about to don the large talit before the morning prayer.
Conduct: one stands upright; one first separates and examines the strands of the tsitsit to make sure they are kosher (so as not to bless in vain); then one enwraps oneself in the talit — bringing two fringes to the front and two to the back, to be "surrounded by mitsvot," and it is fitting to cover the head with it as well; one blesses לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית, with the kavana of the verse « לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ ». For the precise details of the enwrapping, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.

Case 2 — Putting on the talit katan

Situation: one dons the small talit in the morning while getting dressed.
Conduct: one dons it and blesses, according to the custom, עַל מִצְוַת צִיצִית (and not lehitatef, since one dons it without enwrapping). One takes care to wear it over one's clothes, so as to see it always and to remember the mitsvot — this is the ikar of the mitsva. If the hands are not yet clean, one dons it without a berakha, then blesses after washing the hands, touching the tsitsit. For the precise conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.

Case 3 — Talit katan at home, talit gadol at the synagogue

Situation: one put on the talit katan at home (and blessed), then walks to the synagogue, where one dons the talit gadol.
Conduct: the walk from home to the synagogue is considered an interruption (hefsek) → one blesses again over the talit gadol. By contrast, if one prays at home, without interruption or extraneous speech, and had the talit gadol in mind from the outset, one does not bless again. To know precisely what constitutes an interruption in one's case, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.

Case 4 — Talit fallen or removed: when to bless again

Situation: the talit fell during the prayer, or one removed it for a moment.
Conduct: at the level of principle, a talit that fell entirely (unintentionally) calls for a new berakha when one enwraps oneself again; if it did not fall entirely, one does not bless again. A talit that was removed calls, according to the principal view, for blessing again when putting it back on — but some views distinguish according to the intention to return and according to whether the talit katan remains on oneself. These cases are delicate: for the exact conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav (see also siman 25 on the order of talit and tefilin).

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why does one enwrap oneself and bless מעומד (standing)? What is the עיטוף (atifa)?
  2. Which berakha does one say over the talit gadol? And over the talit katan, according to the custom (וכן נוהגין)? Why the difference?
  3. Why does one bring two fringes to the front and two to the back (מסובב במצות)?
  4. What is the kavana at the moment of enwrapping (verse « למען תזכרו »)? And the ikar of the mitsva of the talit katan (seif 11)?
  5. Why examine the strands before blessing (ברכה לבטלה)? And what determines one or several berakhot (הפסק)?

To go further

If you want to delve deeper into this siman:
Back to the previous siman← Siman 7
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