סימן כד - שכר לבישת הציצית ועונשה ובו ח' סעיפים

Recording: Seifim 1–8

1. Although one is not obligated to buy a four-cornered tallis in order to become obligated in tzitzis, and only if he wishes to wear a four-cornered tallis must he attach tzitzis to it,

nevertheless it is good and proper for everyone to be careful and quick to wear a tallis with tzitzis all day, so that he remembers the mitzvos every moment^[1].

An example: as a person warning his friend about something, who ties a knot in his belt so that he remembers it.

Therefore tzitzis have five knots, corresponding to the five books of the Torah, and four corners, so that to whichever side he turns he remembers the mitzvos.

2. Even one who cannot wear tzitzis all day should at least take care to wear tzitzis during Shema and prayer.

3. It is a mitzvah to make a beautiful tallis and beautiful tzitzis, and likewise all mitzvos should be done with beauty as far as possible, as it says: "זה אלי ואנוהו" ("This is my God and I will glorify Him") (Shemos 15:2): beautify yourself before Him in mitzvos.

4. It is a mitzvah to hold the tzitzis in the left hand opposite the heart during Shema; an allusion to this: "והיו הדברים האלה על לבבך" ("These words shall be upon your heart") (Devarim 6:6).

There is one who says he should hold them between the ring finger and little finger of the left hand^[2].

When he reaches the section of tzitzis he should take them in his right hand and look at them, and they should be in his hand until he reaches "נאמנים ונחמדים לעד" ("faithful and desirable forever"), and then he should kiss the tzitzis and take them out of his hand^[3].

5. It is good to look at the tzitzis when wrapping himself and blessing over them, as it says: "וראיתם אותו וזכרתם" ("You shall see it and remember"), etc. (Bamidbar 15:39): seeing brings to remembering, and remembering brings to doing.

6. Some are accustomed to look at the tzitzis on reaching "וראיתם אותו" and to place them on the eyes; it is a beautiful custom and a show of love for the mitzvah.

They are also accustomed to kiss the tzitzis while looking at them, and all this is love of the mitzvah.

7. When he looks at the tzitzis, he should look at the two tzitzis in front of him, which have ten knots, alluding to the ten sefiros, which are bound and united with one another.

They also have sixteen threads and ten knots, totaling twenty-six, as the Name Havayah, blessed be He.

8. Great is the punishment of one who neglects the mitzvah of tzitzis, and about him it is said: "לאחוז בכנפות הארץ" ("To grasp the corners of the earth"), etc. (Iyov 38:13).

Anyone careful in the mitzvah of tzitzis merits to see the face of the Shechinah^[4].

Notes

1. Every moment: The Rebbe wrote, on whether one fulfills the mitzvah every moment he wears tzitzis: "הנה מובן הדבר גם ממה שנאמר וראיתם אותו וזכרתם ... ומפורש הדבר בראשונים בספר היראה לרבנו יונה קרוב לתחלתו שכותב וז"ל: עיקר מצות ציצית ללבשו תמיד ... ובפסקי דינים לאדמו"ר הצמח צדק או"ח סי' ב' ס"ק ז' משמע דעתו שבכל שעה זהו מצוה דאורייתא (ולא רק הידור דרבנן)" ("This is understood also from the verse 'you shall see it and remember' ... It is explicit among the Rishonim, in Sefer HaYirah of Rabbeinu Yonah near its beginning: The essence of the mitzvah of tzitzis is to wear it always ... And in the Piskei Dinim of the Tzemach Tzedek, Orach Chaim 2:7, his view implies that every moment is a Torah mitzvah, not only a rabbinic enhancement") (Igros Kodesh, vol. 8, no. 2619); see Shulchan Menachem, The Continuous Mitzvah of Tzitzis.

2. Ring finger and little finger: In HaYom Yom: "לאמירת והביאנו לשלום כו' מחברים תחלה ב' הציציות דלפניו, אח"כ מצרפים ציצית כנף השמאלי דלאחוריו, אח"ז ציצית דכנף הימין ואוחזים אותם בין קמיצה לזרת דיד שמאל" ("On saying 'vehavi'einu leshalom,' etc., first join the two tzitzis in front, then add the tzitzis of the left corner behind, then the tzitzis of the right corner, and hold them between the ring finger and little finger of the left hand") (HaYom Yom, 22 Sivan). So this view is the practice.

3. Kiss the tzitzis: In HaYom Yom there: "נושקים הציציות שש פעמים היינו באמירת תיבות: ציצית, ציצית, לציצית, אמת, קימת, לעד" ("The tzitzis are kissed six times, on saying the words: tzitzis, tzitzis, letzitzis, emes, kayemes, la'ad") (ibid.).

4. The Shechinah: In a letter of the Rebbe, from a saying of the Baal Shem Tov: "מלאך מיכאל הגדול שבמלאכים, הי' נותן כל עבודתו והשגתו באלקות, אפילו רק עבור מצות ציצית אחת מד' ציציות שיש לכל א' מישראל" ("The angel Michael, the greatest of the angels, would give all his service and grasp of G‑dliness even for one of the four tzitzis that every Jew has") (Igros Kodesh, vol. 11, no. 3578).