B"H

Thursday, Sivan 21, 5784 / June 27, 2024

As mentioned yesterday, this week’s Parsha, Shlach, ends with the mitzvah of Tzitzit. We perform this mitzvah by wearing the Tallit (prayer shawl), a four cornered garment, during prayer.  Many also wear a Tallit Katan (small Tallit) all day so they can have the mitzvah all day long.

The Torah states the purpose of this mitzvah, “So that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments...”  The numerical value of the Hebrew word Tzitzit (90+10+90+10+400) is 600.  Each Tzitzah has 8 strings and 5 knots. These numbers add up to 613, which is the total amount of the mitzvot (commandments).  Thus, by looking at the Tzitzit, we remember to perform all the 613 mitzvot. 

Q.   Why is the Tallit worn only during the day (except Yom Kippur)?

A.  The Torah says, “So that you may look upon it.” This tells us that the mitzvah applies during the day when we can see the Tzitzit.

Q.  The only time we wear the Tallit at night is Yom Kippur night for the Kol Nidrei prayer.  Why?

A.  On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement when our sins are forgiven, we are like angels. We wrap ourselves in the Tallit, which is white, as a symbol of cleanliness and purity.

Q.  Why do many who wear a Tallit Katan (small Tallit) place their Tzitzit on the outside?

A.  The Torah says, So you may look upon it.”  Thus, we place the Tzitzit on the outside, so they will be visible at all times.

Q.  On weekdays, together with the Tallit we also wear the Tefillin. The Tefillin have a greater level of holiness than the Tallit. Why then, do we put on the Tallit before the Tefillin?

A.  When we have to perform two mitzvot, it is the mitzvah which we perform more often that comes first.  Being that the Tallit is worn every day of the year, while the Tefillin we put on only on weekdays (not on Shabbat and holidays), for this reason we put on the Tallit first.

On the lighter side: Mr. Goldberg gave his Tallit once a year, before the High Holidays, to the same dry cleaners for twenty years. One year he was a bit surprised when he was greeted by a Chinese man. Mr. Goldberg was hesitant if he should entrust his Tallit with a Chinaman.  The new owner assured him that he will do as good a job as the previous owner. 

Two days later, when Mr. Goldberg came to pick up the Tallit, he was shocked to get a bill for $50.

"Why so expensive?" gasped Mr. Goldberg.  "I gave this Tallit to clean for many years and I was charged only $10?"

“Expensive?” exclaimed the new owner. "Do you realize the time I spent untying each knot…"

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

UNITED WE STAND WITH OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CAPTIVITY. MAY THEY ALL BE RELEASED NOW.