Halachah 1 — Definition of Tzitzit and the White Strands
The tassel attached to the corners of a garment, made from the same material as the garment, is called tzitzit, a term referring to hair‑like strands.
These strands are referred to as the white strands, since the Torah does not require them to be dyed.
The Torah did not define a fixed number of strands for this tassel.
In addition to the white strands, the Torah commands taking a wool strand dyed sky‑blue, called techelet, and winding it around the tassel.
The Torah did not establish how many times the techelet must be wound.
Halachah 3 — One Mitzvah with Two Components
The mitzvah includes:
- making tassels on the garment’s corners,
- and winding techelet around them.
Both elements are derived from the verse “and you shall make tassels… and you shall place upon them a strand of techelet.”
Halachah 4 — Absence of Techelet or White Strands
The absence of techelet does not invalidate white tzitzit,
and the absence of white strands does not invalidate techelet alone.
Thus:
- One without techelet makes tzitzit of white only.
- If white strands snap and only techelet remains, the tzitzit remain valid.
Halachah 5 — A Single Mitzvah Requiring All Four Corners
Although each component functions independently, white strands and techelet together constitute one mitzvah, not two.
All four tzitzit on a garment are required as parts of this single mitzvah.
Whether made of white, techelet, or both, one fulfills one unified commandment.
Halachah 6 — Placing the Tzitzit
A hole is made in the corner of the garment:
- no more than three fingerbreadths from the edge,
- and no less than the distance from the thumb joint to its tip.
Four strands are passed through and folded, creating eight hanging strands.
These must be at least four fingerbreadths long; longer is acceptable.
Of the eight strands:
- one should be techelet,
- seven white.
Halachah 7 — Method of Wrapping with Techelet
Tying follows a precise pattern:
- a single white wrap,
- followed by techelet wraps,
- tied into a segment.
Multiple segments are formed, ending with a segment that concludes in white, since one must ascend in holiness, not descend.
Each corner follows the same pattern.
Halachah 8 — Number and Placement of Segments
Ideally, each corner has 7 to 13 segments.
This is the preferred form of the mitzvah, but:
- even one segment is valid,
- or even if techelet wraps most of the tassel.
Preferably:
- the upper one‑third is wrapped,
- the lower two‑thirds hang loose,
- and the strands are separated like hair.
Halachah 9 — Tzitzit Without Techelet
When tzitzit are made only from white threads:
- one white strand winds around the others,
- covering one‑third of the length.
One may form segments or not—both are valid.
Even if binding covers most of the length or only one segment is used, the tzitzit remain acceptable.
Halachah 10 — Twisted Strands
Both white and techelet strands may be twisted.
Even a strand woven from multiple threads counts as one strand.
Halachah 11 — Valid Materials and Intention
All strands must be spun for the sake of the mitzvah.
Invalid sources include:
- wool caught on thorns,
- plucked hair,
- weaving leftovers,
- stolen wool,
- wool from an ir hanidachat,
- consecrated animals.
Acceptable materials include:
- shorn wool,
- flax.
Halachah 12 — Who May Make Tzitzit
Tzitzit made by a gentile are invalid.
Tzitzit made by a Jew without intention for the mitzvah are valid.
One may not create tzitzit from those already existing.
Halachah 13 — “Make” and Not “Already Made”
One may not take a garment corner with tzitzit already attached and sew it onto another garment.
However, one may remove strands from one garment and place them onto another.
Halachah 14 — Connecting Corners Improperly
If strands connect between two corners during tying and are later cut apart, the tzitzit are invalid.
They were invalid at the time of tying and thus constitute tzitzit made automatically.
Halachah 15 — Tying Over Existing Tzitzit
If new tzitzit were tied to replace old ones, and the old ones were removed, the new tzitzit are valid.
If tied in addition to the old ones, both are invalid—even if one set is removed later.
Halachah 16 — Garment with Three Corners
If tzitzit were attached to a three‑cornered garment and a fourth corner was later added, all tzitzit are invalid.
This too violates the rule of “you shall make” and not use pre‑existing ones.
Halachah 17 — Folded Garments
One may not fold a garment and attach tzitzit unless the fold is sewn completely along one side.
Sewing one side fully is sufficient.
Halachah 18 — Torn Corners and Strands
If more than three fingerbreadths tear from a garment corner, it may be sewn back.
If less than three, it may not.
If strand length is reduced, tzitzit remain valid as long as enough remains to form a loop.
If even one strand tears from its point of attachment, the tzitzit are invalid.
