Tzitzis in the form of a "tallit katan" are a shirt with fringes. I dont have the exact chapter at hand, but Leviticus I believe and probably elsewhere in the 5 books of Moses list the law that Jewish men wear fringes at the 4 corners of our garment. Thus the tallit katan. (and in prayer services the full Tallis). The tzitzis are a set of 8 strings (or 4 folded upon themselves to be 8 strings) that hang from the corners of the garment. The ones I wear have the thicker of the stings and they hang slightly below my knees. If I put on a tucked shirt, I can loosen the tzitzis from the tucked shirt and carefully extend them from above my belt line while leaving the shirt tucked. Fortunately, I rarely wear a shirt tucked these days. That said, they can present quite a few challenges, especially when using the facilities. I dont always need to catch the tzitzis when I do business named "number 1". I do however have a particular and simple procedure on the natures call to "number 2". In some circumstances, men will remove their entire upper garment to take off the tzitzis. I am an expedient fellow and do this some of the time. Rather, I take the back tzitzis and lift them to tuck under my under arms. They usually stay in place. The front I will lift and tuck into a folded up shirt. Keeps them safe.
Its really not a good idea to get them dirty, but it may happen. The laundry is always a nice thing, huh?
One final note on wearing tzitzis. My friend in Florida of all places wears an undershirt below his tzitzi garment and then at least one over shirt if not a suit coat as well. This is the way to do it. I do admit that in a humid climate it is daunting to think of the heat involved. I have never heard a complaint. I am yet to experience Phoenix with Tzitzis. That said, the undershirt is really essential. I personally prefer a woolen tzitzis garment. Its more sturdy and smells great when you first get it. I purchase mine at Eichlers.com(http://www.eichlers.com/) which is out of Brooklyn, NY. They cost about 30 dollars a set. I have about 5 that I rotate. That said, at least I do not wear them and wash them for each wear. I might don a particular pair for a few days at a time. Keeps the laundry to a minimum. These woolen ones I will admit do not do too bad in the wash. Get a slightly larger size if you want as they may shrink. I am 5'8 and I wear the number 24 one. 22 is ok too. Thats the recommended one for a person of my height. Actually mine are really 22. So I guess they haven't shrunk much. Many will dry clean them. Thats a great move.
I can tell you that my tzitzi strings are all in good condition. If one may fray, I will "Bite" off the offending portion. I mention that I bite it off. Thats the correct procedure. To actually cut with scissors is against halacha. This is because to touch such a holy and ritual object with metal is to destroy its true soul. It is a holy and living object in the eyes of our people. Never touch it with metal or cut it indiscriminately.
3 comments:
I must add here that tzitzis are fun with which to play. I may find myself in bed wearing them and then if my thoughts wander, sometimes so too do my fingers find my tzitzis, whether on the left or the right and twill them in my fingers. I must add here that ones thoughts may indeed find themselves assisted by the action as the left strings twilling makes me think of personality and smallness, the right tzitzi makes me think of kosher ideas and money matters or other interest of the pocketbook. I guess thats it. You never know the use of tzitzis until you wear them a good time.
When you are in public, if you are nervous or offended by someone, touching your tzitzis is a very useful and centering activity. You center your mind and soul I say. I must say that if you do choose to wash tzitzis in the washer and dryer (I do dry them, but sometimes I hang them to dry when they are new), you need not fear in my experiences the washer damaging them. Sometimes they come out a bit tangled. There are in fact washing gadgets that one can place all of his tzitzi strings in to keep them safe. This has not been a need of mine. I think its working out for me. Thanks.
I must tell you that the tzitzis that are available for children are pretty neat. Kids can buy tallis katans that have cartoon characters on them. Its fun to be Jewish. I wish they had one with Mickey Mouse that even I could wear. I have fun when a person who is unknowing about tzitzis asks me what they are. Its alot of fun to show them the undershirt per se that is a tallis katan. I personally really like the ones that look sort of like the image above that have a black integrated stripe at the bottom. Its a blessing to see such an item.
For fun, here's a link to some tzitzis for kids.
http://www.eichlers.com/ProductList/Children's_Section/Hand_Painted_Childrens_Tzitzis.html
Post a Comment