Siman 12

It has already been explained that the measure of the length of the strings is twelve thumb-breadths according to the method of our teacher Tam, for so we hold as the primary view. And from this, one-third is the gadil and two-thirds are the patil. This is at the time of making, but if they were severed afterwards, our sages, of blessed memory, said: remnants are kosher, and that is when there remains in them enough to tie a loop (beginning of the chapter "HaTekhelet"). And the reason may be said: that the Torah was only particular at the time of making, as I wrote in the previous siman regarding the thumb-knot. And there is one who wrote the reason is because according to the Torah it is kosher even with any amount at all, and it is the Rabbis who required this measure. Therefore, they did not rule stringently when they were severed (Levush). And in my humble opinion, it appears that this depends on a dispute of the authorities, as will be explained.

For behold, in the Gemara there it was inquired of them: Regarding this "enough to form a loop," is it for each and every one? That is to say: enough to loop each thread individually, which is a small measure, or enough to loop them all together, which requires a larger measure because it is thick, as is understood? And it remained in a state of "teiku," see there. And the Rif and the Rambam in the first chapter ruled leniently, that it is sufficient for each and every one. And the Rosh and the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch ruled stringently. If so, from this it is proven that the Rif and the Rambam hold that it is a doubt regarding a rabbinic law and we rule leniently, and the Rosh and the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch hold that it is a doubt regarding a Torah law and we rule stringently. Therefore, according to them, one must state the reason that we explained. (And it is clear with the help of Heaven. And so it is implied from the Kesef Mishneh, see there. Examine it and you will find it simple.)

This is the wording of the Tur: And if all its strings were severed, and there remained in them enough to form a loop – it is kosher. Provided that there remains enough to loop them all together, which is more than the amount for a loop of each one individually… And if there did not remain enough for a loop, even in one string that was severed – it is entirely invalid. Therefore, since each one is doubled into two, if two ends were severed – it is invalid, lest one string was severed. But if only one end was severed – it is kosher. Thus far the wording of the Tur, and our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote likewise in section 1. And he concludes that according to what we are accustomed to be meticulous about at the time of making the tzitzit, to place a sign on four ends in a manner that the four ends are always on one side of the knot and the four ends are on the other side, if two ends were severed from one side – it is kosher. For certainly they are two strings, and behold there remained from each one the second end, which is more than enough for a loop. Thus far his words, and the matters are clear.

It is simple that we require that in each of the strings there must be enough to make a loop to bind the others. And if some of them were severed—we require only that there remain from each enough to bind those that were severed. And if all of them were severed—we require a loop for all seven from each of the strings. And there is one who requires that there be in each string enough to bind each and every string individually from the severed strings, because in his opinion the Mordechai holds so (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And his words were rejected, for even if this is the opinion of the Mordechai, all the Rishonim disagree with him. And also from the Rif and the Rambam it is proven that they do not hold so, see there carefully. And especially since they ruled on this inquiry leniently, therefore how can we be so stringent to rule according to the opinion of the stringent ones, and according to a singular opinion among the stringent ones? (And especially since the Beit Yosef did not interpret the Mordechai so. And so wrote Maharam Bennet, and in the Siddur Derech HaChaim, and in the Mishnah Berurah). And so there is one who wanted to say that the measure of a loop is four thumb-breadths (Chayei Adam). And I wonder: for according to the Rambam the entire length of the tzitzit is only four thumb-breadths, and at most one should not be more stringent than two thumb-breadths (and so wrote the Mishnah Berurah).

And the words of the Rambam in this matter are very puzzling. For in the first chapter, law 4, he wrote: And so too if one made white and tekhelet, and the white was severed and diminished until the corner, and the tekhelet remained alone – it is kosher. Thus far his words. And there at the end of the chapter he wrote: And so too if the strings of the tzitzit were diminished, even if there only remained of them enough to tie a loop – it is kosher. And if the string was severed from its root – even one string renders it invalid in the case of one string when it is severed from its root. And they further raised difficulties against him (see Kesef Mishneh).

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, explained his words in his great work and in the Kesef Mishneh in three ways: The first way is that which he wrote, "and if the thread was severed from its root" – his intention is when from one type the threads were severed entirely, and also from the second type one thread was severed from its root – it is pasul. But without this it is kosher, see there. And the second way is that which he wrote at the beginning of the chapter that "if the white was severed until the corner..." – his intention is when there remains of them enough for a loop, and he was not concerned to explain as he relied on what he wrote at the end. And that which he wrote, "and so if the threads of the tzitzit were diminished, even if there only remained of them enough for a loop it is kosher" – this is when only one type was severed, and the second type remains. And he relied on what he wrote at the beginning of the chapter. But if the thread was severed from its root entirely – even in one it is pasul. And the third way is that which he wrote previously regarding where the white was severed and diminished until the corner – that is "until but not including," such that there remained slightly less than enough for a loop. And at the end he says that when they were all diminished – it requires enough for a loop, and if it was severed entirely – even one thread renders it pasul, see there. And it is understood to all that all the explanations are forced.

In my humble opinion, there is another intention in this, and his words are simple. For our teacher, the Beit Yosef, understood that "the string was severed from its root" means until the corner. Therefore, it was difficult for him. But in truth, it is not so, for "from its root" was explained by Rashi in Menachot (39a): This is the head attached to the garment. Thus far his words, and so wrote the Nimukei Yosef. And this is above the gadil. According to this, his words are simple: that when one kind is severed, if it was diminished until the corner, it is kosher. However, the head attached to the garment, which is above the gadil that is on the corner, still exists. But when it is severed from its root, meaning that even the head attached to the garment was severed, it is pasul even with one string. This means it was severed entirely from within the hole in the corner. And when they were all severed, but there remained from all of them enough to form a loop, it is kosher. According to this, the system of the Rambam is according to the previous system, which is the system of the Rosh and most of the poskim. Except that in this the Rambam is more lenient, namely that according to the previous system, if one string was severed entirely, such that there did not remain in it—in the two strings of the eight when they are one string—enough to form a loop, it is pasul. But according to the Rambam, it is not made pasul in such a case until it is severed from the head attached to the garment. However, it is certain that even according to the previous opinion, even when in one there is not enough to form a loop except by joining the two strings, it is also kosher. Nevertheless, our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in his great work, remains in doubt regarding this in practice; see there. But it is simple that one does not need enough to form a loop in both strings, and it is sufficient in one of them, for they are from one string, and why do we need two "enough to form a loop" (Beit Yosef, and Ma'adanei Yom Tov siman 6 end of letter 100, see there). And I am wonderstruck that the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch did not bring the words of the Rambam, of blessed memory, at all.

It results that regarding the law according to the previous view and the Rambam, when one was meticulous at the time of making them to divide four to this side and four to that side, even if all four strings from one side were severed completely until the gadil—it is kosher. For since all four on the second side are four strings, there remains in each string "enough for a loop." And this is according to the Rambam and most of the poskim. However, there is one of our great teachers who has an entirely different view in this matter as will be explained, and this is the view of Rabbeinu Tam. And although the Rosh rejected this view, nevertheless the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch cited it. And certainly one must be concerned for this view when possible. But the primary ruling follows the first view.

The opinion of our teacher Tam is that regarding what they said in the Gemara, "the remnants of tekhelet are valid"—that there remains enough for a loop in each one. All our teachers explained that "tekhelet" is a name for the entirety of the tzitzit. But our teacher Tam held it means "tekhelet" specifically, meaning: when the two white strings are completely whole. For then, if the two tekhelet strings were severed, and there remained of them enough for a loop—it is valid. And according to this, for us, where all four strings are of white, two in place of white and two in place of tekhelet—it is not valid unless two strings remain completely whole, which is twelve thumb-breadths. For then, when the other two were severed, and there remained in them enough for a loop—it is valid. But if three strings were severed, even if there remained enough for a loop—it is invalid.

And according to this, for this approach, when three ends of the eight threads were cut, even though there remains in them enough to form a loop—it is pasul, for we concern ourselves that perhaps they are from three threads, and if so, two complete threads do not remain. And there is no difference between when one was meticulous to divide four to here and four to here, and when one was not meticulous. And on the contrary, when one was meticulous it is even worse when the three ends are from one side, for they are certainly from three threads. Rather, even if one was not meticulous, or if two were severed from this side and one from the other side, nevertheless we concern ourselves that they are from three threads, and it is pasul due to doubt. But when two ends were cut, if they are from two sides—one of them requires enough to form a loop. And so too if they are from one side, and one was not meticulous to divide them four to here and four to here. But from one side where one was meticulous to divide them—it is kosher even when there does not remain enough to form a loop, as according to the previous approach. (And we have explained all the approaches with the help of Heaven. And only regarding a thread severed from its source, according to the opinion of the Tosafot and the Rosh it is called such whenever there does not remain enough to form a loop. And according to Rashi and the Rambam, when the end attached to the tallit is severed. And I do not know from where we have it that Rabbeinu Tam does not hold accordingly. And it requires further study that they did not bring the words of Rashi and the Rambam at all. And perhaps in a time of pressing need one may rely on them, and it requires further study for the law. Examine and you will find it easy.)

It is a simple matter that "enough to form a loop" depends on the quantity of the threads and their thickness. For if they are thin, less is sufficient, and when they are thick, more is required. However, even when they are thick and do not have enough to form a loop—one estimates as if they were medium threads, and if there would then be enough to form a loop—it is kosher. But with thin ones, there is no need to estimate with medium ones. And it is a mitzvah ab initio to make the threads medium because of "This is my God and I will glorify Him." And there is one who wrote that one must estimate enough to wrap around eight hairs (Magen Avraham subsection 6).

And know that that which has been explained, that there must remain enough for a loop—this is that there should remain from the branch this amount. This is the opinion of Rashi. However, Ri wrote that even if the entire branch was cut, and only from the ghadil there remains enough for a loop—it is kosher. The world conducts itself according to Rashi, except in a place where it is not possible at all to obtain other tzitzit, for then one may rely in such a time of pressing need on the opinion of Ri. And according to the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam, one should be very concerned where it is possible to easily find other tzitzit. But there is no need to seek it out (ibid. subsection 7). And one who relies on the opinion of Ri in a time of pressing need—shall not recite a blessing over the tzitzit, and also shall not carry them on Shabbat (ibid.). And it is proper for every person, when checking the tzitzit, to also examine the root of the tzitzit, from the hole and below, for if it is severed there—behold the thread is severed from its root, and it is disqualified (Taz subsection 3). And when the tzitzit are severed in a manner that they are disqualified—it does not avail to tie the severed part to the remainder, for even if tying avails—this is before their making. But afterwards, since they were disqualified—it is impossible to make them kosher by means of tying, for it would be "make it, and not from that which is already made" (ibid.). And in this the commentators of the Shulchan Aruch agreed, that initially, before he inserted them into the garment—tying avails (ibid. and Magen Avraham siman 15 subsection 1). And according to this, when one has short threads—he may tie them to one another and insert them into the tallit.