Siman 24

It was taught in a baraita in Menachot (43b): "And you shall see it and remember [...] and do them" – seeing leads to remembering, and remembering leads to doing. And Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai says: Anyone who is diligent in this mitzvah merits and receives the Divine Presence. And Israel is beloved, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, surrounded them with mitzvot: tefillin on their heads and on their arms, and tzitzit on their garments, and a mezuzah for their doorways. And concerning them David said: "Seven times a day I praised You." Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: Anyone who has tefillin on his head and on his arm, and tzitzit on his garment, and a mezuzah on his doorway – everything is in a state of strength so that he will not sin, as it is said: "And the threefold cord is not quickly broken." And it says: "The angel of Hashem encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them."

And conversely, they said there (44a): Anyone who does not have tzitzit on his garment violates five positive commandments. And in Pesachim (113b), seven are considered distanced, and one of them is he who does not have tzitzit on his garment; see there. And even though this applies when one wears a garment without tzitzit, and the garment is obligated in tzitzit, nevertheless, it is good and proper for every man to be careful in this mitzvah to wear a tallit katan all day, so that he will remember the mitzvot at every moment. And therefore, it has five knots corresponding to the five books of the Torah, and four corners so that in every direction he turns, he will remember. And also a tallit gadol at the time of prayer, which is over all the garments so that he shall see them.

It is a mitzvah to hold the tzitzit between the ring finger and the pinky finger in the left hand opposite one's heart during the recitation of Shema. When one reaches the parsha of tzitzit, he should take them also in the right hand, look at them, and hold them in his hand until he reaches "faithful and pleasant forever." Then he should kiss them and remove them from his hand. So too, he should be careful to make a beautiful tallit, because of "This is my G-d and I will glorify Him." It is good to look at the tzitzit at the time of wrapping when one recites the blessing. Some are accustomed to look at the tzitzit at the time he reaches "and you shall see it," and to place them upon the eyes. This is an expression of love for the mitzvah. They are also accustomed to kiss the tzitzit several times during the recitation of the parsha of tzitzit. All of this is an expression of love for the mitzvah.

And some hold the two tzitzit that are in front of him during the recitation of Shema, for in two tzitzit there are ten knots, a hint to the ten Sefirot which are tied and unified one with another, and all of them are from His great light, may He be blessed, tied like a flame to a coal. And there are also in them sixteen strings and ten knots, which together are twenty-six, like the numerical value of the Name of Havayah, blessed be He. And a hint for the matter of holding them against his heart is found in Shocher Tov: "And these words which I command you today shall be upon your heart." And great is the punishment of one who nullifies the mitzvah of tzitzit. And regarding him it is said: "To take hold of the corners of the earth, and the wicked shall be shaken from it" (Job 38:13). And one who is careful with the mitzvah of tzitzit merits and sees the face of the Shekhinah. (And it is forbidden to embroider verses on a tallit.)