Checking Threads in Advance of Use

W-ith H-shem's help, we have begun learning Hilchot Tzitzit with the Ben Ish Chai, Hacham Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad. The sefer is translated by Shmuel Hiley and published by Yeshivath Ahavath Shalom Publications in Jerusalem 5765/2005. He calls the names of the Chapters by the names of Parashiot, so instead of Chapter One, the first chapter is called Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth. Please note these are for learning purposes only.  For the halacha lemaaseh, i.e. for what to do yourself please ask your own Rav.  So let's begin:

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 2-3
3. Before reciting the berachah over the tallith, one should examine the threads of the ziziyoth to ensure that there is nothing wrong with them that would render them pasul.  One should also untangle the individual threads of the ziziyoth (this may not be done on Shabbath, but one should still examine them for any possible defect).  It is the hole in the corner of the tallith, because if even one thread is severed at that point, the entire zizith becomes pasul.

If there is not enough time to examine the threads, for example if one happens to arrive late at the synagogue {and finds that the congregation has already begun prayers, and one has to hurry to catch up}, or if one has been honoured with opening the hechal, or reading from the Torah {and any delay would inconvenience the congregation}, it is permissible to rely on the halachic principle known as hazaqah, and not examine them.

Likewise, the Posqim HaAharonim write that one may rely on this principle (and not inspect the zizith before use) when travelling since, should the zizith be found to have become pasul and a replacement tallith is unobtainable, one would be forced to forego the mizwah altogether.

This learning should be in memory of Maran, HaRav HaGaon Ovadia Yosef, ztz'l.

Interview with "The Rarest Blue" author

Stephen Savitsky of the OU speaks with Baruch Sterman about techelet:
http://www.ou.org/life/torah/rarest-blue-audio/#.UmnFzXCsg6Y

Wording of Beracha and Having Tallit Katan in Mind

With H-shem's help, we have begun learning Hilchot Tzitzit with the Ben Ish Chai, Hacham Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad. The sefer is translated by Shmuel Hiley and published by Yeshivath Ahavath Shalom Publications in Jerusalem 5765/2005. He calls the names of the Chapters by the names of Parashiot, so instead of Chapter One, the first chapter is called Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth. Please note these are for learning purposes only.  For the halacha lemaaseh, i.e. for what to do yourself please ask your own Rav.  So let's begin:

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 1-2
2. The wording of the berachah on the tallith gadhol should be lehithattef BEzizith; -- not 'BA-zizith'.
If, in the morning, one is still wearing the same tallith qatan that one wore throughout the previous night, it is correct not to recite a berachah over it, but to have it in mind when reciting the berachah on the tallith gadhol, and the same berachah will cover them both.

(The reason for this is that not all codifiers maintain that one may recite a berachah on the tallith qatan in the morning, if it were worn all night.  We must therefore apply the rule that 'whenever there is a halachic doubt as to whether a berachah be recited or not, one rules leniently and does not recite it.' Nevertheless, I write in my work Meqabbeziel that it is advisable to have the tallith qatan in mind as well when reciting the berachah on the tallith gadhol.)

Since it is possible to forget to have the tallith qatan in mind before reciting the berachah on the tallith gadhol, it is best to add the following to the text of the Leshem yihudh: I am preparing myself to recite the berachah which our Sages z'l instituted to be recited when draping oneself in the tallith gadhol, and I also have in mind that the berachah over the tallith gadhol should include the tallith qatan.'

There is no need to touch the tallith qatan when reciting the berachah, even according to the opinion of Maran z'l [as explained by the author in his work 'Odh Yosef Hai (1) in detail.]

This learning should be in memory of Maran, HaRav HaGaon Ovadia Yosef, ztz'l.

New Series - Ben Ish Chai's Laws of Tzitzit

With H-shem's help, we would like to start learning Hilchot Tzitzit with the Ben Ish Chai, Hacham Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad. The sefer is translated by Shmuel Hiley and published by Yeshivath Ahavath Shalom Publications in Jerusalem 5765/2005. He calls the names of the Chapters by the names of Parashiot, so instead of Chapter One, the first chapter is called Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth. Please note these are for learning purposes only.  For the halacha lemaaseh, i.e. for what to do yourself please ask your own Rav.  So let's begin:

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 1
1.  Before reciting the  berachah over the tallith, and wrapping oneself in it, one should have in mind to fulfill the commandment to wear a tallith with ziziyoth affixed to it according to Halachah, as it is written (Bemidhbar, 15:38) 'Let them make for themselves zizith on the corners of their garments.' [According to the Qabbalah], it is also necessary to have i mind that this commandment is one which is governed by time.

Before reciting the berachah, it is correct ot first recite the prayer beginning 'Leshem yihudh... I am preparing myself to don a tallith with ziziyoth affixed to it according to the Halachah, as H-shem, our G-d, commands us (ibid.) 'they shall make for themselves zizith on the corners of their garments....' One should also have in mind, as one wraps oneself in the tallith, that the Holy One, blessed be He commanded us to wrap ourselves in a tallith with ziziyoth affixed to it, so as to recall all of His commandments, in order to perform them.  The Poskim Ha'Aharonim write that whoever fails to meditate on the content of this prayer becomes the subject of the verse (Yishayahu, 29:13) 'And their fear of Me is {no more than} the practice of men acting out of habit.'

This learning should be in memory of Maran, HaRav HaGaon Ovadia Yosef, ztz'l.

Tzitzit for Cheap - A Great Story from Beyond this World

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1018431/jewish/Tzitzit-for-Cheap.htm

One can get a great mitzvah for not so much money...

Wearing Tzitzit Out? Depends on Minhag

In the following link, Rav Ovadia zatzal's opinion is quoted that Sepharadim should wear the tallit katan inside, following the Arizal. Cited by Rav Mansour is also the Mishna Berura's and others' opinions as well. Everyone should follow his own Rav.

http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipDate=6/19/2011

BE"H soon, in memory of Rav Ovadia we will soon start to learn the halachot of tzitzit according to one of Maran's namesakes, the Ben Ish Chai zatzal. May Maran's neshama have an aliya and may he be an advocate for all of us.

Holding Tzitzit during Shema - from HalachaforToday.com

These Q&A are taken from the Q & A  pages on the Halacha For Today website.   Although the answers  are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, , they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.  Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com

Question:   I was just wondering, in your halachos you mentioned holding the tzitzis during Shma between the 4th and fifth finger - what is the significance of that (as opposed to holding them any other way)?    Answer:      The Sefer Taamei Haminhagim  quotes the Eishel Avraham in the name of the Yam Shel Shlomo  in Yevamos to hold the Tzitzis  between these fingers. He doesn't explain the reason, he just says that there is a very deep "Sod" to doing this. They also quote a Chida  in Birchei Yosef who says this is based on Kaballah.