Changing from One Tallit to Another

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 7-8: This is a long entry so we will break it up over a few days, BE"H

10 (continued). If one puts on another tallith qatan, even immediately after taking off the first one, it is necessary to recite another berachah over the second one.  Similarly, if one takes off one tallith gadhol and then puts on a second one, one must recite a new berachah over the second tallith gadhol.

In my work Rav Pealim (Vol. II, Orah Hayyim, chapter 5) I cite a query regarding the berachah over a tallith from someone who is accustomed to put on zizith and tefillin at home, in order to enter the synagogue whilst already wearing them.  However, he is not able to put on at home the large tallith gadhol which he wears in the synagogue, because his way there takes him through busy streets full of people, Jews and non-Jews, and he does not wish to attract attention.  Instead, he puts on at home a very thin tallith gadhol which, although of sufficient size, is not as large as the usual tallith gadhol, and can be worn under a coat without being conspicuous.  Later, when he enters the synagogue, he puts on a full-size tallith gadhol, and leaves the smaller one under his coat.

I answer that he may recite a berachah in the synagogue over the second, larger tallith gadhol, even though he is still wearing the first, smaller one, because the way from his home to the synagogue takes some time, and thus constitutes an interruption - increased by the fact that, on his way out of the house, he recites various verses whilst standing near the mezuzah.  Furthermore, after he puts on the full-size tallith gadhol, he wears it properly over his head and body, while the first tallith gadhol remains on his shoulders, under his coat.  For these, amongst other reasons, I rule that a berachah may be recited without question.

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

Removing Tallit for Mikveh

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6-7: This is a long entry so we will break it up over a few days, BE"H

10 (continued) The same rule also applies to the tallith qatan: if one takes it off to immerse oneself in a miqweh, one should not recite the berachah over it when putting it back on.

(It is written in Sefer Ha-Kawwanoth that our teacher, the Ari z'l, used to recite a berachah over the tallith qatan after leaving the miqweh (and we always accept the ruling of the Ari z'l regarding the berachoth, even when there are other opinions which rule against him).  However, since the Ari z'l used to engage in lengthy kabbalistic meditations in the miqweh, he took so long over them that his immersion constituted a distraction between taking off his tallith qatan and putting it back on, so he was obliged to recite another berachah over it.  We do not stay that long in the miqweh, and therefore do not have to repeat the berachah when we put our tallith qatan back on.)

Nevertheless, I rule in my work Meqabbeziel that if someone remains a long time in the miqweh, it would be correct to recite a new berachah when he puts his tallith qatan back on.

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

Removing the Tallit for the Bathroom

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6-7: This is a long entry so we will break it up over a few days, BE"H

10. {One must, however, take off the tallith gadhol before entering a lavatory.}  When one takes off the tallith gadhol in order to enter the lavatory, or for some other reason, with the intention of putting it back on again immediately afterwards, there is no need to recite the berachah over it a second time.

(Even though Maran z'l is of the opinion that one should repeat the berachah, we rule that in a case of halachic uncertainty over berachoth one should take the more lenient view (and not recite the berachah), even when this goes against the ruling of Maran z'l.)

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

Not Removing the Tallith Qatan

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6

9. One should not remove the tallith qatan at any time, even when one goes to sleep, or has intercourse; it may only be removed when one takes a bath or immerses oneself in a miqveh.  If one enters a lavatory without another garment over the tallith qatan, one should tuck away the ziziyoth, so that they do not remain revealed there.

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

Which Side of the Tallit is Which?

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6

8. There is no need to make any sort of sign on the tallith gadhol to indicate which side should be worn on the head, as some people do, as it is clearly stated in the teachings of the Ari z'l that it makes no difference at all which side of the tallith is on the head.

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

Shehecheyanu on New Tallit

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6

7. When one puts on a new tallith for the first time, one should recite the berachah 'shehehyanu after the berachah 'lehith'attef.'  It is not customary to recite 'she-heheyanu' over a new tallith qatan, because a tallith qatan is not usually made of material of such good quality that the wearer would derive any special pleasure when he puts it on for the first time (cf. parashath Re'eh, 1-4).  If, however, one did make the tallith qatan from an expensive or good quality material, and one did experience some pleasure when first wearing it, one should recite the berachah 'shehehyanu.'

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

Berachot Over Tallith Katan and Tallith Gadol

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 6

6. The berachah over both the tallith gadhol and the tallith qatan should be recited whilst standing.

The custom of our teacher, the Ari z'l, was to wrap his head in the tallith qatan first, and only after that to put it on as he usually wore it.  For that reason, he used to recite the berachah 'lehithattef' over the tallith qatan as well as over the tallith gadhol.  This is a good custom to follow but, if one does not wrap one's head in the tallith qatan as the Ari z'l did, one should recite the berachah 'al mizwath zizith, ' and not 'lehithattef bezizith.'

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

How to Wrap the Tallit

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 4-5

5. The correct sequence in which to put on the tallith gadhol, following the ruling of our teacher the Arizal, is as follows: After having recited the berachah, one should wrap one's head in the tallith - not like those who try to be clever, and drape their whole body in the tallith straight away.

['Odh Yosef Hai (11) I would now like to mention another point, namely that when one puts the tallith over one's head, it should not cover one's face.  Even though the rest of the head, including the forehead, must be wrapped in the tallith, the eyes must remain uncovered, otherwise it would not be what is referred to in Hebrew as 'ittuf,' over which we recite the berachah 'lehithattef,' and it would not resemble the Arab manner of wearing headgear, which is the explicit example given in Sha'ar Ha-Kawwanoth (4a), citing the Geonim.

An analogy can be found in the Talmudh (Mo'edh Qatan, 24a) 'Shmuel said {in regarde to the way in which a mourner must cover his head} "Any method of covering ('ittuf') which is not similar to the Arab custom is incorrect."  Rav Nahman demonstrated by pointing to his chin {to indicate which part of the face should be covered}.' Thus, we infer that, although the chin must remain covered, the eyes should not.

The Talmudh also rules (ibid.) that 'on Shabbath, the mourner may uncover his head by revealing his nose, moustache and beard, which were covered throughout the period of weekday mourning.' Again, we infer that ('ittuf, the 'Arab custom of wearing headgear') requires that the eyes should be revealed.

Further support to this can be brought from the 'Aruch, under the entry '-t-f,' where it is written: 'The Arab custom of covering....entails covering nose, moustache and beard.')]

After wrapping one's head in the tallith, the four corners of the tallith should be hanging down across one's chest, two to the right and two to the left.  One then takes the two corners which lie to the right, and throws them over the left shoulder, so that now they lie across the throat and left shoulder, and hang down the back; the two corners that were originally lying on the left side should be left there at present.  The tallith should be left in that position for approximately the time it takes to walk four ammoth, and then one should throw the left-hand pair of corners over the left shoulder, on top of the first pair, so that now all four corners lie across the left shoulder and for the time it takes to walk four ammoth, and then its lower edges should be allowed to slide off the shoulders and cover the entire body, so that one will now be wrapped, head and body, in the tallith.

(This is the sequence described in Sefer Ha-Kawwanoth (Derush HaZizith, chapter 1), as explained by the author of Emeth LeYaaqov z'l (page 107d), and is also explicit in the Siddur of our master Rashash z'l.  However, what I have just written about waiting the time it takes to walk four ammoth between throwing the right-hand corners of the tallith over the left shoulder, and throwing the left-hand corners over the left shoulder is not explicit in either the works of our earlier Sages z'l, or in the writings of Rashash z'l.  I have deduced it from the words of the latter, where he explains that each movement requires specific Kabbalistic meditations and , even though we are not capable of pursuing these holy ways, we should still wait the specified length of time between the two actions, in order at least to fulfill the stipulated sequence, if not the entire meditation.)

['Odh Yosef Hai (7) As one throws the right-hand pair of corners over one's left shoulder, it is a good thing to meditate on the verse (Yeshayahu, 61:10) 'Sos asis ba-Shem, taghel nafshi beloqai....' And, after having thrown the left-hand pair of corners over one's left shoulder, it is good to quietly recite the following three verses: (Tehillim, 46:8) 'Ha-Shem Zevaqoth 'immanu...'; (Tehillim, 84:13) 'Ha-Shem Zevaqoth, ashre adham...'; and (Tehillim, 20:10) Ha-Shem hoshi'ah, ha-melech ya'anenu...']

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

Putting on Tallit Katan - Several Points

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.  

Parashath Bereshith, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 3-4
4. One should inspect the ziziyoth of the tallith qatan, before reciting the berachah on it, when one puts it on in the morning.  One's wife can assist in this mizwah by examining them when she lays out a fresh change of clothing. She should also untangle the threads that have become tangled during washing.  By doing this, she will also have a share in the mizwah, through helping save her husband from possible transgression, should he be in a hurry to get dressed, and does not have time to inspect them himself.  Nevertheless, one should not rely on her inspection, and one should make the effort to examine them carefully oneself, before reciting the berachah.

[Odh Yosef Hai (5) Each day, when one takes the tallith gadhol from its bag, one should first kiss the four ziziyoth, and then unfold the tallith, recite the berachah over it, and wrap oneself in it.

Similarly, when one takes off the tallith, after having folded it, one should take the four ziziyoth in one's hand and kiss them, before laying the tallith away in its bag.  When one takes off the tallith qatan, one should also kiss the ziziyoth and, likewise, before putting on another tallith qatan to demonstrate our love for the commandment (Shelah).

When a woman lays out a clean tallith qatan for her husband, she should also see to kiss the ziziyoth before she folds it up for him.

Ibid. (8) One should not do anything whilst reciting the berachah (such as unfolding the tallith, and preparing to put it on); all that should be done before reciting the berachah, so that one can put on the tallith without delay, immediately after reciting the berachah.]

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

Wearing Tzitzit Without a Shirt Underneath

From Halacha for Today Email:

Question:

 

 

 

What is the Halacha regarding wearing Tzitzis straight on the skin of the body and why you we wear it on top of a shirt and where can the Halacha be found?

 

 

  

  

Answer:

 

Some Poskim are lenient and others are stringent and consider it a disgrace. If being worn as an undershirt specifically to  protect from sweat, it is more problematic, as some Poskim say it then does not even require Tzitzis. 

 

See Shu"t Rivevos Efraim Vol. 4 Siman 15 and Shu"t Teshuvos V'hanhagos Vol. 1 Siman 25