Making Tzitziot Lishmah

About this learning series

Parashath Noah, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 18: 

10. (beginning) [Odh Yosef Hai (3) We learn from the wording of the verse (Devarim, 22:12) 'Make yourselves ziziyoth...' that the threads from which the ziziyoth are made must be spun lishmah, and that if not, they are pasul.

(This is derived from the otherwise superfluous word 'yourselves', which our Sages z'l explain to mean 'for yourself, i.e. in order that you fulfill the precept of zizith.  Thus, the actual manufacture of the ziziyoth must be done in order to fulfill the commandment with the finished article.)

This means that the person who makes the ziziyoth must say (in any language that he understands) before he begins making them, 'I am spinning this wool in order to make ziziyoth from it' (cf. 'Odh Yosef Hai, 5 below).

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

Coat or Shirt with Four Corners

About this learning series

Parashath Noah, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 17-18: 

9. (cont'd) Ibid. (5) A coat or shirt which has four corners, formed by the lapels and lower front corners, does not require ziziyoth.  However, since some Authorities maintain that it does require ziziyoth, a G-d-fearing person should round off one corner, and one will then certainly not be obliged to affix ziziyoth.

The coast which we wear (called abayyi, in Arabic) have rounded lapels, and thus do not require ziziyoth.]

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

Frock Coats, Garments with Slits, Long Shirts

About this learning series

Parashath Noah, Laws of Ziziyoth, Page 17: 

9. (cont'd) Ibid. (parashath Lech Lecha, 4) A garment which has a slit in it 

{e.g. a frock coat} giving it four {or more} corners at the hem, does not require ziziyoth as long as the slit goes less than half the length of the garment.  If it goes more than half the length of the garment,it requires ziziyoth; if the slit reaches exactly halfway, the garment requires ziziyoth, but may not be worn in a public domain on Shabbath.

Thus, the long shirts worn by men here in Baghdad, which have a short slit up each side, do not require ziziyoth, since the slit goes less than halfway up the side of the garment. 

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