Jump to content

Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/17

From Wikisource
Translation:Shulchan Aruch
by Yosef Karo, translated from Hebrew by Wikisource
Orach Chaim 17: Who is Required to Wear Tzitzit
1319013Translation:Shulchan AruchOrach Chaim 17: Who is Required to Wear TzitzitWikisourceYosef Karo

17: Who is Required to Wear Tzitzit.

1 Even though it says "and you shall see it", a blind person must wear tzitzit because he was added from "wherewith you cover yourself". And the verse of "and you shall see it" is needed to reduce a night-garment (see below, Chapter 18).

2 Women and slaves are exempt because it is a time-dependent commandment. Gloss: And nevertheless, if they wish to wrap in it and to say the blessing on it, it is up to them to do so as with all time-dependent commandments [Tosafot and the Rosh and the Ran, Chapter 2 of Rosh Hashanah and First Chapter of Kiddushin]. However, it looks as if they are more observant than others, therefore, they should not wear tzitzit, as it is not a commandment of the person [Agur Section 27]. [This means he does not have to buy himself a tallit in order that he be required to wear tzitzit. And below in Chapter 19 it says when he has a shawl with four corners and wears it.] A tumtum and an androgynous are required because of doubt and they should wrap without a blessing. [Explanation: a tumtum is not known whether he is male or female, and an androgynous has male and female genitals.] [Gloss: And according to the custom of women to say the blessing when they fulfill time-dependent commandments, they too should say the blessing.] [His own words].
3 A child who knows how to wrap, his father must buy him tzitzit to educate him.

Gloss: And in particular if he knows to put two tzitzit in front of himself and two in the back of himself [Notes of Maimuni Chapter 3] and knows to hold the tzitzit in his hand during the reading of the Shema [Mordechai, end of Chapter Lulav Hagazul].