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I thought this was a good, short, comprehensive article on fringes .
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In Proclaiming the Commandment of Tzitzit
The Tallith Katan
by Rabby Aryeh Kaplan Z"L
... (or Tzitzith), the Torah says, "You shall make
tassels (Gedilim) on the four corners of your garments…" From this
we learn that Tzitzit are only required on a four-cornered garment.
In ancient times, many garments were four-cornered. Clothing was not
tailored as it is today, but most often consisted of a simple
rectangle of cloth, direct from the loom, which was worn as a shawl,
cape, tunic or toga. As late as the classical Greek period, the
standard garments consisted of chiton and himation, which were
essentially rectangles of cloth, draped and fastened around the
body. Similar garments were worn in Talmudic times. Since everyone
wore four-cornered clothing, they fulfilled the commandment of
Tzitzith merely by placing them on their regular garb.
Because we no longer regularly wear four-cornered clothing, we wear
a special garment in order to fulfill this most important
commandment. One of the most important Jewish commentators, Rabbi
Yitzchak Abarbanel, stated that this is the reason why the Torah
states that we must "make Tzitzith… for all generations." Even
though a time would come when four-cornered garments would not
normally be worn, we must continue to wear a special garment in
order to fulfill the commandment of Tzitzit.
 This
special garment is the Tallith Katan-the "small Tallith." It is also
sometimes called an Arba Kanfoth-literally "four corners"-or simply
"Tzitzit." In Yiddish it was often referred as Lahbsi-deckel, or
"body cover."
The Tallith Katan consists of a simple rectangle of cloth, with a
hole for the neck. The Tallith Katan should be at least a cubit (or
Amah) square on each side. According to our discussion on
measurements, this would be between 18 and 24 inches. If possible,
it is best to wear the larger size, and thus be covered according to
even the stricter opinion.
You should wear the Tallith Katan all day long. It is worn under
your shirt, preferably over an undershirt, and is put on the first
thing in the morning.
If you do not wear a Tallith in the synagogue, you should say the
following blessing before putting on the Tallith Katan:
Baruch Atah Yahweh
Elokenu Melech haolam asher kid'shaha-nu be-mitzvo-thav
ve-tziva-nu al Mitzvath Tzitzith.
Blessed are You Yahweh our Elohim, King of the world, who has
set us apart with His commandments and gave us the Mitzvah of
Tzitzith.
If you put the Tallith Katan before
washing your hands, you can defer the blessing until later, taking
hold the Tzitzit when you recite it.
If you normally wear a Tallith, according to most authorities, it is
best not to say the blessing over the Tallith Katan at all. Instead,
you should have in mind to include it when you say the blessing over
the Tallith.
The Tallith Katan should be worn all day long. Some people also wear
it to sleep. It is also a custom for some people to keep their
Tzitzith exposed, in order that they constantly fulfill the
injunction, "and you shall see them." This, however, is not a strict
requirement, and the Tzitzit may be worn completely under one's
clothing.
Since the Tallith Katan is always worn, the Mitzvah if Tzitzit is
one Mitzvah that is observed most constantly. It is the first
commandment that we observe in the morning, and continues throughout
the day. As such, it is a constant reminder of our obligation as
Jews, and of our allegiance to G-d.
Through the Tallith Katan, the Mitzvah of Tzitzit is one of the very
first observances that we teach a child. In many communities, is a
custom to present a child with his first Tallith Katan on his third
birthday; from then on, it is constantly worn.
The Tallith Katan is
also one of the least expensive ritual objects that you can
purchase. Its cost is negligible, and yet, its spiritual benefits
can be priceless.
1 Copyright
© Kaplan, A. 1984. Tzitzith, A THREAD OF LIGHT.
This is copyrighted material, but it is our hope that "Rabby" will
allow us to use it if he finds it here.
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