## Tractate Tzitzit Chapter 1

###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:1
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:1)

הכל חייבים בציצית רבי שמעון פוטר בנשים מפני שהזמן גרמא כל קטן שהוא יודע להתעטף בציצית אביו עושה לו ציצית טלית שהוא מכסה ראשו ורובו חייבת בציצית:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
All¹ are subject to the obligation of *zizith*. R. Simeon exempts women since [the commandment of *zizith*] is a positive commandment which is dependent on a fixed time.² is restricted to day-time. Any minor who knows how to wrap himself with a *ṭallith*³, but applied to the shawl to which it is attached. [Cf. the wording of the benediction connected with the performance of the commandment in P.B., p. 14, where ‘fringed garment’ is simply *zizith* in the Heb.] should be provided with it by his father. A *ṭallith* which is [long enough to] cover one’s head and the greater part of the body is subject to *zizith*.

footnotes:
¹ Even women.
² From which women are exempt. The duty of wearing zizith
³ lit. zizith


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:2
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:2)

וסדין ב״ש פוטרין וב״ה מחייבין אפיקרסין פטורה ור׳ עקיבא אומר חייבת טלית כפולה חייבת בציצית ר׳ שמעון פוטר טלית שכולה תכלת חייבת בציצית כר שעשאו סדין וסדין שעשאו טלית הרי אלו חייבין כסות הלילה ופרסי המטה הרי אלו פטורין מן הציצית והטריגון והפילגס ופוכלתרין וארביקוה ואנטנה הרי אלו פטורין זה הכלל כל שאין לו ארבע כנפים פטור מן הציצית:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
As regards a [linen] sheer, Beth Shammai exempt it [from *zizith*],⁴ in a linen garment are forbidden as *mingled stuff, wool and linen together* (Deut. 22, 11). but Beth Hillel declare it liable.⁵ is superseded by the commandment of *zizith*, since the prohibition in Deut. is immediately followed (in verse 12) by the commandment of *twisted cords* or *zizith*. The juxtaposition of the two commandments indicates that the latter supersedes the former. An undergarment is exempt, but R. ‘Aḳiba holds that it is liable. A [double-sized] *ṭallith* that is folded over is subject to *zizith*, but R. Simeon exempts it.⁶ would not be in their proper place, in the four corners, but in the middle of the sheet. A *ṭallith* consisting entirely of blue wool is subject to *zizith*.⁷ does not exempt it from *zizith* although one *thread of blue* (Num. 25, 39) in each of the four *zizith* is sufficient. A bolster converted into a sheet or a sheet converted into a *ṭallith* is subject to *zizith*. A night garment and bed-curtains⁸ are exempt from *zizith*.⁹ (*ibid.*), which rules out garments worn during the night. A toga,¹⁰ with Jastrow. V has *ṭrigon* which means ‘a triangular [cloak]’. [It was oval in shape and therefore did not require *zizith;* cf. Krauss, *Talmudische Archäologie*, I, p. 611, n. 589.] a travelling cloak,¹¹ which Jastrow emends to *pinolës* (the Greek *phainoles*). [It is the *paenula* worn by Roman slaves; Krauss, *op. cit.* I, p. 170.] shawls fastened at the shoulder,¹², which Jastrow reads as *pibolaṭorin*, the Latin *fibulatorium*. a cloak worn on the head,¹³. [Krauss *loc. cit.* identifies it with *saga Nervica*, a garment of various materials and in different colours.) and an *’anṭenah*¹⁴, a kind of Roman toga. are exempt. This is the general rule: Any [garment] that is without four corners is exempt from *zizith*.

footnotes:
⁴ Because woollen zizith
⁵ In their view the prohibition of wearing mingled stuff
⁶ Since if it should happen to be unfolded, the zizith
⁷ The blue texture of the ṭallith
⁸ Or, ‘covers’.
⁹ In the commandment it is stated, That ye may look upon it
¹⁰ Reading ṭoga’
¹¹ In V pilgas
¹² In V pokaltorin
¹³ In V ’arbiḳwah
¹⁴ According to Jastrow possibly a corruption of the Greek tebenna


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:3
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:3)

מצות ציצית ב״ש אומרים ארבע חוטין של ארבע אצבעות וב״ה אומרים שלש חוטין של שלש אצבעות א״ר יוסי בר יהודה אף שאמרו ב״ה שלש של שלש קרובים דברי אלו להיות כדברי אלו:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
As for the commandment of *zizith*, Beth Shammai say: [It requires that there shall be] four threads, [each] of four finger-[breadths in length]; but Beth Hillel say: Three threads [each] of three finger-[breadths in length]. R. Jose b. Judah remarked: Although Beth Hillel said, ‘Three [threads, each] of three [finger-breadths in length]’, their ruling is practically identical with that of the other.¹⁵

footnotes:
¹⁵ lit. ‘the words of these are near to be like the words of those’; i.e. of Beth Hillel, who refer to the fingers of a larger hand, and Beth Shammai to those of a smaller hand.


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:4
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:4)

שייר את התכלת ולא שייר את הלבן את הלבן ולא את התכלת מעכב שהתכלת והלבן מעכבין זה את זה רבי אומר אינם מעכבים:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
Leaving out [from the *zizith*] the blue threads though not the white ones, or the white threads though not the blue ones, invalidates them because [the absence of] either the blue or the white invalidates the other. R. [Ishmael]¹⁶ maintains: The absence of one does not invalidate the other.

footnotes:
¹⁶ The name is added in H.


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:5
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:5)

ארבע ציציות מעכבות זו את זו מפני שכולן מצוה אחת הן ר׳ ישמעאל אומר ארבע מצות הן:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
[The absence of one] of the four *zizith* invalidates the others, because all of them [constitute] a single religious observance. R. Ishmael says: They are four independent observances.


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:6
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:6)

הציצית ניתנה בתוך ג׳ אצבעות של כנף יתר מכאן פסולה ניתנה בפתיל פסולה בין טפח לפתיל כשרה ר׳ אליעזר בן יעקב פוסל קצצה וחיברה כשרה ר״מ פוסל עשאה בפני עצמה כשרה :

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
[Each] *zizith* is inserted [in a hole] within three finger-[breadths] of [each] corner; farther away than this is invalid If it was inserted in the border, it is invalid; if between a handbreadth [from the edge] and the border, it is valid. R. Eliezer b. Jacob declares it to be invalid. [If a strip less than three finger-breadths in length]¹⁷ was cut off [from a *ṭallith*]¹⁸ (Rashi *ad loc.*). and then rejoined to it, [the *ṭallith*] is valid. R. Meir declares it to be invalid.¹⁹ within three finger-breadths from the corner, one might use a hanging thread left from the sewing as one of the four threads required for the *zizith*. But that would render the entire fringe invalid, since all the threads have to be made specifically for the purpose of the commandment, whereas the hanging thread was one ready made (cf. Men. Sonc. ed., p. 248, nn. 1f.). [If the detached part] was made into [a smaller *ṭallith*] on its own, it is valid.

footnotes:
¹⁷ So according to Men. 41a (Sonc. ed., pp. 247f.).
¹⁸ That had no zizith
¹⁹ His reason being that, as it is proper to insert zizith


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:7
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:7)

הלוקח טלית מן העובד כוכבים ומן הכותי ומצא בה תכלת הרי זו פסולה ומשל ישראל הרי זו בחזקתה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If one buys a *ṭallith* from an idolater or a Samaritan and found blue threads in it, it is invalid;²⁰ blue, which is the only colour that is recognized. but [if a *ṭallith* is bought] from an Israelite, it is presumed to be valid.

footnotes:
²⁰ The colour might not be that of the ḥillazon


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:8
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:8)

טלית שנטלה אחת מציציותיה אוחז בה ויוצא ניטלו שתים מכסה כמין טריגון ניטלו שלש אסור לצאת בה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
A *ṭallith*, one of whose *zizith* is missing,²¹ may be worn in public.²² If two *zizith* are missing it may be folded into triangular shape.²³. If three *zizith* are missing, it may not be worn in public.²⁴

footnotes:
²¹ lit. ‘taken’.
²² lit. ‘one takes hold of it and goes out’.
²³ So covering the missing zizith
²⁴ lit. ‘to go out with it’.


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:9
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:9)

אין מתירין ציצית על המת אבא שאול בן בטנית אומר אבא אמר לי כשאמות התיר לו ציציות שיש בה משום קדושה וחכמים אומרים אין בה משום קדושה אלא עושה אותה תכריך למת ומרדעת לחמור:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
*Ẓizith* [of a *ṭallith* used as a shroud] upon a corpse should not be undone.²⁵ would be an insult to the dead, which is condemned in Prov. 17, 5, *Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker*, and a dead man is the poorest of all. Abba Saul b. Boṭhnith said, ‘My father told me, “When I die, undo the *zizith* [in my *ṭallith*] because they come within the category of holiness”‘.²⁶ is used as a shroud. The Sages said: It does not come within the category of holiness, so one may use it as a shroud for the dead or as a pack-saddle for an ass.

footnotes:
²⁵ The removal of the zizith
²⁶ And should be undone before the ṭallith


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:10
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:10)

הצובע טלית לעצמו אם (לכסות) [לנסות] בה הרי זו פסולה צבעה אפילו ארבעה וחמשה פעמים פסולה שאין צובעין תכלת אלא בחלזון חלזון למה הוא דומה בריאתו דומה לדג וגופו דומה לרקיע ואינו עולה אלא (לשבע) [לשבעים] שנים לפיכך דמיו ביוקר:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
Should a man dye [the *zizith* of] a *ṭallith* for himself, they are invalid for religious use if he intended to test [the dye].²⁷ must be for the specified purpose of the commandment. The reading ‘to test’ [*lenassoth*] is preferable to the variant ‘to cover himself’ [*lekassoth*]. If he dyed them [with an ordinary dye], even four or five times, they are invalid, since the blue [of the *zizith*] must be dyed only with that of *ḥillazon*.²⁸ What does the *ḥillazon* resemble? In its formation it resembles a fish and [the colour of] its body resembles [the blueness of] the sky. Its appearance is a very rare occurrence²⁹ and consequently it is very costly.

footnotes:
²⁷ The dyeing of zizith
²⁸ A species of mollusc.
²⁹ lit. ‘it only rises [from the sea] in seventy years’.


###### Tractate Tzitzit 1:11
[Tractate Tzitzit 1:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tractate%20Tzitzit/r/1:11)

המוצא תכלת אף על פי שהיא שזורה פסולה שאין לוקחין תכלת אלא מן המומחה:

**The Minor Tractates of the Talmud, trans. A. Cohen, London: Soncino Press, 1965:**
If one finds blue [threads], even though they are twined,³⁰ are. they are invalid, since the blue [for *zizith*] may be bought only from a reliable person.³¹ blue may be used.

footnotes:
³⁰ As zizith
³¹ Or, ‘expert’, who knows that only ḥillazon