Pisqa’ 234¹⁵⁶ 1 “Tassels¹⁵⁷ shall you make for yourself” (Dt. 22:12). Why must this be stated?

**“They shall make for themselves fringes”**¹⁵⁸ (Nu,15:38). Now, do I understand from this that a person should prepare one thread¹⁵⁹. The distinctions between a khut, tzitzit, and gedilim are unclear. on its own?

“Tassels” (Dt. 22:12)— [Thus, more than one must be made].

footnotes: ¹⁵⁶ H:243; JN2:149-150 ¹⁵⁷ Heb: gedilim. ¹⁵⁸ Heb: tzitzit. ¹⁵⁹ Heb: khut

So how many tassels should be made?

According to the words of the circle of Hillel.

At least four threads of azure¹⁶⁰ a dye extracted from a type of snail (khilazon). and four threads of white— also, they should each be four fingers long.

footnotes: ¹⁶⁰ Heb: techeilet,

And the customary practice [concerning length] conforms to the words of the circle of Shammai. Now, under what circumstances? When [the tassel] is first made. But its remnants and shreds are suitable at any length.

“On the four corners” (Dt. 22:12)— This excludes from the rule garments of three, five, six, seven, or eight corners.¹⁶¹

“Tassels shall you make for yourself” (Dt. 22:12)— This refers to those of white. How do I know that it includes as well those of azure? The Teaching states: “And tie, in addition to the fringed corner, a strand of azure” (Nu. 15:38).

footnotes: ¹⁶¹ //Sifre Nu.,115.

2. “You shall make” (Dt. 22:12)— but not from a ready-made article. So that you won’t [be tempted to] extract loose-threads from a cloak and make them [into tassels]. “On the four corners” (Dt. 22:12)— but not on eight of them! “Of your garment” (Dt. 22:12)— this excludes from the rule: A toga, a tebenna, a fivlaterion, a nerbixa, a birrus, and a Burdisian cloak, none of which is square.¹⁶² 234, see H: 243 and p. 471, Pisqa’ 234, ns. 3-10.
3. R. Eliezer b. Jacob says: How do I know that tassels are not placed In the middle of a garment, but on the hem? The Teaching states: “On the four corners” (Dt. 22:12).

footnotes: ¹⁶² A similar listing of types of shawls appears in the parallel at M. Kil. 9:6. For details,of these and other garments listed in Pisqa’

“Of your garment” (Dt. 11:12)— with the exception of a pillow-case. “Of your garment”— with the exception of a linen sheet. “With which you cover yourself” (22:12)— with the exception of a soldier’s blanket.

“With which you cover yourself” (22:12)— with the exception of a smock, which doesn’t cover the head and most of the body.