By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin
Does my woolen blanket require tziztis?
- From the posuk “ur’isem oso,” lit – and you should see them, Chazal learn that one is not obligated to wear tzitzis at night.
- The exact implication of the statement of Chazal is a dispute of rishonim: Some say that at nighttime one may wear any four cornered garment without tzitzis while during the day every four cornered garment is obligated in tzitzis in order to wear it.1 Others say that a night garment is exempt from tzitzis whenever it is worn (even during daytime), but a day garment worn at night does need tzitzis.2 Halacha is concerned for both opinions and the only exemption is a night garment when worn at night (yet a bracha is only recited over a day garment worn during the day).3
- Rishonim discus whether the obligation of tzitzis applies only to garments, or also to sheets and blankets. Some suggest that the added words in the possuk “which you wear” imply that only garments that are worn require tzitzis. 4 However, others argue that covering is enough to be obligated. 5
- Based on the Gemara,6 some rishonim claim that the term “garment” in the Torah is reserved for wool and linen, and other materials are only obligated midrabanan, while others argue.7
- Tradition is not to place tzitzis on blankets due to a combination of two exemptions: it is primarily for night use, and it is not worn. Nonetheless the Alter Rebbe rules one should round a corner of a woolen blanket.8 Since for a garment to be obligated in tzitzis it must have four square corners, if one corner is noticeably rounded the garment is exempt.9
- Some poskim hold that quilted blanket which is puffed up is considered to have rounded corners.10
Reprinted with permission from Lmaan Yishmeu – a project of Merkaz Anash. To see more articles visit Merkazanash.com
- רמב”ם הל’ ציצית פ”ג הל’ ז’-ח’.
- רא”ש (מנחות) הלכות ציצית סי’ א’.
- שוע”ר או”ח סי”ח ס”ב.
- ראה מרדכי ה”ק רמז תתקמא. ובספרי דברים פיסקא רל”ד: כסותך, פרט לכר, כסותך פרט לסדין.
- תוס’ מנחות מ”א ע”א ד”ה תכלת
- מנחות ל”ט ע”ב
- רמב”ם הל’ ציצית פ”ג ה”ב, וראה השגות הראב”ד וכס”מ שם.
- שוע”ר סימן י”ח ס”ה וראה מג”א סי”ח סק”ג. בסידור לא הזכיר צמר, אלא שאין הכרח לדייק בזה די”ל שסמך על השו”ע, ובפרט שמימותינו לא ראינו מקפידים בזה. ויל”ע.
- ראה שוע”ר שם סימן י’ סי”ט וסכ”ב.
- אשל אברהם סימן י”ח ס”ב.
