Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 17 - Individuals Obligated to Wear Tzitzis

SECTION 17 The Individuals Obligated to Wear Tzitzis. (1–4)

1 Women and servants1 are exempt from [the mitzvah of] tzitzis.2 Even if they wear a four-cornered garment, they are not obligated to attach tzitzis to it. The rationale is that the mitzvah of tzitzis is a positive commandment whose observance is dependent on time — for there is no obligation to attach tzitzis to a garment worn at night. And women and servants are exempt from any positive commandments whose observance is dependent on time.

[This concept is derived as follows:]3 With regard to tefillin it is written,4 “[And it shall be a sign on your arm, and a reminder between your eyes,] so that the Torah of G‑d be in your mouth,” establishing an equation between the entire Torah and tefillin. [Among the concepts derived from this equation is the following:] Tefillin is a positive commandment whose observance is dependent on time, for Shabbos and the festivals are days when tefillin are not worn.5 [Hence] women and servants are not obligated in its observance, as stated in sec. 38[:3]. [Likewise] woman and servants are exempt from any positive commandments whose observance is dependent on time,6 except for certain particular mitzvos,7 as will be explained with G‑d’s help.

2 Both a tumtum (a person of masked and indeterminate sex) and a hermaphrodite are obligated in [the mitzvah of] tzitzis, because they are possibly males. They are not required to recite the blessing,8 however, because whenever there is doubt concerning [the recitation of] a blessing [of Rabbinic origin], the obligation is viewed leniently.

3 Nevertheless, even women and likewise servants have the option of enwrapping themselves in [a garment with] tzitzis and reciting a blessing, as is the custom with regard to other commandments whose observance is dependent on time. [In the course of reciting the blessing] they may [praise G‑d for] “commanding us to enwrap ourselves in tzitzis” even though they themselves are not commanded to, because men are so commanded.

Moreover, when they perform a mitzvah which they are not commanded to observe, they are granted a certain measure of reward, though not as great as the reward of those commanded to observe it.9 They may therefore recite a blessing if they observe any such mitzvah appropriately, in a manner that would require a man to recite a blessing.

Nevertheless, since [enwrapping themselves in tzitzis] may be perceived as conceit, they should not do so, since even men are not required to observe this mitzvah unless they have a four-cornered garment. It is not a personal obligation, like [the mitzvos of] shofar and lulav, which women have customarily accepted the stringency [of observing].10

4 Once a child knows how to enwrap himself in a garment,11 i.e., to drape two corners in front of him and two corners behind him, and to hold the tzitzis in his hands during the recitation the Shema as [adults] do, his father is obligated to buy him a four-cornered tallis and attach tzitzis to it to educate him in the performance of the mitzvos.12

(See sec. 24[:1], from which it would appear that this is not an absolute obligation.13 Nevertheless, a father is obligated to attach tzitzis to every four-cornered garment that his child wears, since he has already attained the age at which he is being educated [in the observance of mitzvos].)