FAQ

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I have been wearing tekhelet for about a year now, and I would like to start off by thanking the Ptil Tekhelet Organization for helping to revive this mitzvah. I have a question as to the length of the tekhelet string on the tzitzit. Is it kosher for the tekhelet string (I wear Rambam tekhelet, so there is only 1 string) to be shorter than some of the white strings? If it is not kosher, should the white strings be shortened? Also, I heard that it is only appropriate to bite off strings, not to use scissors or a knife?
I have been wearing tekhelet for about a year now, and I would like to start off by thanking the Ptil Tekhelet Organization for helping to revive this mitzvah. I have a question as to the length of the tekhelet string on the tzitzit. Is it kosher for the tekhelet string (I wear Rambam tekhelet, so there is only 1 string) to be shorter than some of the white strings? If it is not kosher, should the white strings be shortened? Also, I heard that it is only appropriate to bite off strings, not to use scissors or a knife? 150 150 rhecht

1) I am not aware of any white-to-blue relative length considerations. The halacha does talk about minimum lengths of strings of course (i.e., k’dei aniva), but this applies to all strings equally. So, in answer to your question, I do not believe there is any need to shorten your white strings in order to make…

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Regarding the chulyot -even though I’m wrapping 3 times – sometimes it looks like 2 wraps and other times it looks like 4 -what am I doing wrong?
Regarding the chulyot -even though I’m wrapping 3 times – sometimes it looks like 2 wraps and other times it looks like 4 -what am I doing wrong? 150 150 rhecht

Yes, it is a well known “problem” that due to where the shamash comes out of the previous double knot, the chulya may be misaligned + or – a half turn. I believe that as long as you wrap three times you have a kosher hulya – as that is the language of Rebbi in…

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I want to tie tzizit according to the Vilna Gaon with Raavad Techelet. I saw the video on line but my question is with the longer techelet and longer tzizit strings – when you use them as the tying strands they don’t equal out at the end meaning the tzizit are all of different lengths. It looks like I’m doing it wrong. Can you guide me further?
I want to tie tzizit according to the Vilna Gaon with Raavad Techelet. I saw the video on line but my question is with the longer techelet and longer tzizit strings – when you use them as the tying strands they don’t equal out at the end meaning the tzizit are all of different lengths. It looks like I’m doing it wrong. Can you guide me further? 150 150 rhecht

What you need to do is take the 4 strings for one corner (2 regular length white, 1 long white and 1 long blue) and line up one side so that when you hold them between your thumb and index finger the four lengths are equal (approximately). Then you will notice that the four ends…

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I have been using Raavad strings (1 full blue per corner) to tie the Radzyner method, is this kosher? Also, I use which ever blue string comes to hand to make the windings, is this OK?
I have been using Raavad strings (1 full blue per corner) to tie the Radzyner method, is this kosher? Also, I use which ever blue string comes to hand to make the windings, is this OK? 150 150 rhecht

There is actually nothing halachically “unkosher” about using Raavad strings with the Radzyner tying method. Many view the two issues as independent, that is, the determination of how many strings of blue to use is based on certain considerations versus the determination of how to tie being based on other factors. Of course, there are…

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Do you think it would be possible and within the framework of halacha to tie the tzitzit according to Rambam (similar to the Teimani community), however without using the Yemenite knot, but by using a method similar to the Chabad way of separating the chulyot. I’ve included pics to show you. Thank you for your time and info.
Do you think it would be possible and within the framework of halacha to tie the tzitzit according to Rambam (similar to the Teimani community), however without using the Yemenite knot, but by using a method similar to the Chabad way of separating the chulyot. I’ve included pics to show you. Thank you for your time and info. 150 150 rhecht

Halachically, your method certainly fulfills the d’oraita requirements of kesher elyon and one chulya of 3 winds. As for d’rabannan, however, Rava (Men. 38b) requires a knot on every chulya, and though not everyone paskin’s like Rava, the Rambam does as he explains in Hil. Tzitzit 1:7 – wherein he says to “make a knot”…

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My tzitzit are tied according to the standard method used for tying white tzitzit with 5 knots and 7-8-11-13 wraps between knots. Are my tzitzit kosher or pasul?
My tzitzit are tied according to the standard method used for tying white tzitzit with 5 knots and 7-8-11-13 wraps between knots. Are my tzitzit kosher or pasul? 150 150 rhecht

The 7-8-11-13 method is a custom to be used when using white strings only. This method is not really dealt with on our website because no one discusses tying like this with tekhelet. Indeed, R. Shachter believes this method was designed to make up for the fact that no tekhelet was available. Furthermore, even if…

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I just received a beautiful new tallit with p’til tekhelet. However, I have a query about the length of the tekhelet strings: Each of the four strings extends approximately 12 inches (30 cm) beyond the white strings. Is this how long they should be? The potential problem, of course, is that they may sometimes drag on the ground. I consulted your very interesting website concerning tying tsitsit with tekhelet. I fear that tying tsitsit, with or without tekhelet, goes well beyond my skill set, never mind my dexterity. But in any case, I did not see any reference to the question of whether the tekhelet strings should extend so far.
I just received a beautiful new tallit with p’til tekhelet. However, I have a query about the length of the tekhelet strings: Each of the four strings extends approximately 12 inches (30 cm) beyond the white strings. Is this how long they should be? The potential problem, of course, is that they may sometimes drag on the ground. I consulted your very interesting website concerning tying tsitsit with tekhelet. I fear that tying tsitsit, with or without tekhelet, goes well beyond my skill set, never mind my dexterity. But in any case, I did not see any reference to the question of whether the tekhelet strings should extend so far. 150 150 rhecht

You are correct that we provide an ample amount of tekhelet such that much is usually left as extra, and this indeed can be a problem in that the extra strings drag on the floor. The remedy is to simply cut the strings to the length of the other strings. Indeed you can cut all…

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As to the tying method I prefer, the choices are many and I am not sure what to do. What are your thoughts? Are there common traditions? Is it an issue of aesthetics or of religious belief or tradition? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I assume that they are all “kosher” knots depending upon the accepted authority? Which is the oldest known?
As to the tying method I prefer, the choices are many and I am not sure what to do. What are your thoughts? Are there common traditions? Is it an issue of aesthetics or of religious belief or tradition? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I assume that they are all “kosher” knots depending upon the accepted authority? Which is the oldest known? 150 150 rhecht

Concerning the choices, I have been asked this many times and have detailed the options on our site: http://www.tekhelet.net/diagrams/TyingFAQ.htm If you would like a cut to the chase, I recommend Rambam strings tied according to the Rambam method as handed done by the Teimanim. There is an issue of aesthetics as one is supposed to…

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I wondered if you could tell me about the origins of the tzitzit’s knots and windings? When did “fringe” as stated in the bible translate into “knots and windings”?
I wondered if you could tell me about the origins of the tzitzit’s knots and windings? When did “fringe” as stated in the bible translate into “knots and windings”? 150 150 rhecht

In answer to your question as to the origins of the various tying methods as different from the Bible, let me be start by saying that the Bible is like a “Cliff Notes” pamphlet of the Divine transmission to Moses and the Jewish People. The Bible is known as the “written Torah” which is of…

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How do you explain the Sefer HaChinuch method? And how can he be talking about tying with tekhelet when he says to tie a knot after 3 chulyot, whereas the Gemara states that one should tie on every chulya? It seems that the Chinuch only intended a method for white.
How do you explain the Sefer HaChinuch method? And how can he be talking about tying with tekhelet when he says to tie a knot after 3 chulyot, whereas the Gemara states that one should tie on every chulya? It seems that the Chinuch only intended a method for white. 150 150 rhecht

The Chinuch’s words are most sparing and thus leave quite a lot of room for interpretation. Your argument (that the Chinuch is not as we currently explain) is based on the Gemara (Men. 38b) in which Rava says to knot every chulya – likshor al kol chulya v’chulya. The fact is that the Gemara is…

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