Tzitzit.net - Online Tzitzit Anthology. Buy Tzitzith online
Learn about the Mitzvah of Tzitzit, read excerpts from the late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's writings on tzitzit and order tzitzit on-line at:
the Torah says, "You shall make tassels (Gedilim) on the four corners of your garments…" From this we learn that Tzitzit are only required on a four-cornered garment. In ancient times, many garments were four-cornered. Clothing was not tailored as it is today, but most often consisted of a simple rectangle of cloth, direct from the loom, which was worn as a shawl, cape, tunic or toga. As late as the classical Greek period, the standard garments consisted of chiton and himation, which were essentially rectangles of cloth, draped and fastened around the body. Similar garments were worn in Talmudic times. Since everyone wore four-cornered clothing, they fulfilled the commandment of Tzitzith merely by placing them on their regular garb.Read more at http://tzitzit.net/
Because we no longer regularly wear four-cornered clothing, we wear a special garment in order to fulfill this most important commandment. One of the most important Jewish commentators, Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel, stated that this is the reason why the Torah states that we must "make Tzitzith… for all generations." Even though a time would come when four-cornered garments would not normally be worn, we must continue to wear a special garment in order to fulfill the commandment of Tzitzit.
The Tallith Katan is also one of the least expensive ritual objects that you can purchase. Its cost is negligible, and yet, its spiritual benefits can be priceless.
