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Step 1.
Gather together the four white ends
and insert them in the right hole and
out the left hole in corner of the
garment...

Step 2.
...so that the techelet is on the right
side like this....

Step 3.
Now space the whites, releasing for the time being the techelet
strand, so that the right side is 4 inches longer than the left
side.

Step 4.
Position the techelet fringe so that the point
where the blue meets white is at the aperature
of the corner, with the white side joining the
white on the left, and the techelet joining on the
right.
At this point either make the Brachah or say the
following:

"L'shem mitzvat tzitzit"


("for the sake of the commandment of tzitzit").
Note: According to all opinions, at the begining of

the tying of the fourth corner, say the words "L'shem


Mitzvat Tzitzith", as the tying of the fourth corner is
the completion of the act, so if G-d forbid, your
attention was diverted while you were tying the first
three corners, make sure to have special intention for
the fourth corner.

Step 5.
Now you are ready for your first of five sets
of double knots, all which will be tied right
over left, left over right, so that the left
side remains stationary and the right side,
the one with the techelet, goes back and
forth around the left.

Step 6.
right over
left ...

Step 7.
and left over
right ...

Step 8.
... and tighten.

Step 9.
Prior to beginning the wraps, take the ends of
the left side and tie them together in a slip
knot.

Step 10.
A good suggestion is to wind
the 7 whites into a column
and wrap them around the
pinky of your left hand;
pulling taut against the
garment while you are
wrapping.

Step 11.
Now you begin the first set of
seven wraps, in 3 groupings,
3, 3, 1. Placing the techelet
cord over the column, wrap
the techelet 3 times...

The Talmud, referring to

the verse, "This is my G-d


and I will glorify Him",
(Ex.15:2), explains it to
mean, that it is our duty to
beautify the
commandments of G-d as
for example to have
beautiful scrolls of the Law,
beautiful boothes on
Succot, and beautiful
fringed garments, (Shabbat
133b).

Step 12.
... and tighten. Wrap 3 more times and
tighten, then a single wrap and the
seven is complete.

.
Repeat steps 5, 6 and 7, right
over left, left over right.

Step 14.
Repeat step 11,
wrapping 8 times,
grouped 2, 3, and 3.

Step 15.
Repeat steps 5, 6
and 7.

Step 16.
Rav Huna said: He who is careful with

the Mitzvah of Tzitzith will be blessed


with beautiful garments. (Shabbat 23b).

Repeat step 11,


wrapping 11 times,
grouped 3, 3, 3, and
2.

Step 17.

Repeat steps 5, 6
and 7.

Step 18.
Repeat step 11,
wrapping 13 times,
grouped 1, 3, 3, 3,
and 3.

Step 19.
Repeat steps 5, 6
and 7, and release
the slip knot.

How to tie tzitzit: ritual macrame


Before you try tying tzitzit to your tallit, it is advisable to practice with twine or heavy string
looped around a chair leg.

Although you can spin or devise your own tzitzit strands, it is easier to buy a tzitzit pack, which is
available at most Hebrew bookstores.
There will be sixteen strands in the pack (four long ones and twelve short ones; four off 60
inchest and twelve at 40 inches). Separate these into four groups with one long and three short in
each. The longer strand is called the shammash and is the one used for the winding. Even up the
four strands at one end and push the group through one of the corner holes in the tallit. Even up
seven of the eight strands (the four being doubled) and leave the extra length of the shammash
hanging to one side.
With four strands in one hand and the other four in the other hand, make a double knot near the
edge of the material. In order to fulfill the mitvah of tzitzit, it is customary for you to say "l'shem
mitzvat tzitzit," "for the sake of performing the mitzvah of tzitzit," each time you tie a knot Take
the shammash and wind it round the other seven strands in a spiral (seven turns).
Be sure you end the winding where you began, otherwise you may end up with 7 or 6 winds.
Make another double knot at this point (four over four). Spiral the shammash eight times around.
Double knot. Spiral the shammash eleven times around. Double knot. Spiral the shammash
thirteen times around. Final double knot. This is the common, and
halakhically precise type of tying. There are, however, two variations on
this:
1. A Sephardic tying adds another dimension to the pattern: each time
the shammash is brought around, take it under the previous wind
before winding it further. This will produce a curving ridge around the
tzitzit. This, too, should be practiced before trying it on the tallit.
2. Although not in strict accordance with the halakhah, some tie the tzitzit with the shammash
spiraling 10-5-6-5 times respectively.

The symbolism for the numbers is central to the overall symbolism of the tallit. Seven and eight
equals fifteen, which in gematria (numerology) is equal to the two letters yod and heh the first
two letters of the Name of God. Eleven is the equivalent of vav and heh the last two letters of the
Name of God. The total, twenty six, is thus equivalent and representative YHVH the four letter
Name of God. Thirteen is equivalent to the Hebrew word Ehad alef, chet, dalet which means One.
So to look at the tzitzit is to remember and know that "God is One". According to the second way
of winding, each section is a different letter of God's four letter Name. The central commandment
surrounding tzitzit is:

"And you should see it and remember all of God's commandments and do them".
How do the tzitzit do this?
In gematria, tzitzit = six hundred. In addition there are eight strands plus five knots. The total is
six hundred and thirteen which, according tradition, is the exact number of commandments
(mitzvot) in the Torah. Just to look at them, therefore, is to remember all

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