Why does the Torah juxtapose the Parshah of the Tzitzis to that of the Mekoshesh?
Rashi #1: Refer to 15:39:2:1.
Rashi #2: Because, like Shabbos, 1 the Mitzvah of Tzitzis 2 is compared to the whole Torah, as Pasuk 40 indicates.
Da'as Zekenim and Rosh (both in Pasuk 32): When the Mekoshesh desecrated Shabbos, Moshe said to Hashem 'it says about Tefilin "Lema'an Tih'yeh Toras Hashem be'Ficha" (Sh'mos 13:9) - yet You commanded us not to wear them on Shabbos. Had the Mekoshesh worn them, he would have remembered 3 and not desecrated Shabbos!' To which Hashem replied 'I will establish another Mitzvah like Tefilin, to remind the people of the Mitzvos, and it will apply even on Shabbos' ? the Mitzvah of Tzitzis!
Hadar Zekenim #1 (in Pasuk 32): This teaches that when a person dies, he becomes free (exempt) from Mitzvos. 4
Hadar Zekenim #2 (in Pasuk 32, citing a Midrash): To teach us that if someone walks four Amos without Tzitzis, it is as if he gathered wood on Shabbos.
Divrei Eliyahu: The Mishnah (Shabbos 7:2) lists thirty-nine Melachos, like the number of loops on each corner (according to Ashkenazi custom). The numbers of loops between knots corresponds to groups of Melachos ? thirteen pertain to planting, eleven, to weaving, eight, to carpentry, and seven to other Melachos. (Perhaps there is a printing mistake. It seems that eleven pertain to making bread (starting with planting), thirteen to weaving (starting with shearing), seven to processing leather, and eight to other Melachos - PF).
Even after they warned him, he did not stop! This follows the opinion that it was the second Shabbos in the desert before Matan Torah. After Matan Torah, Moshe would not have needed to ask (PF).
Which is why we do put Tzitzis on shrouds.
What are the words "B'nei Yisrael" coming to preclude?
Menachos, 42a: They preclude Nochrim are not eligible to attach the Tzitzis to the garment of a Yisrael. 1
Hagahos Maimoni, Hilchos Tzitzis, 1:12: They preclude women from making Tzitzis. 2
R. Chaim Paltiel, Malbim (citing Hagahos Maimoniyos): They exempt women from the Mitzvah of Tzitzis. 3
See Torah Temimah, note 106, who elaborates.
See Torah Temimah, note 107, DH 've'Ayein be'Gitin', 've'Tamah Ani' and 'Aval be'Hagahos Maimoni'.
Refer to 15:38:152:1 & 2.
Why does the Torah insert the (otherwisse superfluous) word "ve'Asu lahem Tzitzis"?
Sukah, 9a: To teach us that if someone steals threads 1 and makes Tzitzis out of them they are Pasul.
But not if he steals wool and makes threads and then Tzitzis. See Torah Temimah, note 108 ?Vayikacheini be?Tzitziz Roshi?.
What is the definition of "Tzitzis"?
Rashi #1 and Rashbam: "Tzitzis means (?a group of ? Rashbam) threads'. 1
Rashi #2: It is like "Meitzitz Min ha'Charakim" (Shir ha'Shirim 2:9), which is an expression of seeing. 2
Rashi #3 (in Yirmiyah, 48:9): Anything that hangs and that protrudes from a person or from an animal is called "Tzitz".
Menachos, 41b: "Tzitzis" implies any size - however long, and if they tear, however short. 3
Menachos, 42a: "Tzitzis" implies that, like a branch that protrudes from the tree, the threads must protrude beyond the corner of the garment and that they must be separated, 4 like the strands on a Nochri's head.
Targum Yonasan: Tzitzis are woolen threads that are made for the sake of the Mitzvah ? not threads that one cuts off a garment with scissors, not from balls of wool and no threads that hang loose from the garment after it it has been woven.
Rashi and Rashbam: As in Yechezkel, 8:3.
Since the Torah writes "u'Re'isem Oso." See Oznayim la'Torah, who reconciles answer #2 with answer #1.
See Torah Temimah, note 109.
See Torah Temimah, note 110, citing the Magen Avraham.
What are the implications of "Al Kanfei Bigdeihem" (plural)?
Chulin, 136a: It implies that a garment belonging to partners is subject to Tzitzis. 1
Moshav Zekenim (citing R. Yehudah ha'Chasid): It implies that someone who wears many garments of four corners must put Tzitzis on all of them. 2
See Torah Temimah, note 114.
R. Shmuel of Pliza disagrees. He cites R. Yossi who obligates only on one of them, since the Torah writes in Ki Seitzei Devarim, 22:12 "al Arba Kanfos Kesuscha" (singular).
What are the connotations of "al Tzitzis ha'Kanaf"?
Rashi (in Pasuk 41, citing R. Moshe ha'Darshan): It corresponds to "va'Esa eschem al Kanfei Nesharim" - Yisro Sh'mos, 19:4, describing how Hashem took Yisrael out of Egypt miraculously. 1
Menachos, 39a: It implies that, when winding the one thread round the seven, one begins with the white thread - "ha'Kanaf" - 'Miyn ha'Kanaf'. 2
Menachos, 39b (according to Rava): It implies ('Miyn ha'Kanaf') that the Tzitzis should be of the same material as the corner of the garment - silk on silk, cotton on cotton 3 ? and ?Tzemer u?Fishtim Yachdav? in Ki Seitzei Devarim, 22:11 ? in connection ith Sha?atnez ? teaches us that wool and linen Tzitzis may be aayyached to any garment.
Menachos, 42a: It teaches us that one should attach the Tzitzis horizontally to the garment, so that when they hang down, they touch the tip of the corner of the garment. 4
See also Ba'al ha'Turim.
Then, after winding the Techeiles thread, one reverts to the white one, because it is more Kadosh than the Techeiles, and we have a principle 'Ma'alin ba'Kodesh, ve'Lo Moridin'. See Torah Temimah, note 15 for more details.
15:18:3.2:1 and note.
See Torah Temimah, note 113.
How will we reconcile "al Tzitzis ha'Kanaf" - 'Miyn ha'Kanaf' with the Pasuk in Ki Seitzei Devarim, 22:11 & 12 "Tzemer u'Fishtim Yachdav ... Gedilim Ta'aseh lach", which implies that Tzitzis may only be made of wool or linen (See Torah Temimah, note 116)?
Menachos, 39b: The Pasuk in Ki Seitzei teaches us that woolen or linen Tzitzis are eligible to go on any garment, 1 and the current Pasuk, that Tzitzis made of any other material must be of the same material as the corner of the garment.
See Torah Temimah, note 117.
What is the definition of "P?sil Techeiles"?
Rashi: It is a thread dyed with a dark-blue (or turquoise) colored dye that is obtained from [the blood of] the Chilazon fish 1 (which comes-up from the sea once every seventy years ? Rashi in Bava Metzi?a, 61b).
Yevamos, 4b: Based on the fact that "Sheish" - in connection with the Bigdei Kohen Gadol - is linen, "P?sil Techeiles" must be a woolen-thread. 2
What is the significance of the Techeiles thread?
Rashi (in Pasuk 41, citing R. Moshe ha'Darshan): It is to remind us of the killing of the firstborn Egyptians, 1 which occurred at nighttime ? and the color of Techeiles is similar to the color of the sky at the beginning of night.
Ramban #1 (in Pasuk 39, citing the Midrash of R. Nechunyah ben ha'Kanah): Techeiles corresponds to Hashem's Kisei ha'Kavod.
Ramban #2: Refer to 15:39:1:2 and note.
Rashi (Ibid.): 'Shikul ('Tichla' in Arama'ic) Bechoros' ? the bereavement of the firstborn.
What are the connotations of "P'sil"?
Rashi (citing Yevamos 5b) and Da'as Zekenim: It means that one must leave part of the threads straight (not twined).
Yevamos 5b: It means that one passes the [four] threads through the corner and folds them, turning the four bthreads into eight.
Why, on the one hand, are women exempt from Tzitzis (refer to 15:38:2:2), and on the other, they are subject to Sha'atnez? We should either say that just as they are warned against wearing Sha'atnez, so too are they obligated to wear Tzitzis (since they are taught next to each other in Devarim (22:11 & 12), or, just as they are exempt from Tzitzis, so too are they exempt from Sha'atnez?
Moshav Zekenim #1: We do not exempt from both, since we learn from a Hekesh to be stringent but not lenient.
Moshav Zekenim #2: Some say that we Darshen "Bnei Yisrael", 've'Lo B'nos Yisrael'. 1
Moshav Zekenim #3 (in Devarim 22:12, citing R. Avigdor): The Torah writes in Pasuk 40 "Tizkru ... es Kol Mitzvosai" ? one who has all the Mitzvos. 2
Moshav Zekenim #4 (in Devarim 22:12): In Kidushin (34a-35a) we learn that women are exempt from Mitzvos Asei she'ha'Zeman Gerama. 3 Tosfos (in Yevamos 4a DH 'di'Chesiv') states that perhaps there is a Drashah to obligate them in Sha'atnez.
Rtzva: Since we can learn either one from the other, each one retains what is written by it - women are exempt from Tzitzis and subject to Sha'atnez.
Moshav Zekenim: This is difficult however, since the Chachamim [of R. Shimon] in Chayav Tzitzis.
Some Mitzvos are only for women, such as not to wear men's clothing, counting the days of a Zavah, bringing Korban Yoledes! Many Mitzvos are only for Kohanim, and some are only for Yisre'elim - Pidyon ha'Ben and other Matanos Kehunah, honoring Kohanim? Perhaps for men, Limud Torah Lishmah is in place of all Mitzvos they cannot fulfill. Ya'akov hinted to Eisav that he guarded all six hundred and thirteen Mitzvos in Lavan's house. Refer to Bereishis 32:5:3:2, even though he could not fulfill Kibud Av va'Eim, Korbanos, Yibum ? . However, Yeshu'os Malko 3, citing the Arizal, explains that Techeles was hidden, for it is to recall all the Mitzvos, and after the Churban we lack many of them (but the Mitzvah of Tzitzis still applies - PF).
If there is a source to obligate women, it overrides the rule, like we find regarding Matzah, Kidush on Shabbos, [and we need a D'rashah to exempt them from] Re'iyah and Sukah! (PF)
