Print This Post Print This Post

The Brocho on Tzitzis

Written by Anonymous

One of the first things a male Jew does in the morning is to put on Tzitzis. Part of the Mitzvah is to recite the brocha Al Mitzvas Tzitzis. However unlike most brochos, we don’t say what we are doing with these tzitzis?? For example with Tefillin we say L’honiyach Tefillin – put on tefillin, and with washing our hands we say al netilas yodoyim – regarding washing the hands. Another example; putting up Mezuzos we say Likbo’a mezuzah – to affix a mezuzah. So we see that most mitvos require a blessing that relates to what we do as part of the mitzvah as above.

So why then with Tzitzis do we not say l’honyiach – to put on, or Labesh – to wear?

B’ezras Hashem I would like to offer an explanation!

The fringe tassels themselves are called tzitzis. Their strings and knots are a physical representation of the Torah’s 613 do’s and don’ts. It works like this: The numerical values of the five letters that comprise the Hebrew word tzitzis add up to 600. Add the eight strings and five knots of each tassel, and the total is 613. Ok so what does this mean??

The real mitzvah of Tzitzis is to remind us of the 613 commandments and for those who wear blue (techeles) tzitzis to remind us of heaven also. The brocho we say isn’t on the wearing the tzitzis because that is not the intrinsic feeling of the mitzvah, the tzitzis are there as reminder of the 613 mitzvos! So by saying Al mitvas tzitzis we are saying al mitvas mitvos and are therefore not required to say what we are doing with the tzitzis i.e. wearing them!

Leave a Comment