Q: When I no longer want to use a talit or tzitzit what do I do with them? Do they require geniza (burial for sacred articles)? A: Let us proceed on the timeline of sources on this topic, where practice has become increasingly stringent. We will use the halachic names for the involved articles: TZITZIT are the strings; TALIT GADOL is the talit we wear for davening; TALIT KATAN is the 4-cornered garment that we normally wear and attach tzitzit to. When there is no distinction, we will write talit for each. The gemara (Megila 26b) says that TASHMISHEI MITZVA (articles used to facilitate a mitzva, without the sanctity of a holy text) may be thrown away (as opposed to TASHMISHEI KEDUSHA, which need geniza). The examples given are a sukka, lulav, shofar, and tzitzit. Moving on to the Rishonim, the Tur (Orach Chayim 21) cites the Sh’iltot, that as long as the tzitzit are still on the garment, they must be treated with respect and cannot be used for non-mitzva purposes. Although the tzitzit do not receive intrinsic sanctity, abusing them while they are still slated for a mitzva use is a bizuy (disgrace to the) mitzva. Darkei Moshe (the Rama’s notes on the Tur) cites the KolBo who says that even tzitzit that have been removed may not be disgraced, as the gemara only means to exempt them from geniza. Therefore, they should not be purposely thrown into a garbage dump (see Mishna Berura 21:7). He also cites the Maharil’s more stringent practice to either do geniza or use them for a mitzva, for example as a bookmark in a sefer. The Rama (21:1) cites the KolBo as a halachic opinion and the Maharil as a preferable but not binding practice. That being said, the Maharil’s practice appears quite widespread. What is done with a talit that one no longer wants to use? The Shulchan Aruch (21:2) says that regarding talitot that one uses for a mitzva (presumably a talit gadol) one “separates himself from them, and one is not allowed to …set them aside for a disgraceful use, but rather he should throw them and they will cease [to exist].” This ruling seems to say that we neither disgrace the talit gadol nor does it require geniza, and it can be thrown into the garbage (understanding of the Mishna Berura ibid.:13). This is consistent with the Shulchan Aruch’s ruling regarding tzitzit that are no longer used. The Mishna Berura (ibid.) says that the Rama agrees regarding the talit. What does one do when the talit can be thrown into the garbage but the tzitzit, which are usually still attached, may not, according to the Rama? A few possibilities and practices exist. Although one may not normally remove tzitzit unless he plans to put them on a different talit (Shulchan Aruch 15:1) he may do so if the talit is worn out and will not be used any more (Mishna Berura 15:2). It is best to remove the tzitzit by untying them, thus not disqualifying them in the process (ibid.). If this is difficult, some allow cutting them off (Chayei Adam 11:32). Another practice, which seems halachically sound, is to cut off the four corners, while keeping the tzitzit intact. Then one can discard the talit (better in a bag) and either use the tzitzit for a mitzva or put them in geniza. The most stringent practice, which is common and easy enough for most people
is to put the whole talit in geniza. For better or for worse, we anyway put
so much in geniza these days (gist of a phone conversation with Rav Tzvi
Cohen, author of “Tzitzit - Halacha P’suka”). The Kaf Hachayim (21:2), an
important Sefardic posek, seems to require this approach, as he understands
that even the Shulchan Aruch requires geniza for a talit gadol since it was
made for a mitzva. He implies that the same may be true for a talit katan,
which nowadays is also worn only for the purpose of mitzva. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published
by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at
www.ou.org or
www.eretzhemdah.org.
And/or you can receive Hemdat Yamim by email weekly, by sending an email to
info@eretzhemdah.org with the
message: Subscribe/English (for the English version) or Subscribe/Hebrew
(for the hebrew version). Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe
Rebbe is partially funded by the Jewish Agency for Israel The Talmud (Sota 34a) relates that right before entering the land, Yehoshua addressed the Jewish People as follows: "Be aware that you are crossing the Jordan only on the condition that you expel the inhabitants from the land." The Torah Temima explains that Yehoshua read the Israelites the verses from Mas'ei so that they should clearly understand the terms of their "legally binding" contract with God - maintaining the land is absolutely conditioned on driving away its current inhabitants! If we had 2 million, not 200,000, living
on the land God gifted to us in 1967, the previous inhabitants would
no longer be there to, as the Midrash Hagadol warns, "in the end
harass you and rejoice in your misfortune." Likewise, the events
originally scheduled for Tish'a B'Av this year could never have
become the newest addition to the litany of Jewish misery. If we
want to reverse this course, we must simply fulfill our side of the
contract and make Aliya! TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed by Aloh
Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah
Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah Partly based on this account, Ramban (in his strictures to Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot) concludes that there is a positive command to settle the Land and to inherit it. Moreover he adds, "We have been commanded… not to leave [the Land] in the hands of others or allow it to remain desolate." Ramban, basing himself on a Midrashin the Sifrei (that recounts how a number of famous sages visiting the Diaspora retraced their steps back to Eretz Yisrael), indicates that the mitzva of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael applies for all time - even during the exile. During the times in which we live, let us
take these words to heart. Let us recall the first Rashi commentary
in the Book of Breishit: "Should the nations of the world say, 'You
are robbers in occupying the land of the seven nations,' Israel
replies: 'The whole world belongs to the Holy One Blessed be He… In
accordance to His will He gave it to them; and in accordance to His
will, He took it from them and gave it to us.'" For, "Unto you have
I given the Land to possess it"(ibid 33:53). [The Parshat Mas'ei Homepage]
|
