DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 1.26 MB)
Sisit: Selling a Tallit to a Non-Jew, Hashgacha on Sisit, Using a Tallit to Clean Eyeglasses

The Shulhan Aruch rules that one is not allowed to sell a Tallit with Sisit to a non-Jew, out of concern that he may use it to masquerade as a Jew and ambush an unsuspecting Jew to murder him. Although, the Hayeh Adam (Rav Abraham Danzig of Vilna, 1748-1820) suggested that this does not apply nowadays, the Kaf HaHaim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) maintains that it is still relevant. In fact, Arabs have dressed up in Sisit and Peyot to infiltrate.

The Mekor Haim adds that one should not even sell a Tallit without Sisit to a non-Jew for the same reason. That which the Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan, 1839-1933, Siman 20:8) permitted selling a garment after the Sisit have been removed refers to a regular four-cornered garment and not a Tallit designated for prayer.

Rashi brings an additional reason for this prohibition. He says that the Non-Jew may use the Tallit as payment to a Zonah (prostitute), and this may present the impression that it was given by a Jew, causing a Hilul Hahsem.

----
Nowadays, one may not purchase Sisit without a reliable Hashgacha (seal of supervision). In the times of the Shulhan Aruch it was permitted to trust even a non-Jewish merchant.

----
The Poskim discuss whether it is permitted to use the Tallit to clean one’s eyeglasses. The Yalkut Yosef and Rav Elyashiv distinguish between a Tallit Katan, which is permitted, and a Tallit Gadol, which is designated for Tefila and may not be used. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) ruled that even a Tallit Katan may not be used.

The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Baghdad, 1833-1909) rules that one may not wipe his dirty hands on neither a Tallit Gadol nor Tallit Katan, whereas he may dry his wet hands on the Tallit Katan, but not the Gadol. For the same reason, the Kaf HaHaim (154:29) prohibits laundering a Tallit with other garments that are heavily soiled. The Poskim do permit using a Tallit for a non-degrading purpose, such as covering something or using it to shade from the sun.

SUMMARY
One may not sell a Tallit to a non-Jew.
One must purchase Sisit with a reliable Hashgacha.
One may not use the Tallit for a degrading purpose, such a wiping his soiled hands, but he may use the Tallit Katan to clean his eyeglasses or dry his wet hands.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
The Beracha When Eating Fish on a Cracker
The Obligation to Eat Bread on Shabbat, and the Guidelines for One Who Forgot to Add “Reseh” in Birkat Hamazon on Shabbat
Mentioning the Altar in the Beracha “Me’en Shalosh”
The Procedure for Netilat Yadayim; If One Forgot to Recite the Beracha Before Drying His Hands
Does One Recite a Beracha When Walking Near a Cemetery?
Which Beracha Does One Recite Before Smelling a Lemon?
Does One Recite a Beracha Over Music?
Does One Recite a Beracha When Smelling Synthetic Perfume?
Ensuring Proper Attire for the Recitation of Birkat Ha’mazon
Must a Guest Recite the Prayer for the Host if He Pays for His Meal?
When Must One Wash Mayim Aharonim, and How Much of the Hand Must be Washed?
Must One Wash His Hands Before Eating Cereal in Milk, or Cake Dipped in Coffee?
Why Does One Recite "She'hakol" Over Beer, Coffee and Tea?
Determining the Minimum Amount of Food Requiring a Beracha Aharona
Must One Repeat the Beracha Recited Over a Food or Beverage if He Changes Locations?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found