Seeing Tzitzit

The Torah clearly instructs us to see the tzitzit in order to recall all of the mitzvahs and to avoid straying off the correct path.

Make Tzitzit for All Generations

“God spoke to Moses, telling him to speak to the Israelites and have them make tzitzit on the corners of their garments for all generations…These shall be your tzitzit, and when you see them, you shall remember all of God’s commandments so as to keep them. You will then not stray after your heart and eyes, which have led you to immorality. You will thus remember and keep all My commandments, and be holy to your God” (Numbers 15:37-40).

Yet unfortunately, many of us tend to forget our tzitzit all day long. During Krias Shema we look at them only because of the halachic requirement, writes Rabbi Binyamin Zilber zt”l in his responsa, Az Nidberu, “but we don’t pay attention to what we are saying and what the tzitzit demand of us. All day long we forget about the tzitzit entirely. We do not look at the tzitzit and do not contemplate the tzitzit. We simply do not take the time [to think about the mitzvah]” (Vol. 3, 43).

Related articles:

Beyond the Here and Now by Dan Slobodkin
Tzitzit: Connecting Heaven and Earth
Do-It-Yourself Tzitzit Tying