אורח חיים י״בOrach Chayim 12

Se’if 1א׳

אִם נִפְסְקוּ כָּל חוּטֵי הַכָּנָף וְנִשְׁתַּיֵּר בָּהֶם כְּדֵי עֲנִיבַת כָּל הַחוּטִים הַפְּסוּקִים בְּיַחַד כָּשֵׁר, וְאִם לֹא נִשְׁאַר כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה אֲפִלּוּ בְּחוּט אֶחָד שֶׁנִּפְסַק כֻּלּוֹ פָּסוּל, הִלְכָּךְ כֵּיוָן שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד כָּפוּל לִשְׁנַיִם אִם נִפְסְקוּ שְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים פָּסוּל, שֶׁמָּא נִפְסַק חוּט אֶחָד. וּלְפִי מַה שֶּׁאָנוּ נוֹהֲגִים לְדַקְדֵּק בְּעֵת עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית לָתֵת סִימָן בְּד' רָאשִׁים בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁלְּעוֹלָם הַד' רָאשִׁים הֵם מִצַּד אֶחָד שֶׁל הַקֶּשֶׁר, וְהַד' רָאשִׁים מִצַּד הָאַחֵר, אִם נִפְסְקוּ שְׁנֵי רָאשִׁים מִצַּד אֶחָד כָּשֵׁר, דְּוַדַּאי שְׁנֵי חוּטִין הֵם וַהֲרֵי נִשְׁתַּיֵּר מִכָּל אֶחָד הָרֹאשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁהוּא יוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה. וּלְרַבֵּנוּ תָּם לֹא מַכְשִׁירִים אֶלָּא בְּנִשְׁתַּיְּרוּ ב' חוּטִין שְׁלֵמִים, דְּהַיְנוּ אַרְבַּע רָאשִׁים שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד מֵהָרָאשִׁים אָרֹךְ י"ב גּוּדָלִים אָז מַכְשִׁירִים כְּשֶׁנִּתְפַּסְקוּ הַשְּׁנֵי חוּטִין אֲחֵרִים אִם נִשְׁתַּיֵּר בָּהֶם כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה, אֲבָל אִם נִפְסְקוּ ג' חוּטִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּיֵּר בָּהֶם כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה פְּסוּלִים. וּמִפְּנֵי כָּךְ כְּשֶׁנֶּחְתְּכוּ ג' רָאשִׁים אִם לֹא דִּקְדֵּק בְּעֵת עֲשִׂיַּת הַצִּיצִית שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִכָּרִים הַד' רָאשִׁים שֶׁמִּצַּד אֶחָד שֶׁל הַקֶּשֶׁר חַיְישִׁינָן שֶׁמָּא כָּל רֹאשׁ הוּא מֵחוּט אֶחָד, וְנִמְצָא שֶׁאֵין כָּאן אֶלָּא חוּט אֶחָד שָׁלֵם, הִלְכָּךְ מִסְפֵקָא פָּסוּל: הַגָּה: וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אִם דִּקְדֵּק שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִכָּרִין הַד' רָאשִׁים שֶׁבְּצַד אֶחָד וְנִפְסְקוּ ג' רָאשִׁים בְּצַד אֶחָד דִּפְסוּלָה דְּאָז וַדַּאי נִפְסְקוּ ג' חוּטִין וְאִם נִפְסְקוּ בְּב' צְדָדִין נָמֵי פָּסוּל שֶׁמָּא שְׁלֹשָׁה חוּטִין הֵם (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם בֶּן חָבִיב): אֲבָל אִם לֹא נֶחְתְּכוּ אֶלָּא ב' רָאשִׁים מַכְשְׁרִינָן בִּכְדֵי עֲנִיבָה, וַהֲלָכָה כִּסְבָרָא רִאשׁוֹנָה מִיהוּ הֵיכָא דְּאֶפְשָׁר טוֹב לָחוּשׁ לִסְבָרַת רַבֵּנוּ תָּם: הַגָּה: וְנוֹהֲגִין כְּרַבֵּנוּ תָּם (אֲגֻדָּה סִימָן ט"ו).

Things that invalidate tzitzit. Containing 3 paragraphs.1. If all the threads of the corner were severed, and there remained in them enough to tie a loop of all the severed threads together, it is kosher. But if there did not remain enough for a loop — even in a single thread that was severed entirely — it is invalid. Therefore, since each one is doubled into two, if two ends were severed it is invalid, lest a single thread was severed. And according to what we are accustomed to be careful about at the time of making the tzitzit — to place a sign on the four ends in such a way that the four ends are always on one side of the knot and the four ends on the other side — if two ends on one side were severed, it is kosher, for certainly they are two threads, and behold there remains from each one the second end, which is more than enough for a loop. And according to Rabbeinu Tam, we only declare kosher when two complete threads remained — that is, four ends, where each of the ends is twelve thumb-breadths long — then we declare kosher when the other two threads were severed if enough for a loop remained in them. But if three threads were severed, even if enough for a loop remained in them, they are invalid. And because of this, when three ends were cut, if he was not careful at the time of making the tzitzit that the four ends on one side of the knot be recognizable, we are concerned that perhaps each end is from a single thread, and it turns out that there is only a single complete thread here; therefore, due to the doubt, it is invalid. Rema: And all the more so, if he was careful that the four ends on one side be recognizable, and three ends on one side were severed, it is invalid, for then certainly three threads were severed. And if they were severed on two sides, it is also invalid, lest they be three threads (Beit Yosef in the name of Ben Chaviv). But if only two ends were cut, we declare kosher with enough for a loop. And the halakhah is like the first opinion. However, where possible, it is good to be concerned for the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam. Rema: And we are accustomed to follow Rabbeinu Tam (Agudah, Siman 15).

Se’if 2ב׳

הֵיכָא דְּצָרִיךְ כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהַחוּטִים עָבִים אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְעָנְבָם, וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ דַּקִּים הָיָה בָּהֶם כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה כָּשֵׁר: הַגָּה: וּמְשַׁעֲרִין בְּחוּטִין בֵּינוֹנִים (דִּבְרֵי עַצְמוֹ).

2. In a case where one needs enough for a loop, and because the threads are thick he cannot tie them into a loop, but if they were thin there would be enough in them for a loop — it is kosher. Rema: And we measure with threads of average thickness (his own words).

Se’if 3ג׳

כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה לְרַשִׁ"י מִן הֶעָנָף, וּלְר"י אֲפִלּוּ נֶחְתַּךְ כָּל הֶעָנָף וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר כְּדֵי עֲנִיבָה אֶלָּא מִן הַגְּדִיל כָּשֵׁר, וּמִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם כְּרַשִׁ"י וְהֵיכָא דְּלֹא אֶפְשָׁר יֵשׁ לִסְמֹךְ עַל ר"י:

3. Enough for a loop: according to Rashi, from the anaf; and according to Ri, even if the entire anaf was cut off and there remained enough for a loop only from the gadil, it is kosher. And the custom of the world is like Rashi, but where it is not possible, one may rely on the Ri.