Kitzur Yomi #77 | Siman 9, Seif 6 | Tzitzis Must Be Valid When They Are Tied

Can tzitzis be attached in an invalid state and then made kosher afterward?In this episode of Kitzur Yomi, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch expands on the fundamental principle of Ta'aseh v'lo min ha'asui—the Torah says to make tzitzis, meaning that the tzitzis must be valid through the act of making and attaching them. They cannot first be attached improperly and then become valid through some later action.For example, one may not take a single long string, fold it to create the required strands, attach and tie it to the garment, and only afterward cut the loops into separate strings. Since the strings were not valid tzitzis when they were attached, cutting them afterward does not correct the problem.Similarly, tzitzis that were properly attached to one garment cannot simply be transferred while still tied onto another garment. And if a garment tears from the tzitzis hole through its edge, causing the tzitzah to fall out, it cannot simply be placed back into position and have the garment sewn around it.The same principle applies when tzitzis are tied onto a garment that is not yet obligated in tzitzis. If the garment is subsequently altered so that it becomes obligated, the existing tzitzis do not automatically become valid. They must be untied and then properly retied.Ta'aseh v'lo min ha'asui means tzitzis must become valid through the act of making them.Tzitzis cannot be attached while invalid and then become kosher through a later action.A long folded string cannot first be tied and then cut afterward to create the individual strings.Tzitzis cannot simply be transferred while still tied from one garment to another.If a torn corner causes the tzitzah to fall out, replacing it and then sewing the garment around it does not make it valid.Tzitzis tied while a garment is exempt do not automatically become valid when the garment is later altered and becomes obligated.In such cases, the tzitzis must be untied and properly tied again.The principle of Ta'aseh v'lo min ha'asui teaches that a mitzvah is not only about arriving at the correct final result. How that result came into existence matters. Tzitzis must be created in a valid way from the outset; we cannot begin with something invalid and rely on a later change to fix it. It is another example of the Torah teaching us to approach mitzvos with intention, order, and care from the very beginning.Key TakeawaysPractical Lesson