01 Jun TZITZIS IN OR OUT?

Throughout the ages,
there have been
different practices
regarding keeping
tzitzis tucked into
pants or out. In
addition, Chassidim
wear their tzitzis
garment over their shirt,
while Ashkenazim
wear it under the shirt.
Sefardim do not keep their tzitzis out, while
many others do. Is wearing tzitzis out a
halachah or custom that only some observe?
In addition, what should be done with tzitzis
when entering a cemetery?
These and other related questions will be
discussed in this issue.
How to Wear the Tallis Kattan
As mentioned, there are different customs
regarding where to place the tzitzis garment.
On one hand, the Shulchan Aruch says the
main mitzvah of the tallis kattan is to wear
it over[MJ1] [m2] one’s garment (i.e., his
shirt) in order that one should always see
it. The Shulchan Aruch says in a different
place that it is proper to wear it over one’s
garment. The Beis Yosef says the reason for
the different wording is that the custom of
many is to wear it under one’s garment, and
the Shulchan Aruch stated what is proper.
Some maintain that the reason the Shulchan
Aruch used the word proper is because many
say one should wear the tallis kattan under
one’s garment. The Tzitz Eliezer maintains
that the reason for the second, more vague
language is to demonstrate that indeed it is
only proper to wear the tallis kattan over
one’s garment but this is not the main part of
the mitzvah. Others say the reason different
language is used is because the Shulchan
Aruch, which says to wear the tallis kattan
over one’s garment, was referring to those

who don’t wear a tallis gadol until they
are married. They should therefore wear
a tallis kattan over their clothing. Others
also mention that one should wear the tallis
kattan over one’s garment. However, this
does not seem to be the prevailing custom.
The opinion of many is that one should wear
the tallis kattan under one’s garment. This is
also the opinion of the Arizal.Some suggest
this is because non-Jews would laugh at us
if they saw the tallis kattan worn over the
garment (see “Leniencies” below), while
others say the reason is based on Kabbalah.
Others say the reason is because many years
ago, people wore their tallis gadol and tefillin
all day. It would be pointless for one to put
his tallis kattan over his garment along with
his tallis gadol. Therefore, the tallis kattan
was worn under the garment. The custom of
most people is not to wear the tallis kattan
over one’s garment, but rather over one’s
undershirt. Some maintain that one should
not wear a tallis kattan directly on the skin
since it is a disgrace for the tallis kattan, but
others maintain that doing so is permitted.
The Strings
There are differing practices regarding
wearing the tzitzis out of one’s pants or in
his pants. Some think that wearing tzitzis out
of the pants is only a custom for “yeshivish”
people. We will discuss this halachah below.
Many poskim are of the opinion that one
should wear the tzitzis strings out of his pants
in order that he should always see the strings.
Others maintain that the custom followed by
many was to keep them tucked into one’s
pants. According to those who say the tzitzis
should be tucked in, one fulfills the mitzvah
of seeing the tzitzis when he puts them on
in the morning and looks at them or when
taking them out to kiss for Krias Shema (see
“Kissing Tzitzis During Davening” below).
Some frown upon tucking in the strings in
a way that they are not seen. Those poskim
who maintain the tallis kattan should be
worn under one’s garment also imply that
the tzitzis may be in one’s pants. For those
who keep the tzitzis tucked in, there is no
concern about them touching the skin.
Mishnah Berurah on This Issue
The Mishnah Berurah uses choice words on
this topic, which we will paraphrase below:
“It is bad enough that those who place their
tzitzis in their pants close their eyes from
the fact that one should see the tzitzis. They
disgrace the mitzvah of Hashem and will
give a judgment on this. The claim that this
should be an exception because we live
among the nations of the world is not valid.
If a king of flesh and blood would give you
a present, you would flaunt it wherever you
go. How much more so with one’s tzitzis.” It
is out of character for the Mishnah Berurah
to use such words in relation to a mitzvah.

Many maintain that when saying one will
give a judgment, the Mishnah Berurah
was referring to the fact that people put
their tzitzis in their pants because they are
embarrassed to keep them out. However,
many Sefardim keep them in, as well as
others, and the Mishnah Berurah was not
talking about these people. One who wishes
to put his tzitzis out is not considered to be
showing off.
Custom Prior to Mishnah Berurah’s
Times
It seems that prior to the printing of the
Mishnah Berurah, the custom of most
people was to tuck in their tzitzis. However,
when the Mishnah Berurah wrote what he
did on this topic many people began to wear
their tzitzis out.
Custom of the Sefardim
The custom of the Sefardim is to wear the
tallis kattan under one’s shirt and to cover
the tzitzis as well by placing them in one’s
pants. Although the Shulchan Aruch says
to wear the garment on top, the Arizal
maintains otherwise and this is the practice
of the Sefardim. A Sefardi who wishes to
put his tzitzis out should be frowned upon,
as this indicates that those who follow the
Sefardic custom are not correct. If a Sefardi
is learning in an Ashkenazi yeshivah he may
continue his custom of keeping his tzitzis
in even if the yeshivah boys wear them out.
However, if he feels that by keeping his
tzitzis in he will be looked down upon since
he is in an Ashkenazi yeshivah, then he may
also wear them out. A baal teshuvah should
keep his tzitzis out so they can help him
strengthen his Yiddishkeit.
Leniencies
Some suggest that the fact that we live
among non-Jews may be a leniency for not
keeping tzitzis out of pants. Others say one
should not rely on this unless he knows he
will be belittled. Others say not keeping
tzitzis out is not a lack in the performance of
the mitzvah. Some have the practice to wrap
the tzitzis around the belt so the strings don’t
dangle on the sides of the pants.
Custom of Ashkenazim
As mentioned earlier, the custom of many
people from Ashkenazic descent is, in fact,
to wear the tzitzis out. There is no concern
of showing off that one is doing so. This is
especially common among people learning
in yeshivah. However, the custom of many
Chassidim is not to wear the tzitzis out.
According to those who maintain one should
wear the tzitzis out, this is halachah and not
merely a “yeshivish” thing to do. This is
also the custom of Lubavitch, even though
the Shulchan Aruch says one should wear
the tallis gadol over one’s garment while the

Arizal says it should be worn under one’s
garment. Some question the practice of the
Chassidim who wear their tallis kattan over
their shirt, which is not like the practice of
the Arizal, while Ashkenazim wear it under
their shirt like the Arizal. Some suggest that
since Chassidim usually wear a frak, or
overcoat, and tzitzis underneath that, it is
considered as if they are wearing the tallis
kattan under the garment. There are also
Chassidim who, even when wearing a frak,
want to follow the words of the poskim who
say that the tzitzis should be seen. They
therefore make their tzitzis longer so they
hang out of the frak and can be seen.
Seeing the Tzitzis
As mentioned above, there are many poskim
who maintain that one does not wear his
tzitzis out. However, if this is true, how
do these poskim fulfill the passuk of “one
should see the tzitzis”? This can be explained
as follows: Is the fact that one has to see
the tzitzis part and parcel of the mitzvah,
or it is just an outcome of the mitzvah but
not connected and intertwined with the
mitzvah? These two different aspects can
explain the varying customs of how tzitzis
should be worn. According to the Arizal,
seeing the tzitzis is not part of the mitzvah
itself but is an outcome. Therefore, one does
not have to wear the tzitzis out. However,
the poskim who say the tzitzis should be
worn out hold that this is part of the mitzvah
of tzitzis itself.
Walking into a Cemetery with a Tallis
It is forbidden to enter a cemetery if one’s
tzitzis are revealed. However, if they are
covered then entering is permitted. This iXs
based on the concept of lo’eg l’rosh, since
a dead person can’t perform the mitzvah.
Therefore, one may not enter a cemetery
with a tallis if he is not wearing a coat that
covers both the tallis and the tzitzis. One
may not walk into a cemetery while wearing
tefillin unless the tefillin batim are covered.
The tefillin straps must also be covered.
Some poskim say that if one is going to
daven at a kever, the custom is to be lenient
and permit one to wear tallis and tefillin.
One would have to cover the tzitzis when
visiting a child’s grave, but not a woman’s
grave.