• Home
• FAQs
• Tzitzit FAQ

Tzitzit FAQ

Which tzitzit should I choose?
See our Tzitzit Wizard.

I'm Sephardic. Can you tie tzitzit according to the Sephardic tzitzit tying custom?
Yes, of course. On all of the tallits we offer you will see three options for Sephardic tzitzit tying: Sephardic 10-5-6-5, Sephardic 7-8-11-13 and Ben Ish Chai.

What other tzitzit tying options are available for all-white strings?
Chabad, Breslov and Yemenite/Rambam. Also, Slonim/Belz/Gur tying by special request.

Can you tie techelet (blue tzitzit) on the tallits you sell?
We are a Ptil Tekhelet authorized dealer. (We also sell Cuttlefish/Radzyn Techelet strings.) Techelet tzitzit are costly, but our prices are very competitive. We're set up to tie techelet tzitzit according to a dozen different tying customs. Refer to our Tzitzit Wizard for details.

Is the Radzyn Techelet made using the authentic techelet dye required by the Torah?
In all likelihood, no.

Is the Ptil Tekhelet made using the authentic techelet dye required by the Torah?
Probably. There has been stiff debate on that question for years. If you would like to investigate the matter, start reading here.

Ben, tell me, do you use Ptil Tekhelet yourself?
That's a touchy question. I'm too bashful to answer that online. If you really must know, contact me.

I'm Ashkenazi. Which techelet tying method do you recommend?
The Ptil Tekhelet Association recommends Vilna Gaon or Sefer HaChinuch. Some Ashkenazim choose to go with the Rambam or Arizal/Chabad. Ask a qualified rabbi.

I'm Sephardic. Which techelet tying method do you recommend?
The Ptil Tekhelet Association recommends Rambam. Ask a qualified rabbi.

Are all your tzitzit kosher?
Absolutely! After all, the tzitzit are really the raison d'être of the tallit. All of the tzitzit we tie on the tallits and tallit katan garments we sell are tied by trained Orthodox men under supervision. Be advised that the "tied by manufacture" option means the tying will invariably be a bit sloppy, and it's impossible to know the "ehrlichkeit" of whoever did the tying.

I have a tallit already, but I need the tzitzit replaced (or changed to Sephardic tying, Yemenite tying, Chabad tying, techelet tzitzit, etc.). Do you offer this service?
Yes, we do. It costs the price of shipping both ways + the tzitzit strings + the tying fee. But there are three problems: One, the price of shipping from the U.S. to Israel can be prohibitive ($30 and up) compared to shipping from Israel to the U.S. Two, the process is likely to take several weeks. And three, in the past overly zealous Israel Customs officials have charged us duties to receive a tallit. (The third issue can probably be overcome if the package is correctly marked and shipped. Contact us for details.)
If you would like to switch to Chabad tzitzit, I recommend you try to contact a local Chabad representative who can point you in the right direction.
If you want to tie on Ptil Tekhelet tzitzit, you might try the Ptil Tekhelet Association tying bureau. But be aware that the list may not be entirely up-to-date and the tie-ers listed are staunch proponents of Ptil Tekhelet who would be peeved if you send them Radzyn techelet.

Would it be possible for me to tie the tzitzit myself?
Yes, of course you can tie the tzitzit strings yourself. You'll see an "I don't need tying" option on most product pages.
I strongly encourage my customers to do so, because it's considered preferable to do a mitzvah yourself and because it teaches you about the mechanics behind the tzitzit and heightens your awareness of the mitzvah.

Do you offer knotting with kesher shel kayama?
Some tzitzit sellers use the term Kesher Shel Kayama, but in fact they are merely adding a drop of glue inside the final knot. Another way to make the knot more permanent is to make the final knot good and snug, then open the hot water tap in the sink to a thin stream and run the water on the knot for five or ten seconds. Once it dries the knot will stay put quite well.