(Devarim 22:12) "Fringes shall you make for yourself": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Bamidbar 15:38) "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith," I might think that one strand by itself suffices; it is, therefore, written "gedilim" (fringes). How many fringes? Not fewer than three, three fingers long, as per Beth Hilell. Beth Shammai say: Three strands of white and a fourth of tcheleth (purple-blue), four fingers long. "gedilim" are white. Whence do I derive that I add a fourth of tcheleth? From (Ibid.) "and they shall put on the tzitzith of the corner a thread of tcheleth."
The halachah is in accordance with Beth Shammai. When is this so? (that a length of three or four fingers is required)? Ab initio (i.e., when the tzitzith are first inserted), but its remnants and lopped off (threads) may be of any (length).
("on the four corners of your garment": to exclude a garment of three, five, six, seven, or eight corners. Variantly: "gedilim" are white. Whence do I derive that I add a fourth of tcheleth? From (Ibid.) "and they shall put on the tzitzith of the corner a thread of tcheleth.")
(Devarim, Ibid.) "shall you make": and not from what is already made. He may not take threads from the garment and make tzitzith of them. "on the four corners of your garment": to exclude a garment of three, five, six, seven, or eight corners. "corners" to exclude yaga, tichla, tavletikim, takarkim, sadasim, and laburdisim, which are not squared.
R. Elliezer b. Yaakov says: Whence is it derived that one should not place tzitzith in the middle of the garment, but on the edge? From "on the four corners of your garment."
(דברים כב יב) גְּדִלִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ, לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו לח) ״וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִית״, שׁוֹמֵעַ אֲנִי: יַעֲשֶׂה חוּט אֶחָד בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: גְּדִלִים.
(Devarim 22:12) "Fringes shall you make for yourself": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Bamidbar 15:38) "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith," I might think that one strand by itself suffices; it is, therefore, written "gedilim" (fringes). How many fringes? Not fewer than three, three fingers long, as per Beth Hilell. Beth Shammai say: Three strands of white and a fourth of tcheleth (purple-blue), four fingers long. "gedilim" are white. Whence do I derive that I add a fourth of tcheleth? From (Ibid.) "and they shall put on the tzitzith of the corner a thread of tcheleth."
כַּמָּה גְדִלִים נַעֲשִׂים? אֵין פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה חוּטִים, כְּדִבְרֵי בֵית הִלֵּל. בֵּית שַׁמַּיי אוֹמְרִים: מֵאַרְבָּעָה חוּטִים שֶׁל תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְבָּעָה חוּטִים שֶׁל לָבָן, שֶׁל אַרְבַּע אַרְבַּע אֶצְבָּעוֹת.
The halachah is in accordance with Beth Shammai. When is this so? (that a length of three or four fingers is required)? Ab initio (i.e., when the tzitzith are first inserted), but its remnants and lopped off (threads) may be of any (length).
וַהֲלָכָה כְּדִבְרֵי בֵּית שַׁמַּיי. בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בַּתְּחִלָּה; אֲבָל בִּשְׁיָרֶיהָ וּבְגַרְדוּמֶּיהָ – כָּל שֶׁהוּא.
("on the four corners of your garment": to exclude a garment of three, five, six, seven, or eight corners. Variantly: "gedilim" are white. Whence do I derive that I add a fourth of tcheleth? From (Ibid.) "and they shall put on the tzitzith of the corner a thread of tcheleth.")
עַל אַרְבַּע – יָצְאוּ בַּעֲלֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה וּבַעֲלֵי חָמֵשׁ וּבַעַל שֵׁשׁ וּבַעַל שֶׁבַע וּבַעֲלֵי שְׁמוֹנֶה. דָּבָר אַחֵר: גְּדִלִים תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ – זֶה לָבָן. מִנַּיִן לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַתְּכֵלֶת? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (במדבר טו לח): ״וְנָתְנוּ עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת״.
(Devarim, Ibid.) "shall you make": and not from what is already made. He may not take threads from the garment and make tzitzith of them. "on the four corners of your garment": to exclude a garment of three, five, six, seven, or eight corners. "corners" to exclude yaga, tichla, tavletikim, takarkim, sadasim, and laburdisim, which are not squared.
תַּעֲשֶׂה – וְלֹא מִן הֶעָשׂוּי, שֶׁלֹּא יוֹצִיא נִימִים מִן הַטַּלִּית וְיַעֲשֶׂה. עַל אַרְבַּע – וְלֹא עַל שְׁמוֹנֶה. כְּסוּתְךָ – פְּרָט לְטָגָא, וּלְתוֹבְלָא, וּלְתִיבְלָטִירִים, לְתַקְרָקִים לְבוּרְסִים לְבוּרְדְּסִים, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינָם מְרֻבָּעִים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן עַל אֶמְצַע בֶּגֶד, אֶלָּא עַל שְׂפָתוֹ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: עַל אַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת.
R. Elliezer b. Yaakov says: Whence is it derived that one should not place tzitzith in the middle of the garment, but on the edge? From "on the four corners of your garment."
כְּסוּתְךָ – פְּרָט לְכַר; כְּסוּתְךָ – פְּרָט לְסָדִין. תְּכַסֶּה – פְּרָט לְסָגוֹס.
"your garment": to exclude a head-scarf.
בָּהּ – פְּרָט לְמַעֲפוֹרֶת שֶׁלֹּא תְכַסֶּה רֹאשׁוֹ וְרוּבּוֹ.
"wherewith you cover yourself": to exclude a duster, which does not cover his head and most of his body.