The commandment of Tzitzis is valued like all of the other commandments in the Torah put together, and this is an entrance of hope for a person to perfect the two hundred and forty-eight limbs and three hundred and sixty-five sinews of his soul, spirit and elevated soul, as since nowadays we cannot fulfil all of the six hundred and thirteen commandments, when one fulfils the commandment of Tzitzis it is as though one has fulfilled all of the six hundred and thirteen commandments. However, in order to achieve this, one must have that express intention, and it is therefore a good thing to say the following prayer prior to putting on the Tzitzis every day: “May it be Your will, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our fathers that You should accept with mercy and willingness the commandment of Tzitzis which we are fulfilling and consider it as if we have fulfilled it with all of its details, achievements and minutiae, and as if we have fulfilled all of the six hundred and thirteen commandments which are dependent on it.”
It follows that we must be extra careful to always wear a pair of Tzitzis (Tallis Katan) and when wearing this pair and the big Tallis (Tallis Gadol) for prayer to make sure that they are always valid in all their laws and regulations as if he is not careful the result is that he has not fulfilled the commandment and it would have been better that he would not wear this garment at all as when putting on a garment with four corners which is invalid, he has committed a sin in that he has made a wasted blessing and worn a four-cornered garment without Tzitzis.
One must also be very careful to fulfil the obligation called “this is my G-d and I will make (things) nice for Him by making sure the garment upon which one hangs the Tzitzis is a nice one, as if one is wearing nice clothes but the garment for the Tzitzis is worn out and torn, he will be embarrassed in this world and shamed in the next “and there will be much shame and anger”.
One must make sure to make the garment for the Tzitzis (whether it will be used for a Tallis Gadol or a Tallis Katan) from sheep wool and not from other materials as when it is made from another material he is only fulfilling a rabbinical commandment (N.B. this is the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch, whereas the Rema maintains that one fulfils a Biblical commandment with any material), and it is comparable to one who could gain one thousand gold coins but makes do with five hundred.
It is correct to educate one’s small children to fulfil this commandment in that they should always have a pair of Tzitzis under their clothes and by doing this they will acquire holiness and it will help them for Torah and service of Hashem.
