Can a Woman Wear Tzitzit or a Talit?

What we wear matters. The Torah makes this clear in a number of places, notably giving a great deal of devotion to the garments of the priests in the book of Vayikra. But other references to our clothing are apparent throughout Torah too, such as Adam and Eve covering themselves with leaves and the mitzvah of tzitzit. 

The mitzvah of tzitzit is a positive time bound mitzvah (it is so because there is no mitzva to wear tzitzit at night), in which Bnei Yisrael are commanded to attach fringes to the corners of their four cornered garments. The fringes are supposed to be a reminder of Hashem’s presence and help to prevent us from coming to sin. As it is a positive time bound mitzva, women are exempt from it. 

As in our earlier discussion on Tefilin, we mentioned that there are 14 mitzvot from which women are exempt. With most of them women can keep them if they so wish to and according to Ashkenazi tradition we even make a blessing. However, we saw with tefillin that our rabbis have actually discouraged women from keeping this mitzvah. Tzitzit and tallit are, as tefillin, religious garments that we associate with prayer and as ‘male’ religious articles. Does the same discouragement apply to tzitzit and if so, what are the reasons?

We will see throughout this discussion a certain ambivalence to the issue by both Rishonim and Acharonim, who, while not going so far as to expressly forbid the performance of the mitzvah, show a strong reluctance toward allowing it, and indeed give their rulings with conditions. 

Arrogance 

Today, four cornered garments are out of fashion and men make a special effort to wear tzitzit. The tallit worn during prayers and the tallit katan (tzitzit) worn under one’s clothing are specially purchased in order to keep this mitzvah. 

The Rema¹ and other Rishonim² did not allow women to wear tzitzit as it was considered to be an act of spiritual haughtiness, or in the words of the Yam Shel Shlomo, ‘taking excessive pride’³ in one’s observance of mitzvot. Because it is not common for women to wear tzitzit or a talit, and because tzitzit need to be specially acquired (as we no longer have four cornered garments), a woman choosing to buy and wear them would be guilty of ‘showing off’ in her spiritual endeavors. 

Most poskim agree that the issue of yuhara applies only in public, therefore a woman would be permitted to wrap herself in a tallit at home in private or wear tzitzit that are not visible under her clothing. If no one else knows about her performance of the mitzvah, we can assume that her motivations stem from seeking an additional avenue to connect with Hashem.

The Sages are very clear that the act of yuharah in this and in any mitzvah is a trait to be avoided. Indeed, the Rambam lists arrogance as a trait which we must not even have a little of in contradiction to his preferred method of the ‘middle path’⁴. Rabbi Sacks said: “Arrogance diminishes others, and therefore diminishes us”⁵. In the case of tzitzit we see how one can come to use even mitzvot to diminish others and raise themselves, thereby diminishing the mitzvah and serving themselves rather than serving Hashem.

Social Statements

Another concern that accompanies women wearing tzitzit is the modern day consideration of its social implications. Today, a woman wrapping herself in a tallit is, if not synonymous, certainly strongly affiliated, with the Conservative and Reform movements. This forms a central element of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s approach to the matter, and he advised against the public wearing of a tallit. Rav Feinstein also held that if a woman were to wear tzitzit they would need to be different to those of a man so as not to commit the sin of ‘kli gever’(men’s apparel),such as a different color and more distinctly feminine⁶. That tzitzit might be kli gever was suggested by some Rishonim, such as the Maharil, though most do not agree. 

One should not object to a woman whose intentions are for God’s sake and who wraps herself publicly in tzitzit, for she has authorities upon whom to rely. However, one should object to women… who specifically wear a tallit publicly in order to express their opposition to halakhic tradition…

Other modern day poskim such as Rav Yaakov Ariel, Rav Lichteinstein and Rav Melamed, allow today for the wearing of non visible tzitzit, as well as a tallit in private. Yet while there is allowance for it in their rulings, one cannot claim that they advocate for it. In their psika, there is a recognition of space for a truly motivated woman’s yearning, but also a strong recognition of the complexities of the matter. Rav Melamed writes: 

“Therefore, in my opinion, a woman who wants to wrap herself in tzitzit for God’s sake may do so in private. There is no concern for arrogance, and it is not an expression of resentment against halakha and the tradition… One should not object to a woman whose intentions are for God’s sake and who wraps herself publicly in tzitzit, for she has authorities upon whom to rely. However, one should object to women… who specifically wear a tallit publicly in order to express their opposition to halakhic tradition.”⁷

Rav Lichtenistein and Rav Melamed both mention the intriguing idea that if more women did start to wear tzitzit, it could over time, become a normative expression of dedication to Hashem by women, and thus take away the issue of yuhara and the affiliation of women keeping this mitzvah with non-Orthodox streams⁸. However, even as other mitzvot have become very mainstream (such as lulav and etrog for example), this one has not. In their discussion on this matter, some have asked why it is that greater numbers of righteous women have not taken on this mitzvah throughout the generations. One suggestion is that “the lack of interest most likely reflects deference to tradition, and to the mainstream halachic opinions discouraging women from wearing tzitzit.”⁹ 

Our discussion on tzitzit brings to the fore what power of expression in what we wear. Wearing of tzitzit or the wrapping of tallit by women may be a sign of strong dedication to Hashem, but only when they are worn unseen, only when we are sure that we have reached a level of excellence in observance of the mitzvot commanded to us. When paraded, these garments run the risk of us dressing in a spiritually inappropriate way and of using religiosity as a means of political expression. If the purpose of tzitzit is to remind us of the presence of Hashem, we should surely take extra care to be certain that our use of them does not detract from our service of Hashem. 

1. Rema, Orech Chaim, 17:2 ↩︎
2. For a full discussion of the various sources see: tzitzit II: Yuhara • Deracheha  ↩︎
3. Responsa Shevut Ya’akov II:44 ↩︎
4. Rambam, Hilchos Deot, Chapter 2, Law 3 ↩︎
5. Radical Then, Radical Now, p. 205 ↩︎
6. Iggerot Moshe O.C. IV:49 ↩︎
7. Peninei Halacha Likutim 1:8:8 ↩︎
8. https://www.deracheha.org/tzitzit-2-yuhara/
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9. https://www.deracheha.org/tzitzit-2-yuhara/
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