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It has been mentioned previously that Sephardic custom, according to R. Ovadia, is to wear the tzitziot from a talit katan inside rather than exposed.

Can someone provide an explanation for this custom. I've only heard that it was due to "kabbalistic" reasons, and would like to learn more about it.

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Aryeh
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  • Related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/11798/dangling-tzitzit, http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/1797/wearing-your-tzitzis-out, – Avrohom Yitzchok Jun 06 '13 at 15:03
  • kol kevodo bas melech pnima. read this somewhere in the poskim as the reason for the sefardi minhag – ray Jun 09 '13 at 20:12
  • @good_ole_ray: Isn't that about women (usually applied for tzniut explanations)? – Aryeh Jun 10 '13 at 06:06
  • perhaps the soul is also bat melech. we can see klal yisrael was like a kalla at sinai. so it applies to everyone. – ray Jun 10 '13 at 09:20
  • @Aryeh the chovos halevavos gate 8 draws a comparison of the soul to a woman http://www.dafyomireview.com/article.php?docid=391#ch3_29 in one of his "cheshbon hanefeshs" – ray Jun 11 '13 at 18:08
  • Have you tried R' Aryeh Kaplan's book? – Shalom Jun 12 '13 at 15:05
  • The Yaskil Avdi gives a Kabbalistic reason if anyone is interested. However, Hacham Yaakov Hilel Shalit"a debunks his reason therfor disagreeing with his Pesak. – Hacham Gabriel Jun 12 '13 at 18:37
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    @Shalom: R. Kaplan's book does not discuss why Sephardim tuck in their tzitzit. He only cites Mahari Bruna (as Ofer Livnat writes in his answer), that tzitzit may be worn completely under one's clothing. – Aryeh Jun 13 '13 at 16:50
  • @Aryeh okay thanks. But yes I'd heard from Rabbi Welcher of Queens that there's more kabbalistic significance to having them tucked in, I'm curious too what's that about. (Though kabbala's not really my thing.) – Shalom Jun 13 '13 at 17:03
  • @Shalom you're initersted in the Kabalistic signifigance? If so, I can write you an answer. – Hacham Gabriel Jun 16 '13 at 05:18

2 Answers2

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Yaskil Avdi (vol. 8 Orah Haim 2) writes that the reason the Sisit should be under the Begadim is because the Arizal writes that the Talit Katan is בחינת זעיר אנפין בהיותו בעיבור (represents a fetus in its mother's womb) and the Talit Gadol is כנגד זמן לדתו והגדלתו (represents the time of its birth and growing up) and therefore the Sisit Katan musn't be seen out at all like a baby in his mother's womb.

I'll explain as simply as possible: when something is in his mother's womb it is concealed and that's what Talit Katan represents therefore the Sisit Katan must be concealed. However, the Talit Gadol is like when it is born and it is raised therefore the Talit Gadol must be exposed.

Seth J
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Hacham Gabriel
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See the responsa of the Mahari Bruna (Rabbi in Germany in the 15th century) siman 96 who seems to write that it is considered haughtiness to wear the tzitzit exposed. This is one of the reasons many Ashkenazim also do not wear their tzitzit exposed.

Ofer Livnat
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    I don't think this directly answers the question because 1) this is an Ashkenazic teshuva, who despite having a huge influence on the Rema does not seem to have directly impacted Sephardic minhag, and 2) R. Ovadia discounts arrogance as a reason for tucking in tzitzit. – Aryeh Jun 13 '13 at 16:55
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    I don't see why this should be a Sephardim versus Ashkenazim issue. The reasons for tucking or not tucking are valid both for Ashkenazim and Sephardim. – Ofer Livnat Jun 15 '13 at 21:34