How to Tie Tzitzit: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Commandment on Your Corners

Of all the commandments in the Torah, few are as tangible as tzitzit. Numbers 15:38-40 instructs: “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations.” The fringes are a visible, physical reminder of all God’s commandments — something you can see and touch and feel brushing against you throughout the day.

Tying tzitzit is a skill that every tallit owner should know. Whether you are attaching new fringes to a prayer shawl or replacing worn strings on a tallit katan (the undergarment with fringes worn daily), the process is the same. It requires patience and attention, but it is deeply rewarding — there is something powerful about tying the very knots that connect you to a commandment given thousands of years ago.

This guide covers the standard Ashkenazi tying method. Sephardi, Yemenite, and other communities have their own patterns, which differ in the number and grouping of the windings.

What You Need

• Four tzitzit strings per corner (available at Judaica stores or online)
• One string should be noticeably longer than the other three — this is the shamash (helper string) that will be wound around the others
• A garment with a hole reinforced at each of the four corners
• Good lighting and patience

Step-by-Step: Tying One Corner

Each of the four corners is tied identically. The entire tzitzit on one corner consists of eight hanging strands (four strings doubled), five double knots, and four sets of windings between those knots.

Step 1: Thread the strings. Take all four strings and thread them together through the hole in the corner of the garment. Pull them through until one side is longer than the other — the longer side should include the extra-long shamash string. Even the three shorter strings so they are equal on both sides. The shamash should extend much longer on one side.

Step 2: Make the first double knot. Gather all eight strands (four on each side of the hole) and tie a simple double knot — right over left, then left over right — snug against the fabric. This should sit close to the edge of the garment.

Step 3: First set of windings — 7 wraps. Take the shamash (the longest strand) and wind it around the other seven strands 7 times. Keep the windings tight and even, spiraling downward. Hold the bundle taut with one hand while winding with the other.

Step 4: Second double knot. Tie another double knot with all eight strands, locking the windings in place.

Step 5: Second set of windings — 8 wraps. Wind the shamash around the other seven strands 8 times.

Step 6: Third double knot. Tie another double knot.

Step 7: Third set of windings — 11 wraps. Wind the shamash 11 times around the other strands.

Step 8: Fourth double knot. Tie another double knot.

Step 9: Fourth set of windings — 13 wraps. Wind the shamash 13 times around the other strands.

Step 10: Fifth and final double knot. Tie the last double knot securely. Trim any uneven ends if needed, but do not cut the strings shorter than the knotted section.

The Pattern and Its Meaning

The Ashkenazi winding pattern — 7, 8, 11, 13 — is not arbitrary. Each number carries significance.

The number 7 represents the seven days of creation and the seven heavens. The number 8 represents circumcision, which occurs on the eighth day. The number 11 has the numerical value of the Hebrew letters vav (6) and hei (5), spelling part of God’s name. The number 13 equals echad (one), affirming God’s unity.

Together, the total of 39 windings equals the numerical value of “Hashem Echad” — “God is One.” Every time you look at your tzitzit, you see monotheism encoded in thread.

Sephardi Variations

Sephardi tzitzit follow a different pattern. The most common Sephardi method uses 10, 5, 6, and 5 windings, totaling 26 — the numerical value of God’s four-letter name (the Tetragrammaton). Some Sephardi traditions use a pattern of 10 and 5 and 6 and 5 windings between seven knots instead of five.

Yemenite Jews have their own distinctive tying method that includes a more complex knotting technique, sometimes incorporating blue thread (techelet).

The Blue Thread Question

The Torah commands that one thread of the tzitzit be dyed techelet — a blue color produced from a specific sea creature. For centuries, the identity of this creature was lost, and tzitzit were tied entirely in white. In recent decades, some scholars have identified the chilazon as the Murex trunculus snail, and blue-dyed tzitzit strings are now available. Whether to use them is a matter of personal practice and rabbinic guidance.

Practical Tips

Keep tension consistent while winding — too loose and the windings will unravel, too tight and they will bunch up. Practice on a piece of string around a pencil before tying your first real set. When checking used tzitzit, look for breaks in the strings at the point where they emerge from the knots — this is the most common place for wear. With care and attention, tying tzitzit becomes a meaningful practice that connects your hands to one of the Torah’s most visual commandments.