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The following pages describe, in detail, the
necessary steps to tie tzitzit according to the Radzyner tradition. This method consists of making 5
double knots, in between which there are four groups of winds. The groups are made of 7 winds, 8
winds, 11 winds, 13 winds, respectively. The winds consist of making a single
wind loop, a double wind loop or a triple wind loop, in various sequences as
follows:
Group 1 – (7 winds): 1 white loop; 2 blue loop; 3
blue loop; 1 blue loop.
Group 2 – (8 winds): 2 blue loop; 3 blue loop; 3
blue loop.
Group 3 – (11 winds): 3 blue loop; 3 blue
loop; 3 blue loop; 2 blue loop.
Group
4 – (13 winds): 1 blue loop; 3 blue loop; 3 blue loop; 3 blue loop; 2
blue loop; 1 white loop.
The photographs below show each of the
various winds, while completing the first grouping of 7 winds. The remaining three groupings are
done using the same techniques but in the order as delineated above for each
“Group”.
The description begins assuming that the tier
has placed the four strings into the corner hole, folded them over evenly,
and tied them with a double knot.
Click on any picture to view it enlarged.
General Glossary
Finger names: thumb, index, middle, ring,
little.
Shamash: primary winding strand
Chulya: triplet winding
Special thanks to my wife Deena for the photography
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THE SINGLE WHITE LOOP
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1
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Take
hold of the white shamash with the right thumb and index finger. Hold the remaining seven strings
(“core”) in the left hand, keeping the left thumb extended rightward.
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2
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Wrap
the white shamash around the extended left thumb (going under and over it);
guiding it over the top of the core strings – thus creating a “triangle”.
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3
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Wrap
the white shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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4
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Pull
the white shamash tight and upward to bring it close to the end of the
initial double knot.
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5
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Pull
down on the white shamash downward, placing it along with the rest of the
strings.
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THE DOUBLE BLUE LOOP
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6
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Take
hold of the blue shamash with the right thumb and index finger. Hold the remaining seven strings
(“core”) in the left hand, keeping the left thumb extended rightward.
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7
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Wrap
the blue shamash around the extended left thumb (going under and over it);
guiding it over the top of the core strings – thus creating a “triangle”.
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8
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Wrap
the blue shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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9
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Guide
the blue shamash leftward to wrap around the core once again.
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10
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Pull
the blue shamash tight and upward to bring it close to the end previous
looping.
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11
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Grasp
the end of the blue shamash with the right little finger (“pinky”); and take
hold of the first wrap of the shamash with the right thumb and index finger.
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12
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Pull
the first wrap tight by using the right index finger as a lever to pull it
tight (all the while releasing the part of the shamash held in place by the
left thumb).
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13
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Pull
the blue shamash tight using the right thumb and index finger; pulling upward
and guiding the wraps up with the left thumb and index finger.
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14
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Continue
to push the wraps upward with the left hand while pulling the blue shamash
tight with the right hand (all the while insuring that wraps stay in order –
which may require slight readjusting).
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15
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Pull
down on the blue shamash downward, placing it along with the rest of the
strings.
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THE TRIPLE BLUE LOOP
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16
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Take
hold of the blue shamash with the right thumb and index finger. Hold the remaining seven strings
(“core”) in the left hand, keeping the left thumb extended rightward.
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17
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Wrap
the blue shamash around the extended left thumb (going under and over it);
guiding it over the top of the core strings – thus creating a “triangle”.
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18
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Wrap
the blue shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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19
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Guide
the blue shamash leftward to wrap around the core once again.
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20
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Wrap
the blue shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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21
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Guide
the blue shamash leftward to wrap around the core once again.
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22
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Wrap
the blue shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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23
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Grasp
the end of the blue shamash with the right little finger (“pinky”); and take
hold of the first wrap of the shamash with the right thumb and index finger.
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24
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Pull
the first wrap tight by using the right index finger as a lever to pull it
tight (all the while releasing the part of the shamash held in place by the
left thumb).
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25
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Pull
the blue shamash tight using the right thumb and index finger; pulling upward
and guiding the wraps up with the left thumb and index finger.
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26
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Pull
down on the blue shamash downward, placing it along with the rest of the
strings.
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THE SINGLE BLUE LOOP
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27
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Take
hold of the blue shamash with the right thumb and index finger. Hold the remaining seven strings
(“core”) in the left hand, keeping the left thumb extended rightward.
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28
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Wrap
the blue shamash around the extended left thumb (going under and over it); guiding
it over the top of the core strings – thus creating a “triangle”.
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29
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Wrap
the blue shamash under the core and pull it through the “triangle”.
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30
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Pull
the blue shamash tight and upward to bring it close to the end of the initial
double knot; and then pull downward placing the shamash along with the other
strings.
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THE DOUBLE KNOT
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31
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Take
hold of four of the strings in the right hand and four of the strings in the
left hand.
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32
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With
the left index and middle fingers extended rightward, use the left thumb to
hold the four left hand strings over the left index and middle fingers and
with the right hand, bring the four right hand strings under the left index
and middle fingers.
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33
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Turn
the left index and middle fingers downward, thus creating a triangle. (The
four right-hand strings are now crossing the four left-hand strings under the
left index and middle fingers).
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34
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Place
the four right-hand strings downward into the triangle.
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35
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With
the left hand take hold of the four left-hand strings and with the right hand
take hold of the four right hand strings.
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36
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Pull
the strings tight (right hand pulls towards the right, left hand pulls toward
the left). Do NOT pull too
tightly into the windings as this will cause the completed tzitzit to not lay
straight.
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37
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Same
as 31.
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38
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Same
as 32.
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39
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