Question:
Kvod HaRav, I am a non-Jew, I bought a Tallith to don at home while studying, praying, etc as a voluntarily practice. I do plan to convert in the future but as of right now, I have no sponsoring rabbi. Today I was reading the Shulchan Aruch and later the Mishneh Berurah where I found that it’s forbidden to sell a טלית עם ציצית to a עכו”ם, because he might use it to pay a זונה. “.והזונה אומרת “זה מבן ישראל (may Hashem forbid it.) And the Shulchan Aruch also says that if one buys from an עכו”ם who is not a merchant the garment is פסול (I’m sure the Rabbi knows all these halachot I am simply aiming to frame my question). My questions are: Did I cause the merchant who sold me the tallith to sin (he did not know I am a non-jew), and also if it is permissible for me to continue using the same garment after I convert speedily, Bezrath Hashem, even though it was owned by a non-jew (me). And generally, what, if anything, I have to do now. I did see a relevant answer here that said a non-jew can wear tzitzith but I was still curious if I made an error in the purchasing. I thank the Rabbanim.
Answer:
Hello,
In retrospect, you are correct, the merchant should not have sold it to you, but right now what was done is done. The only thing I would say for you to do at this point regarding this, is that if you also bought Tefillin, you should not wear them until after you have completed your conversion. The tzitzits however may be worn. After you have completed the conversion, you do not have to buy new ones, and the ones you have are fine to use. They would not be considered bought from a gentile, as the reason the tzitzis are posul when bought from a gentile is because they weren’t made properly, which would not apply to you in your instance, since you bought them from Jew (if they were made properly).
Best Regards
Sources:
שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ציצית סימן כ סעיף א – ב
הלוקח טלית מצוייצת מישראל, או מתגר א”י (ואומר שלקחן מישראל נאמן) (נ”י הלכות ציצית), כשר, דכיון דתגר הוא, חזקה שלקחה מישראל, דלא מרע נפשיה. אבל אם לקח מא”י שאינו תגר, פסולה. סעיף ב אין מוכרין טלית מצוייצת לעובד כוכבים, שמא יתלווה עם ישראל בדרך, ויהרגנו. אפילו למשכן ולהפקיד טלית מצוייצת לעובד כוכבים, אסור אא”כ הוא לפי שעה, דליכא למיחש להא.
רדבז מלכים פ”י הל’ י’.
