Can a gentile make a tallit?

Question

I am in an interfaith marriage, and I have a small business making and selling kippot. I have a client who has asked me to make a matching tallit for an upcoming special event. My understanding is that a tallit is a more significant religious item. I believe a tallis is different, because you say a blessing(ish?) when you tie the tzitzit. Also a kippah is a head covering and not inherently special.

I am certainly, technically able to make one, but I am uncertain as to whether my doing so would be problematic, as I am not Jewish. According to halacha can a gentile make one with tzitzit? If not, can a gentile make one without tzitzit and have a Jew attach them?

Answer 1

In Shulchan Aruch O"C 14:1 it says:

ציצית שעשאן אינו יהודי פסול, דכתיב: "דבר אל בני ישראל", לאפוקי אינו יהודי

Tzitzis that a non-Jew made are invalid, for it says, "Speak to the Children of Israel (Num. 15:38)" to exclude a non-Jew.

And the Mishnah Berurah there:

...שעשאן — פי' שהטילן בבגד פסול אפילו בישראל עומד על גבו ומלמדהו לעשות לשמה

that made - meaning: that tied them to the clothes - are invalid, even if a Jew stands over him and teaches him to do it for the sake [of the commandment]...

So it is permitted for a non-Jew to make the cloth, but attaching the strings would render it invalid.