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I was recently wondering if I am saying the bracha on my tallit katan at the right time (I'm not married and don't wear a tallit gadol). When should the bracha on the tallit katan be said? Before it is put on? After you are fully dressed? At the beginning of davening?

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  • Do you have any reason to suspect the bracha isn't recited just prior to performing the mitzva, as is the general rule with nearly all birkot hamitza?
    – Double AA
    Jun 2, 2013 at 17:40
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    @double aa, you are presupposing knowledge on the part of the asker. Do you have some reason to assume Sean knows this Halachic standard?
    – Seth J
    Jun 3, 2013 at 0:12
  • @SethJ 2 answers: a) Yes. I assume he says other brachot often enough, and (being male) doesn't go to the mikva that often. b) No, but it's ok for him to answer my question in the negative and it doesn't hurt to ask but might help.
    – Double AA
    Jun 3, 2013 at 0:16

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The blessing is said immediately before putting on the Talit Katan. Code of Jewish Law Siman 9:8:

Regarding all mitzvos, one recites the blessing upon the mitzvah preceding its performance. This means that the blessing should be made prior to carrying out the mitzvah and immediately after one recites the blessing, one must do the mitzvah, without any interruption at all.

In a case where one puts it on when he can't recite the blessing (at night, or his hands are unclean), he says the blessing when he can. Code of Jewish Law Siman 9:9:

If he dons the Talit Katan at a time when he cannot recite the blessing on it, then afterward, when it is day and his hands are clean, he should take the tzitzis strings in hand and recite the blessing.

Also one should put on the Talit Katan and say the blessing only when he's not naked. Code of Jewish Law Siman 5:17:

If one's heart can "see" his own ervah (private parts), even if the ervah is covered as when he is wearing an unbelted robe, it is forbidden for him to recite any sacred texts. Rather, he must wear pants that are snug or a belt around his waist or but his arms on the robe across his body so as to separate between his heart and his ervah.

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  • There are some exceptions to the general rule from your first source O.C. 9:8 (that all berachot are said preceding the mitzvah) . What about netilat yadayim, where the ma'aseh comes before the beracha? Or lighting shabbat/chanukah candles? Jun 3, 2013 at 2:16
  • @EiluV'Eilu Who says a bracha after lighting chanukah candles? And not everyone says the bracha after lighting shabbat candles or washing their hands, but even those who do are careful to keep a part of the mitzva-action until after the bracha.
    – Double AA
    Jun 3, 2013 at 5:46
  • @eilu-v'eilu I forgot which brochoth are to be said after the action but I know for sure brochoth of the bathroom new moon n rainbow are said afterwards. Yodoyeem n lighting neir of shabboth n hhanuko are before Jun 3, 2013 at 18:18
  • @Aaliyah is it ok to say the bracha on tzitzit while wearing pants but no shirt?
    – Sean
    Jun 3, 2013 at 19:21
  • @Sean The wording seems to imply that you can. I'm not sure if there's a source, but I have the feeling like it would be preferable to have an undershirt on first anyways.
    – Aaliyah
    Jun 4, 2013 at 23:30

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