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The Shulchan Aruch concludes OC 11:14 by recommending the practice of tying Individual strings to ensure that they don't come undone, even saying that "the custom is" such.

Yet I had never heard of such a practice before seeing this Halacha, nor have I seen anyone wearing tzitzis or talleisim tied as such, nor have I seen pre-tied tzitzis or talleisim tied as such. Do any major groups of Jews still practice this custom? Why has it fallen into such disuse, if not out of practice entirely?

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  • I have not seen it done by any Roshei Yeshiva, but I have seen individual people do this. It prevents the ends of the strings from becoming frayed.
    – ezra
    Jan 23, 2017 at 22:21
  • no source, but I remember learning somewhere that this is not as necessary these days because the strings themselves are twisted into strings from smaller strings that have been twisted together. so even if the larger strings start unraveling it is usually still considered twisted
    – Menachem
    Jan 24, 2017 at 6:33
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    I did make this and all my friends also in the past . nowadays there is a better patent to use an infime amount of epoxy glue. As Danny said nowadays the quality is better. we need no more tying strings
    – kouty
    Jan 24, 2017 at 14:38
  • Did you look at the Mishna Berura there?
    – Double AA ♦
    Jan 24, 2017 at 19:17
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    @DonielF You skipped the first part where he says עיין לעיל בס"ק י"ח מש"ש. And if you look there, he says וי"א דאדרבה יותר טוב שלא לקשור ונכון להחמיר אם הם שזורים יפה דלא שכיח שיתפרקו
    – Double AA ♦
    Jan 24, 2017 at 20:11

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I know both individuals (sefardim and chassidim) and groups of people (chassidim) who knot the strings, and I do it myself too. It is especially popular by those wearing very long tzitzis or talleisim, as the ends are much more subject to wear.

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When I grew up - about a Yovel ago - it was very popular.

But as the quality of (cheaper) Tzitzit got better it fell into disuse. Personally I stopped doing it many years ago since the knots get caught in modern furniture and the string tend to get cut - causing more damage than the slow unraveling of the strings.

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