Boys Tying Tzitzis

Question: A local organisation is asking for volunteers to tie tzitzis for Israeli soldiers. Are boys under bar-mitzva allowed to tie them?

Answer: The Gemara (Gittin 45b) teaches that sefer torah, tefillin and mezuzos must only be written by an adult male. Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 39:1) writes that tefillin written by a woman or child are not kosher. The Mishna Berura (39:8) writes that this applies even if an adult was supervising the child and ensuring that he wrote it leshem mitzva.

Tosafos (Gittin 45b) quotes Rabbeinu Tam who extends this to binding a lulav and tying tzitzis, too. Nonetheless, Tosafos disagrees, writing that women may tie tzitzis. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 14:1) writes that women may tie tzitzis. Nonetheless, the Rema writes that ideally, tzitzis should be tied by men. The Magen Avraham (14:3) writes that this restriction applies equally to boys under the age of bar-mitzva (see Ksav Sofer OC 1).

Following this, the Mishna Berura (14:4; Biur Halacha 14:1) writes that ideally, tzitzis should only be made by adults. However, he quotes the Malbim (Artzos Hachaim 14:1) who allows boys to tie tzitzis so long as an adult is supervising him and ensuring that he tied them leshem mitzva.

Likewise, the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 14:7), Ben Ish Chai (Lech Lecha 1:2) and Kaf Hachaim (OC 14:4) write that lechatchila only men over the age of bar-mitzva should tie tzitzis (see Shulchan Aruch Harav OC 14:2).

However, the Elya Rabba (OC 14:1) writes that while a kuti cannot tie tzitzis, that only applies to the first knot and chulyos - set of windings. Accordingly, there would be no issue for a child to complete the rest of the wrapping and tying.

In conclusion, an adult should insert the strings and tie the first knot and chulyos, whereupon a child may take over.