Q&A: Fulfilling Conditional Positive Commandments
Fulfilling Conditional Positive Commandments
Question
Hello Rabbi,
In the latest lesson on innovation, conservatism, and tradition (14), you spoke about how there is no reason to fulfill commandments like giving the foreleg, cheeks, and stomach, or redeeming a firstborn donkey, in a situation where a person is not obligated in them. But on the other hand, I seem to remember that you said there is value in fulfilling the commandment of tzitzit nowadays, even though it too is a conditional positive commandment. What is the distinction between them?
Best regards,
Answer
I don’t think I said that regarding tzitzit. In my opinion, Tosafot are correct in writing that at a time of wrath there is a claim against someone who does not put on tzitzit only in a place where it is customary to wear a four-cornered garment and he does not wear one in order to evade the commandment. But someone who does not wear a four-cornered garment has no claim against him at all. Of course, if someone wants to pursue the commandment, good for him. But there is no special value in this as opposed to any other commandment he could perform at that same time.