Tzitzit I: Keli Gever ציצית (א): כלי גבר

(37) And God spoke to Moshe, saying: (38) Speak to the children of Israel (benei Yisrael), and say to them to make themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put on the fringe of each corner a thread of blue (techelet). (39) And it will be for you for a fringe, that you will see it and remember all God’s commandments, and do them; and not go about after your heart and your eyes, after which you go astray; (40) So that you will remember and do all My commandments, and be holy to your God.

Twisted cords you shall make on the four corners of your covering, with which you cover yourself (asher techaseh bah).

“And you will see them and you will remember all of God’s commandments” – This mitzva is considered as weighty as all of the mitzvot together.

If a man does not wear a tallit [a garment] with four corners, he is not obligated in tzitzit. It is good and correct for every person to be careful to wear a tallit katan every day, in order that he remember the mitzva at every moment.

“God spoke to Moshe, saying speak to the children of Israel (benei Yisrael), and say to them to make themselves tzitzit.” Even women are included in the meaning [of the verse]. Rabbi Shimon exempts women from tzitzit because women are exempt from positive time-bound commandments. For this is the rule: Rabbi Shimon said, every positive time-bound commandment applies to men and not to women, to the fit and not to the unfit. Rabbi Yehuda ben Bava says the sages specifically exempted a woman’s veil from tzitzit and they only obligated the shawl, because sometimes her husband covers himself with it.

Our rabbis taught: everyone is obligated in tzitzit, priests, Levites, and Israelites, converts, women, and bondsmen. Rabbi Shimon exempts women, because it is a positive time-bound commandment, and women are exempt from all positive time-bound commandments…

Regarding women, what is Rabbi Shimon’s rationale? As it is taught: “And you shall see it,” that excludes night clothing.

For the obligation of tzitzit is in the day and not at night, as it is said, “And you shall see it”—at a time of seeing.

Rav Yehuda attached techelet to his wife’s apron… [We derive] from his attaching them that he considers tzitzit a positive commandment that is not time-bound.

Rav Amram Chasida attached techelet to his wife’s apron.

Women and bondsmen are exempt because it is a positive time-bound commandment.

And women and bondsmen who want to wrap themselves in tzitzit may wrap themselves without a blessing. And so too all other positive time-bound commandments from which women are exempt. If they want to perform it without a blessing, we do not protest [that act].

Gloss: And in any case, if they want to wrap it and recite a beracha on it, they may do so, as with other positive time-bound commandments…

A man’s article shall not be on a woman, neither shall a man wear a woman’s garment; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God.

There shall not be a cloak of tzitzit and tefillin, which are men’s articles, on a woman.

Further there is also a concern because a woman should not wear a man’s article…In [Arizal’s] Sefer Ha-kavanot the rationale of the details of this mitzva is explained according to sod [kabbala], that this mitzva does not apply to women.

…It may be permitted in two ways. One is that there is no prohibition even in an item that is for beautification and decoration unless the woman wears men’s clothing to resemble a man…but if they wear [it] in order to protect against the sun in the sunny season and rain in the rainy season, there is no prohibition at all…The second, that even to resemble [men] is prohibited only for items that are made for beautification and decoration.

In my opinion, you may wear tzitzit in private or under your clothing in order that others not suspect you of intent to resemble men.