Wearing a Tzitzit Garment Without the Strings
Question
I have a military Tzitzit that is very comfortable for me. It is a sporty shirt that is open on the sides and has four corners. The strings have already become worn out and torn. Am I allowed to remove the strings and wear it as a regular shirt?
Answer
It is forbidden. Let me explain this. The commandment of Tzitzit is that any garment that has four corners - four ends, is obligated to have Tzitzit strings attached to it and it is forbidden to wear it without Tzitzit. In principle, there is no obligation to wear a four-cornered garment. But the Jewish people desire this precious commandment and therefore we wear a four-cornered garment in order to become obligated to fulfill the commandment of Tzitzit. However, if there are four corners, it is certainly prohibited to wear the garment without the Tzitzit strings.
Source
Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim, Chapter 8, Paragraph 17).