Q. Can one use a piece of a still usable but not actually constantly being used old taalis, that is kept in a shul for the ones that need it, as when visiting. This is now needed to make a patch of that material to fix a constantly usable taalis? (That would make that old ta’alis practically unusable).

A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it is permitted, since it is used for a mitzva. The old taalis should not be now used, since it may have added to the number of corners intended (depending on the size of the patch removed).

That taalis could be disposed, as is often done, by sending it to the Chevra Kadisha to be used for the burial of some of the dead.

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a