Tallit - The Jewish Prayer Shawls
The tallit (also known as the tallis) is a special prayer shawl that is used during Jewish prayer. The tallit is made from a large piece of woven fabric and on the four corners of the tallit are tzitzit – fringes that are tied.
The tallit; one of the most well known symbols of Jewish prayer has evolved from the traditional wool tallit into a modern range of designer tallits and womens prayer shawls. With the range of tallits available to suit every style, there is the perfect prayer shawl to enhance every prayer.The tallit is a special prayer shawl that is used during Jewish prayer. The tallit is made from a large piece of woven fabric and on the four corners of the tallit are tzitzit – fringes that are tied.
The Origins of the Tallit
Although wearing a tallit is not specifically commanded in the Bible, there is a commandment in the Bible to tie fringes to the corners of your outer garments (Numbers 15:38, Deuteronomy 22:12). This was interpreted by the sages to be a specific garment: the tallit, and that it should be used in Jewish prayer. Thus throughout the generations the Jewish prayer shawl has been preserved as a garment for prayer.
Styles of Tallit
Traditional Tallit
A traditional Jewish prayer shawl is made from woven wool. The wool tallit is a large garment that often features stripes in the colors of black white or blue. The atarah: yoke of the tallit is usually embroidered with the blessing for donning the tallit.
Modern Tallits
The design of a modern tallit is usually based on the traditional tallit but they incorporate contemporary colors, textiles or embroidery to make the prayer shawl unique. Many Israeli designers are producing stunning modern tallits. Designers such as Yair Emanuel and Rikmat Elimelech take luxurious materials such as raw silk and combine this with appliqué and embroidery to create attractive prayer shawls. These silk tallits and other modern tallits can be used as prayer shawls for men and for women.
Tallit for Women
In many progressive Jewish communities women now wear tallit; thus there is now a beautiful range of prayer shawls for women. These feminine tallits are often made of more delicate materials; such as an organza tallit and come in a range of colors such as pinks, purples, golds, and light blues. Some tallits are richly embroidered to celebrate women from the Bible such as Miriam, Rachel, Leah and Sarah.
Tallit Katan
The tallit katan also known as a tzitzit is a small version of the tallit gadol that is worn under or over the clothes throughout the day. Like the tallit gadol it can be made of wool or cotton, and features the same fringes: tzitzit on the four corners of the garment. However the tallit katan is predominately worn by Orthodox Jews.
The customs for wearing a Tallit
A tallit is worn during the morning prayers on Shabbat; Jewish holidays and throughout the week. Traditionally only men wore a tallit, but more recently in liberal Jewish communities men and women are wearing prayer shawls.
The bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah; the Jewish ‘coming of age’ ceremony, is the first time a young person will wear a tallit. This is the first time a young person is called up to the Torah for an aliyah, and so customarily they wear a tallit. Thus a tallit is often given as a bar mitzvah gift or bat mitzvah gift.
In Ashkenazi communities a young man will wear a small tallit until the time that he is married, and then he will exchange this for a tallit gadol.
Blessing over the Tallit and Prayer Shawl Directions
The tallit is put on before the morning prayers and before putting on tefillin. When the tallit is put on every morning there is a special prayer shawl blessing that is said in Hebrew:
ברוך אתה יי אלוהינו מלך העולם
Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, sovereign of the universe
אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להתעטף בציצית
asher kidishanu b’mitz’votav v’tzivanu l’hit’ateif ba-tzitzit
Who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to wrap ourselves in the tzitzit
This tallit prayer is said while holding the tallit in front of you, and then it is put over the shoulders and you hold it over your head and face for a moment, then the tallit is draped over the shoulders like a shawl. The tallit should sit comfortably on the shoulders during prayers, but will need re-adjusting from time to time. For this reason a tallit clip is used by some people to keep the prayer shawl in place during prayers.
Wearing a tallit on Yom Kippur
There is a special custom that is an exception to wearing the tallit only for the morning Jewish prayers. On erev Yom Kippur; at Kol Nidre the tallit is worn to the evening prayer sevice.
