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Tallit - The Traditional Jewish Prayer Shawl
Tallit, also spelled as Talis, is the Jewish Prayer Shawl worn mostly at
synagogues and during the morning services. The Tallit has special twined and knotted fringes known as Tzitzit. For many generations, Tzitzit
was used to be worn on top of
the four corners of the garments . Since this is no longer a commonly worn
garment, today it is customary to wear the Tallit instead. A Tallit can be
made from any material and come in any color to fit various
occasion.
Wearing a Tallit
Besides inside a synagogue, In Israel, Tallit is often worn by visitors to
the Wailing Wall. In many Jewish communities, it is also customary that the
groom wears a Tallit at his wedding day, under
the Huppah.
The Jewish prayer shawl, Tallit, must be wrapped around the
shoulders in a special way. If you're not sure how it is done, there are many
videos online that explain and demonstrate .
Wearing Tzitzit is a mitzvah
according to the Torah: Book of Number, chapter 15, it is said": And
it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all
the commandments of the LORD, and do them". Wearing Tzizit, the Jewish person
needs to remember the mitzvoth as we shall explain.
God has given the Jewish people,
613 commandments . In Gematria, the word
Tzizit equals 600. If you add the eight strands of the Tallit and the five knots, you sum
up 613. This is exactly the function of the Tallit, to
constantly remind us of the mitzvoth that God has given us in the Torah.
Tallit according to the Kabbalah
According to the Kabbalah worldview,
the Tallit a tool that
can help us connect to God. The Tallit has
two parts - the garment and the fringes (Tzizit). These two segments represent the two aspects of God's existence.
God's true self is hidden from our material world, represented by the garment,
while we are exposed to a small piece of His being, represented by the
fringes.
Can a woman wear a Tallit?
There is certainly a disagreement
in the Jewish community whether women should be allowed to wear a Tallit. In reform and conservative Jewish communities Tallit is worn by women as often as
by men. It has been argued by different Jewish scholars that wearing a Tallit by a woman is a sign of
vanity. However, many rabbis today permit this practice. Social
changes seem to gradually take place across the Jewish communities. Today, even
in modern orthodox communities more and more women proudly wear their Tallit. Tallit for Women
Giving Tallit as a gift
According to a long Jewish tradition,
a son is given his first Jewish prayer shawl as a gift
from his father on his Bar Mitzvah. Wearing the Tallit by
the son stands for the boy's entering into the world of religious practice. It
is also very common to give Tallit on
special occasions such as anniversaries and Jewish weddings.
In several Sephardic communities,
it customary for the bride to purchase a new Tallit for the groom before the
wedding day. The groom then wears the Tallit under
the Huppah .
Canaan online company brings you a
selection of handmade Tallits designed by Israeli artists. Each Tallit features traditional Jewish motifs in exquisite
designs to bring you closer to your roots.
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