Tallitot

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Tallitot Guide

One of the most well known Judaica items that can be found in a synagogue other than Torahs and prayer books is the Tallit, also known as the prayer shawl.

What is a Tallit?

A Tallit is large four cornered garment that is worn by Jewish men during prayers during the week, Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. The Tallit is typically made from wool and is dyed white. It can actually be made of other material as well, although it may never be made from a combination of wool and linen due to a Biblical prohibition wearing such cloth. Depending on the community, the Tallit may be worn from the age of 7, Bar Mitzvah or after marriage. In some communities, the Tallit is also used in a wedding ceremony, being worn by the groom or used as the canopy used in the Chuppah service.

Decorations

The Tallit can be decorated with a wide range of scenes and Judaica objects. However, there are few decorations that all Tallitot share. The first decoration is the center of the top edge, which features a second piece of cloth that is typically embroidered with a floral pattern and sometimes has the blessing that is made before wearying the Tallit embroidered in a color such as black and or blue.

The second decoration found in all Tallitot is stripes that run along the sides. The stripes can be nearly any color, but are usually blue, black or white. However, they may be other colors such as green and red. Some Tallitot are multicolored, having stripes in numerous colors and is meant to echo Joseph’s coat. Other common decorations on the Tallit’s top edge and sides are views of Jerusalem, the Seven Species.

Atara

In addition to having stripes and a decorated top edge, some Tallits have a specially made Atara, or “tiara” in English. The Atara is a long piece of cloth that usually features sterling silver decorations, typically plates in triangles, squares or stitched sterling silver thread that creates a floral pattern. The Atara, while not a required part of the Tallit, is very popular amongst many groups of Jews.

Strings

The Tallit typically comes with strings tied to each of its corners. The strings tied to the corners follow the same rules as those on Tzitzit and may be tied in several different ways, keeping in line with the valid rulings issued by past Jewish leaders such as Rashi, Rambam (Maimonides), Arizal and others. In addition, one may tie strings with Techelet to its corners just like by Tzitzit.

For More Information

For more information on Tallitot, Judaica Items, or synagogue items, feel free to contact our Judaica experts with any questions or concerns.

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