| The Tallit – which translates into ‘Prayer | | | | verses you will realize that the chief purpose of |
| Shawl’ – is an item held in especially high | | | | the Tallit is holding the Tzitzit, which in turn are |
| regard in Judaism. The wearing of a Tallit is an | | | | used to be a constant reminder of the |
| openly public declaration that a person has total | | | | commandments of God. The Tallit is supposed to |
| devotion, love, and veneration for Judaism. Each | | | | be worn during morning prayers throughout the |
| temple maintains an ample supply of these prayer | | | | entire week. This also includes the Sabbath and all |
| shawls just in case there is a person who needs | | | | other holy days. It is forbidden to wear the Tallit |
| to enter the sanctuary and they don’t have a | | | | any other time of the day as the |
| personal Tallit. | | | | commandments specifically instruct that one |
| By definition, a Tallit is shawl that is used during | | | | should always be capable of seeing the Tzitzit i.e. |
| prayer. It is recognized as being the most | | | | during daylight. It is only the Shaliach Tzibur – |
| veritable of Jewish garments. The traditional Tallit | | | | responsible for leading prayer - who wears a Tallit |
| is customarily made from either linen or wool. | | | | during the afternoon as well as the evening. |
| Recent times have seen the introduction of a | | | | In the past, it was strictly forbidden for women |
| modern Tallit and this is commonly made from | | | | to don the Tallit but with the advent of |
| either silk or polyester. A Tallit is made in the | | | | egalitarianism these restrictions were done away |
| shape of a rectangle. In both cases, the four | | | | with and women can choose whether to wear |
| corners of the modern Tallit or a traditional Tallit | | | | the prayer shawl or not. Any woman who |
| will be required to have Tzitzit. These are special | | | | chooses to wear the Tallit is however required to |
| fringes that are used to secure the Tallit. Most | | | | cover her head as a sign of veneration for this |
| traditional and modern Tallit will have an Atarah. | | | | highly significant item. The stipulations for men |
| This is a neckband that in most cases has | | | | have never changed and wearing a Tallit is still |
| embroidered blessings that the person donning the | | | | mandatory. Such is the respect afforded to the |
| Tallit will be required to recite. | | | | Tallit that no person is allowed to wear one in a |
| It is absolutely necessary that any male who has | | | | restroom let alone carry it into such a facility. |
| been summoned to say the blessings prior to and | | | | Modern Tallits are somewhat smaller than the |
| after the reading of part of the Torah wears a | | | | traditional variety and they take the resemblance |
| Tallit. This is indeed true for any other type of | | | | of shawls. These modern Tallits have modern |
| honor that may be bestowed on such a man. On | | | | designs as opposed to the conventional stripes. |
| the other hand, women have the option of | | | | Some of the most common designs are derived |
| putting on a Tallit but they are under no obligation | | | | from the Etz Chaim or Chagall’s windows. |
| to do so. This practice will be evidenced during | | | | To put on a Tallit, one places it over the shoulders |
| services. The choice to don either a traditional or | | | | similar to the manner in which a cape is donned. |
| modern Tallit wholly lies with the individual. | | | | The ‘collar’ of the Tallit should lie where |
| The main reason why the Tallit is worn has to do | | | | conventional collars lie and one should ensure that |
| with heeding to the instructions that God issued | | | | the Hebrew literature is on the outer side. Prior to |
| to Moses as stipulated in the book of Numbers, | | | | donning the Tallit, some people will kiss it in |
| chapter 15, from verses 37-41. On reading these | | | | veneration. |