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Tallit (Jewish prayer Shawl)
Tallit is the Jewish Prayer Shawl worn inside synagogues and during the morning services. In Israel,
Tallit is often worn by visitors to the Wailing Wall. In many Jewish communities, it is customary that the
groom wears a Tallit at his wedding day, under the Chuppah.
The Jewish prayer shawl, Tallit, must be wrapped around the shoulders in a special way, as instructed in
this footage.
Tallit is the Jewish Prayer Shawl worn inside synagogues and during the morning services. In Israel,
Tallit is often worn by visitors to the Wailing Wall. In many Jewish communities, it is customary that the
groom wears a Tallit at his wedding day, under the Chuppah.
The Jewish prayer shawl, Tallit, must be wrapped around the shoulders in a special way, as instructed in
this footage.
The Jewish prayer shawl is also made according to specified Jewish laws. The Jewish Prayer Shawl has
special twined and knotted fringes known as Tzitzit. Hundred of years ago, Tzitzit used to be worn on top
of the four corners of the garments . Today it Tzitzit is no longer a commonly worn garment, and Tallit is
worn instead by Jewish people all across the world. Today it is customary to wear the Jewish Prayer Shawl
in a variety of special designs. A Jewish Prayer Shawl can be made from any material and come in any
color to fit various occasion.
Tallit is usually given as a gift.
According to the tradition, a son is given his first Jewish prayer shawl as a gift from his fathers on his Bar
Mitzvah. It is also very common to give Tallit on special occasions such as anniversaries and weddings. In
several Jewish communities (Sphardic), it customary for the bride to purchase a new Tallit for the groom.
The groom then wears the Tallit under the Chuppah. It is not, however, a commandment to wear a Tallit
under the Chuppa.
Tallit for women - Is it allowed?
While there is disagreement in the orthodox community whether women should be allowed to wear a
Jewish prayer shawl, in reform and conservative 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.
Significance of Tallit according to Kabbalah
Kabbalah considers the Tallit a tool that can help us connect to God. The Tallit has two parts - the
garment and the fringes (Tzizit). These two parts 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.