myTalit - Tallit

The tallit is arguably the most important item of clothing in a Jewish person’s wardrobe. It commands respect simply by its purpose, and as such should be cared for and treasured. Tallit bags are specifically designed for this purpose.

A tallit bag stores the tallit when not in use. Though not so much a necessity, tallit bags are incredibly useful to preserve your tallit and protect it from outside influences that may lead to its wear and tear. When the tallit is not in use it should be kept in such a bag.

When one considers that in many instances the tallit must be taken to places external to the home, having a place in which it may remain safely increases in importance. Were it to remain at the home the need for a tallit bag would no doubt be greatly reduced. A damaged prayer shawl may no longer be kosher – thus it is important to take care to respect and care for a tallit.

As they are a very practical item, considering the inevitability of Jewish individuals owning a tallit, the tallit bag does make a wonderful gift, whether for bah mitzvahs or even as a personalized and thoughtful wedding gift.

Many makers of tallitot also make a matching tallit bag to protect the garment. That the items match is not a requirement, but it does add to the aesthetic value of the tallit, and some even believe it enhances the mitzvah to have a lovely bag in which the tallit may rest when not being utilized in prayer.

In addition to those tallit bags that are made to match an individual tallit, bags of varying designs can also be purchased separately. It is very common to see tallit bags made from velvet (a very soft fabric) to ensure the prayer shawl is cushioned and protected as much as possible. This velvet is frequently embroidered, using motifs like the Ark of the Covenant, the Star of David, a Torah scroll or similarly symbolic designs to signify the importance of the contents of the bag. Such traditional designs are popular as they are not garish or bold and do not attract undue attention.

To have a bag to protect your prayer shawl (or more accurately to protect the tzitzit) could really be seen as a mark of respect – for the Torah’s commandments and the tzitzit.

Tallit bags are widely available at various specialist shops and online stores.

mytalit Talit Accessories

In ancient times, tzitzit were worn on everyday clothes as a sign of freedom. They served as a means of identification, as only those who were free were able to wear tzitzit. In these times, kissing the tzitzit was often seen in business dealings wherein it signified the sealing of a contract.

During prayer it is customary that a ‘tallis godal’, a large rectangular garment with tzitzit attached, is worn and that prayer take place while wrapped in this garment. The tzitzit on these prayer shawls are kissed on many occasions, dependent upon what the wearer is doing.

Before putting on the prayer shawl, a blessing is uttered:

Blessed are you Lord,
Our God, Ruler of the Universe
Who has sanctified us with God’s commandments,
And has commanded us to wrap ourselves in fringes.

The tzitzit are then kissed and the prayer shawl is placed over or covering the head before being laid upon the shoulders.

Today, the tzitzit are kissed during recitation of the Shema to reinforce that the words being recited are taken seriously. Prior to recitation of the Shema, the tzitzit are gathered in one hand. During recitation of the third paragraph of the Shema (Numbers 15:37-41) the tzitzit are mentioned on three occasions and on each occasion the tzitzit are kissed.

During the procession (Hafakeh) of the Torah through the synagogue, the tzitzit are often kissed. At this time, the Torah having been removed from the Ark will be taken around the synagogue, and those who are able will reach to the Torah, touching it with their tzitzit. Subsequent to this, the tzitzit, which had touched the Torah scroll, are also kissed, signifying the sheer importance to the people and their love for the Torah. If no tallis is being worn, the prayerbook (siddur) will be offered forth to touch the Torah and subsequently kissed. That the Torah is only touched by the siddur or tzitzit is a sign of respect.

When an individual is called to read a passage from the Torah, the corner of the tallit is placed upon the first word to be read, then the tzitzit will be kissed.

Some kiss the tzitzit each time the word tzitzit is mentioned, others kiss the tzitzit every time they are looked at. Overall, such kissing can be seen as an expression of love for, and dedication to, the mitzvot (commandments of the Jewish law).

mytalit Talit Accessories

Tallitot are made using many different colors. There is no specific colour combination that is viewed as kosher – it is not the colour but the construction of a tallit and the tzitzit that makes it kosher.

Traditionally tallitot have been made using stripes of white and blue or black, however this is no longer the limitation at all today, where luxurious shades are often seen in a variety of tallit designs. Predominantly tallitot are white, a color deemed as being a sign of purity. The most traditional of all color schemes incorporates blue and white. These colors are featured on the Israeli flag and possess special meaning in this regard. Silver and gold are also often featured for a more luxurious effect.

Also known as prayer shawls, tallitot can now be personalized, with regards to both fabric and design, using vivid patterns and colors previously unseen. Bright shades of pink (believed by some to be the most beautiful tallit color for women) are much more commonplace, as are more modern interpretations depicting various different scenes and color combinations. In fact, an entire family history can be incorporated into the design of a tallit.

Naturally, certain colors tend to be more highly favoured than others in the same way that other colours are not, due to their deeper meaning or association. Black for example, which is understood to signify death and grieving is not widely utilized as the base color of the tallit. You would not see very many tallitot with a design upon a black background, though it is commonly used as the color of the stripes (along with blue).

Although the colors themselves do not play a significant part in the meaning of the tallit, some colours are associated with different meanings or historical beliefs – for example tallit which was completely pale blue could be seen to embody the Hebrew saying meaning someone with no sins (tallit shekula tehelet).

Tallitot made from silk are becoming increasingly common and as such the range of color combinations is almost limitless. It is also interesting to note that silk is the only fibre utilized in a tallit that is able to be mixed with a different fibre (not silk) and still remain kosher and in accordance with the mitzvah.

Makers of tallitot are able to tailor the garments to the individual needs and desires of the Jewish person, incorporating whatever colours desired, in whatever scene or pattern desired. Such makers may also offer the additional service of a matching tallit bag to protect your important garment.

With the vast array of tallit makers creating works of art in fabric, an individual can have a truly personal prayer shawl to further enhance their prayer experience.

mytalit Talit Accessories

A tallit clip really is only something to hold the tallit in place, however, for something that seems so insignificant, it really is actually quite important.

Prior to wearing a tallit, a blessing must be said. If the tallit remains in place, then the blessing is said just the one time. However, if the tallit slips off or falls down, then the blessing must be repeated – every time it slips or falls. A badly-positioned tallit would mean that you might have to repeat the blessing a number of times, which can be very distracting when you are trying to concentrate on prayer.

Therefore, tallit clips, although a small item, remain a way to stay focused in mind and spirit during the morning prayer.

Naturally, tallit clips are also a lovely way to accentuate the beauty of a tallit. For many tallitot that exhibit colorful or even luxurious qualities, particularly talitisha (prayer shawls for women), tallit clips are a wonderful way to enhance these.

Designs include flowers, gold mesh, those inset with sparkling Swarovski crystals, and more, in a variety of colors, for a variety of prices.

For tallitot that are more traditional and more likely to be worn by men, such as those with the black or blue stripes, tallit clips ought to be quite simple, relatively plain, and somewhat masculine. Silver plated designs incorporating everything from the Ten Commandments to the skyline of Jerusalem are available for this purpose. For those whose budget does not extend to purchasing a solid silver or silver plated set of tallit clips for several hundred dollars apiece, metal ones are also available for a fraction of the price and produce a similar effect.

Depending on the fragility of the tallit clips, some of which are very delicate, they may even have their own little bag. It is important to make sure tallit clips are well-cared for, as along with the tallit or prayer shawl, they form part of the religious attire and should be respected as such.

Many people do prefer to choose their own tallit clips as it gives them a chance to exert a certain degree of individuality when in prayer. However tallit clips can also make a wonderful present. Even if the recipient already has a set of his or her own, an additional set of well-chosen tallit clips can always be put to good use.

In fact, particularly unique or beautiful tallit clips are a very humble way to convey your good wishes to someone else. Sometimes, the difference between feeling that you are dressed in an appropriate and respectful manner during prayer time, which is very important, and not, comes down to what tallit clips you are wearing at that time.

mytalit Talit Accessories Tallit, tallit clips, The Importance of Tallit Clips

The Torah explicitly commands that Tzitzit be added to the four corners of garments. (Maimonides considered it one of the most important of the 613 Mitzvot); traditionally the wearing of Tzitzit began with this commandment, though biblical scholars consider it to be much older, and argue that the commandment reflected an already existing practice.

In early Judaism, Tzitzit were used for the corners of ordinary everyday clothing; most Jewish people at the time wore clothing which consisted of a sheet-like item wrapped around the body, comparable to the abayah (blanket) worn by the Bedouins for protection from sun and rain, and to the stola/toga of ancient Greece and Rome. As recorded in the Talmud, these were sometimes worn partly doubled, and sometimes with the ends thrown over the shoulders.

After the 13th century CE, Tzitzit began to be worn on new inner garments, known as Arba Kanfos, rather than the outer garments. This inner garment was a 3ft by 1ft rectangle, with a hole in the center for the head to pass through; the modern Tallit evolved from this medieval item. By modern times, the four-cornered sheet-like cloth fell out of fashion, and became regarded as impractical compared with alternatives; since most modern western clothing does not have four clear corners, the rule essentially became obsolete in daily life.

However, traditional Jews began to voluntarily wear a small tallit in ordinary life, in order to explicitely fulfill the commandment to wear Tzitzit; some Jewish commentators argue that it is a transgression to miss a commandment that one is able to fulfill. Tallit are also often worn during prayer for this reason, and this is practiced by a wider group of Jews. A tallit is often used as a Chuppah in Jewish wedding ceremonies.

Source: Wikipedia

sela88 Handmade Tallit, Talit Accessories, Tallit, Tallit Bag, Tallit History, Wedding Prayer Shawl prayer shawl, talit, Tallit

Judaism, one of the world’s oldest religions being practiced today, has several traditions, most of them stemming from text and prescriptions in the Hebrew Bible. One of their important traditions is the use of the tallit, or the Jewish prayer shawl. The tallit is one of the most iconic Jewish symbols, considered by many as one of the most authentic Jewish garments. The use of tallit further proves that the Jewish indeed has a deep faith and respect for their religious tradition.

The tallit is mainly used today as a prayer shawl, used normally by men when they recite the Shacharit, or their morning prayers. Jewish men also use tallits during Sabbath (or their day of praise) and during religious holidays. While not practiced by all Jewish communities, the talit is usually given by the father as a gift to the son, or by the teacher as a gift to the student, during the Bar Mitzvah. The tallilot is worn once the man reaches the age of 13, the age when a Jewish male is considered to have come of age and when they celebrate their Bar Mitzvah. At the age of 13, the Jewish male is respected to be responsible for their actions, and one of the implications here is the use of the tallit, which represents their awareness of the Jewish commandments.

This is because, basically, the tallit is worn as a reminder of their commandments. This is in accordance to one of the verses in the book of Numbers in the Hebrew Bible, saying the Israelites (who are Jewish) should wear fringes on their clothes’ corners. These fringes, according to the verse, shall by the reminder that they should observe the commandments so they should not follow their heart and eyes due to lustful urges.

These fringes are called the tzitzit. Before, they were placed, as the verse said, on the corners of everyday clothes. However, today, that is no longer possible; clothes today no longer have four corners. So as time progressed, the tzitzit was placed on the tallit. The tzitzit can also be found in other pieces of clothing, such as the tallit katan, which is a Jewish undergarment.

The tallit as it is known today is only used during the day, in accordance to the verse that the wearer of the talit should be able to see the fringes. This has been interpreted as one should only use it when the tzitzit is seen with the light of the day. Tallits are also personal by the Jewish. When a non-Jewish visitor goes to a Jewish temple, they are asked to wear prayer shawls. However, these shawls are not tallits, since the use of tallits are considered sacred, saved only for men who have reached the proper age.

As with tradition, however, the use of the tallit or the tallis can change according to communities, among other factors. For one, while majority of the Jewish wear tallits when they reach 13, some wear it in a much later date. Some communities also do not allow women to wear the talis, while some do. Nonetheless, the use of the tallis remains to be a precious tradition for the Jews.

sela88 Handmade Tallit, Talit Accessories, Tallit, Tallit Bag, Tallit History, Wedding Prayer Shawl prayer shawl, talit, Tallit