Tallit Bags
The tallit is a very personal belonging for the Jews. While they do not believe that material possessions should dictate their lifestyles, the tallit is more than just that; this prayer shawl is a representation of how the Jews observe their mitzvah (or their commandments) to heart. Hence, it is not surprising that they take extra good care of their tallilot. And part of this care includes the use of tallit bags.
There is nothing extraordinarily special about the tallit bags; they are merely bags used as storage of the tallit, so one would not have a hard time carrying the prayer shawl. Having a tallit bag for one’s tallit or tallis is not required, since it can be considered as an additional accessory to the prayer shawl. However, the tallit bag has a number of important uses.
Obviously, the tallit bag is mainly used to protect the talit from wear and tear. This is especially true when one takes the prayer shawl outside the house, which is inevitable since one has to bring the tallit during praise or during Sabbath to the temple. There are available tallits in the temple for usage, but many prefer to use their own tallits. Hence, the need for tallit bags is obvious.
But one of the most important reasons why Jews use tallit bags is their respect of the tallit. In actuality, it is the tzitzit on the corners of the tallit they respect, but they nonetheless take extra care in not doing anything inappropriate with the tallit (since it is the bearer of the tzitzit). This is why many Jewish authorities are opposed to women wearing tallit, since this can be used for other reasons besides the religious and the spiritual. Using a tallit bag protects the prayer shawl, which in a way is a form of respect for the important Jewish garment.
The tallit bag is available in different designs, although the Jewish-themed bags are most popular, as to fit the purpose of the tallis. This is also because such designs are seen by many as most appropriate, since tallit bags with scandalous designs may seem to bold for many individuals. A simple online research would reveal that there a number of stores selling tallit bags online. There are no prescribed designs for the tallit bags, but it is always best to use the safe designs so not to attract attention.
