SPIRITUALITY

How to wear Tallit?

The Tallit–also known as Tallis is a prayer shawl used by the Jewish people during their morning prayers. This special shawl is also worn during the time of Sabbath and on Jewish holidays. The Tallit shawls contain on its four corners knotted fringes known as tzitzit or arba kanfot. The Biblical commandments states that Tzitzit is supposed to include the blue thread.

The Jewish people wearing the Tallit

Traditionally the Jewish men mainly wear the Tallit, though women are not compelled to wear this. The Jewish women are excused from following the performance of the Jewish commandment. Therefore, if women wear the prayer shawl, she is considered to be showing the act of vanity and arrogance. However, authorities and establishments like Issac Ibn Ghiyyat and Rambam consent the women to wear this prayer shawl. The recent times that are more modern, have seen women wearing the Tallit.

The modern tallit or the prayer shawls ranges in different colors. However, blue and black are the most sought after colors. The black tallit is worn during mourning. The Tallit is mainly made from silk, linen, acrylon, and wool.

Make sure of the following points while you are wearing a tallit. You are required to keep in mind few important things:

• At the either ends the neckband should be held
• The fringes should be correctly placed
• To repeat the Tallit blessing
• The Tallit should be placed over the head and the neckband should be brought near mouth as close as possible.
• Place the Tallit over the shoulders.
• The tallit should be kosher and there should be no broken strings.
• All the knots should be tightly tied.
• If you are putting the Tallit for the first time, you have to take the eight strings and then fasten five knots on the left frontal side. This denotes the 613 commandments mentioned in the Torah.
• While wearing the Tallit, open it completely and hold it over your head – the design facing outer side. Now chant the Tallit blessing and place the Tallit over the head.

A prayer shawl can be of different Tallit sizes. The Tallit sizes vary according to the users. For the child the Tallit sizes are 10 inches in width and 45 inches in length. Tallit that is used during Bar/Bat Mitzvah are 18inches in width and 64 inches in length. A regular size for adult is 18inches in width and 72 inches long or 22 inches in width and 72 inches in length. The most contemporary prayer shawls use Tallit clips for the convenience of the wearer. The uses of Tallit clips have brought a shade of color and the character to the otherwise plain Tallit.

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Jewish Culture : How to Wear a Tallit