The
tallit (Modern Hebrew: טַלִּית)
or tallet(h) (Sephardi Hebrew: טַלֵּית),
also called talles (Yiddish), is a prayer shawl
that is worn during the morning Jewish services
(the Shacharit prayers) in Judaism, during the Torah
service, and on Yom Kippur and other holidays. It
has special twined and knotted fringes known as
tzitzit attached to its four corners. The tallit
is sometimes also referred to as the arba kanfot,
meaning the "four wings" (in the connotation
of four corners).
While some other
Jewish garments or objects might
be treated more casually, the tallit is a special
personal effect, generally used for many years or
a lifetime and never discarded. Most Jewish men
(and some women) own very few tallitot in their
lifetimes.
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A
threadbare tallit is treated with great respect, as
if it had a mantle of holiness, acquired from years
of use. Although there is no mandatory tradition, in
Conservative, reform, and otherwise non-religious
families a tallit, as well as tefillin, is likely to
be given as a special gift, from father to son, from
father-in-law to son-in-law, or from teacher to
student.
It might be purchased to mark a special occasion,
such as a wedding, a bar/bat mitzvah, or a trip to
Israel. When a man dies, it is traditional that he
be buried dressed only in his kittel, with his
tallit is draped over him. Otherwise, a religious
Jew is required to have his own tallit (Shulchan
Aruch, Orach Chaim, Chapter 2).
Since wearing a tallit at certain times is
considered an obligation for men, a synagogue will
usually have a rack available with extras, for
visitors and guests, or for those who forgot to
bring their own with them. The extras that a
synagogue has available to lend are usually plain
and simple, but sufficient to fulfill the
obligation. Although non-Jewish male visitors are
expected to wear a kippah (head covering) when
visiting a synagogue, it would be frowned upon for a
non-Jew to put on a tallit, unless he is studying or
preparing for conversion to Judaism.
