Tallit - Shop Israel

Mile Chai
Online store that provides a wide selection of all types of tallism, Judaica, Jewish gifts, Jewish books, Jewish ritual items and more
www.milechai.com

Aharon's Jewish Books and Judaica
600 South Holly Street Suite 103
Denver, Colorado 80246
303-322-7345
800-830-8660

Judaic
Online store that provides a wide selection of all types of tallism, Judaica, Jewish gifts, Jewish books, Jewish ritual items and more
www.judaic.com

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. A threadbare tallit is treated with great respect, as if it had a mantle of holiness, acquired from years of use.[citation needed] 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.

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