Tallit (pl. tallitot), a prayer shawl.

Originally the word meant “gown” or “cloak.” This was a rectangular mantle that looked like a blanket and was worn by men in ancient times. At the four corners of the tallit tassels were attached in fulfillment of the biblical commandment of tzitzi (Num 15:39).

“And you shall see [the fringes at the corner of the garment] and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and observe them.”

The tallit was usually made either of wool or of linen and probably resembled the abbayah (“blanket”) still worn by Bedouin for protection against the weather. The tallit made of finer quality was similar to the Roman pallium and was worn mostly by the wealthy and by distinguished rabbis and scholars. The length of the mantle was to be a handbreadth shorter than that of the garment under it. After the exile of the Jews from Erez Israel and their dispersion, they came to adopt the fashions of their gentile neighbors more readily. The tallit was discarded as a daily habit and it became a religious garment for prayer; hence its later meaning of prayer shawl.

The tallit is usually white and made either of wool, cotton, or silk, although Maimonides and Alfasi objected to the use of the latter. Strictly observant Jews prefer tallitot made of coarse half-bleached lamb’s wool. In remembrance of the blue thread of the tzitzi, most tallitot have several blue stripes woven into the white material. Until recently, however, they only had black stripes.

Frequently the upper part of the tallit around the neck and on the shoulders has a special piece of cloth sewn with silver threads (called atarah) to mark the upper (ie: the collar) and the outer parts of the four-cornered prayer shawl. Some tallitot have the benediction, recited when putting on the tallit, woven into the atarah. Others, especially those made of silk, are often richly embroidered and some have the benediction woven into the entire cloth of the tallit. The minimum size of a tallit is that which would suffice to clothe a small child able to walk.

In most synagogue settings, the tallit is worn by men and women during the morning prayers (except on the Ninth of Av, when it is worn at the afternoon service), as well as during all Day of Atonement services.

Before putting on the prayer shawl the following benediction is said:

“Blessed art You, God, Ruler of the universe, Who has sanctified us by Your commandments, and has commanded us to wrap ourselves in the fringed garment.”

Generally, people pray with the tallit resting on their shoulders only. The custom of wearing the tallit differs in many communities. At Central Synagogue, the tallit is often part of the synagogue service garments of the rabbi and the cantor. Those called to the reading from the Torah often wear a tallit.