Send to Friend  Bookmark  Print

Blessing for Putting On Tallit

September, 2012

A tallit, sometimes pronounced tallis, is a prayer shawl most known by the knotted fringes, called tzitzit, on its four corners. It can be worn during most Jewish prayer services.

Before putting on a tallit, it is customary to hold it in front of you, kiss both ends of the neckband (atarah), then recite a blessing.

Suzie Schwartz, a rabbinical student and the Family Education Coordinator at Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, MA helped us out with this video, demonstrating how to put on a tallit:

Ba-rukh A-ta A-don-ai El-o-hey-nu Mel-ekh Ha-o-lam a-sher kid'sha-nu b'mitz-vo-tav vitz-i-va-nu l'heet-a-taf ba-tzi-tzit.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to wrap oneself in fringes [on the tallit].

Practice on your own with the audio:

And download our Tallit Blessings (pdf), with the English, Hebrew and transliteration for the blessings.

Hebrew for "tassel" or "fringe," the name for specially knotted ritual fringes (strings). They appear on the four corners of a tallit (prayer shawl worn during prayer services) and tallit katan (small shawl, worn by observant Jews every day under their shirts). Yiddish for "prayer shawl," a ritual item that is worn and has knotted fringes (tzitzit) attached to the four corners. Hebrew for "prayer shawl," a ritual item that is worn and has knotted fringes (tzitzit) attached to the four corners. Reform synagogues are often called "temple." "The Temple" refers to either the First Temple, built by King Solomon in 957 BCE in Jerusalem, or the Second Temple, which replaced the First Temple and stood on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem from 516 BCE to 70 CE. Hebrew term, synonymous with Jerusalem.
InterfaithFamily

InterfaithFamily is the premier resource supporting interfaith couples exploring Jewish life and inclusive Jewish communities. We offer educational content; connections to welcoming organizations, professionals and programs; resources and trainings for organizations, clergy and other program providers; and our new InterfaithFamily/Your Community initiative providing coordinated comprehensive offerings in local communities.

If you have suggestions, please contact network@interfaithfamily.com.

Send to Friend  Bookmark  Print