| The prayer shawl, known as the tallit in the Jewish | | | | its earliest inception. In the Encyclopedia Judaica it |
| community, is an intricate part of Judaica and the | | | | says that the first tallit "was usually made either of |
| Jewish religion. Here is a look at prayer shawls of | | | | wool or of linen and probably resembled the abayah |
| yesterday and today and the giving of the tallit as a | | | | still worn by the Bedouin for protection against the |
| gift to commemorate the major moments in the life | | | | weather." |
| of a young man or woman. | | | | Today's tallit is usually white and made of wool, |
| History of the Prayer Shawl | | | | cotton or silk. Until recently the prayer shawl bore |
| The prayer shawl began its life as the Jewish tallit | | | | only black stripes; today, in remembrance of the blue |
| and was originally worn by men in ancient times. At | | | | thread of the zizit, prayer shawls may have stripes |
| the corners of the tallit tassels would be attached in | | | | made of blue woven into the material and, among |
| fulfillment of the commandment of zizit, found in the | | | | less orthodox sects, may also have stripes of |
| book of Numbers. | | | | maroon, white, purple, gold, silver, rainbow, pink and |
| Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 38 "Speak | | | | combinations of colored stripes with metallic threads. |
| to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on | | | | The prayer shawl is given by a father to a son, a |
| the corners of their garments throughout their | | | | father-in-law to a son-in-law or a teacher to a |
| generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels | | | | student and may be purchased to mark a special |
| of the corners. 39 And you shall have the tassel, that | | | | occasion, such as a wedding or a bar/bat mitzvah, |
| you may look upon it and remember all the | | | | often accompanying a tefillin as a remembrance God's |
| commandments of the LORD and do them, and that | | | | deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt. |
| you may not follow the harlotry to which your own | | | | Women's Prayer Shawls |
| heart and your own eyes are inclined, 40 and that | | | | One thing you rarely find when investigating the |
| you may remember and do all My commandments, | | | | history and the use of the prayer shawl is what type |
| and be holy for your God. 41 I am the LORD your | | | | of tallit is worn by women. Because historically the |
| God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to | | | | tallit was worn by men the majority of the literature |
| be your God: I am the LORD your God." Numbers | | | | concerning their use focuses on that of the men in |
| 15:37-41 | | | | temple. This is due to both convention and the Judaic |
| In time the tallit was lost from the daily habit as the | | | | belief that women are exempt from time related |
| Jews assimilated with their Gentile neighbors following | | | | Mitzvahs and is encouraged by Orthodox Rabbis. The |
| their exile, and the tallit became a strictly religious | | | | prayer shawl is also worn by women outside of the |
| garment used for prayer (hence the use of the | | | | orthodox beliefs, however, often in a much less |
| phrase "prayer shawl"). | | | | orthodox style that allows her to maintain both style |
| Today's Prayer Shawl | | | | and femininity. |
| Today's prayer shawl has changed a great deal from | | | | |