The talith טלית (also transcribed: taleth, tallis…), or Shawl of prayer, is a long rectangle of Laine equipped with Tsitsit (fringes), on which are traced bars of any colors (génralement black, blue, or white), and whose Juif adult practitioner is wrapped for the prayer of the morning.

Remarks of pronunciation

• the Israeli standard pronunciation of the word is talit .

• Certaines communities séfarades pronounces talith .
• Some communities coming from North Africa say talèth
• the pronunciation ashkénaze is tolis even talès .

The talith, a command

The command prescribing to carry the Tsitsit (fringes) is given in the following passages of the Torah:

“And the Eternal called to Brace: Speak to the Children about Israel and say to them that they are done, from generation to generation, of the Tsitsit at the edges of their clothing…” (Nombres, 15:37 - 41).

“You will put fringes at the four corners of the clothing of which you will cover yourself” (Deutéronome, 22:12).

This last passage declares specifically that only a clothing with four corners must comprise of Tsitsit.

The command prescribing to carry them is a command related to time. Like such, he is traditionally interpreted as applying only to the men (but Rashi in particular considered that a woman could carry the talit). The Jews have two Vêtement S special equipped with fringes: the Talit and the Talit Katane (small Talit), a clothing special with four corners, provided with an opening for the head and worn under external clothing, since the rising in the morning until laying down it the evening, or even also during the sleep.

Whereas the Talit is generally carried by married men (Ashkénaze S) and, in certain communities (Séfarades), also by young single people, the Talit Katane is covered even by small children, usually as from three years of age, i.e. the age where the children begin their drive in the observance of the daily Mitzvot.

In the majority of the liberal synagogs and masorties, the women can also carry the talit (sometimes this one different, is coloured more for example), but they are far from numerous to do it. It is then considered that the expression " children of Israël" also applies to the women. Historically, the tradition brings back the example of several women having carried the talit or the tefilin (phylactères). However, the rabbis consider that if a woman wishes to carry the talit or the tefilin, it must regard it as a command which it takes on it (and to engage there on the long run), and not like a right, an option. Certain rabbis consider that since the women go up to the Torah (liberal synagogs and masorties), they must with this intention cover a talit.

A special thanksgiving is recited before covering Talit.

Reason of the command

The command prescribing the Tsitsit is one of those, very few, of the Torah, to which a special reason is given, in addition to the general reason. Thus the Torah known as:

“When you have these fringes , you will look at them and you will remember all the commands of the Eternal, to put them into practice, You will remember thus My commands, you will put them into practice and you will be holy for your D.ieu” (Nombres, 15:39 - 40).

See too

• Atarah