Quick education on the tallit
or
    In other words, what do all these words mean!  

 This will give you some basic information.  You might even stop calling it a "prayer shawl"!  It is pronounced "Tah leet", plural is tallitot (tallits).  It is also called a "talis" (plural is taleisim) in modern Hebrew.
    Who can wear one?  Anyone who wants to declare Numbers 15:37 and be considered a child of the Commandments.  By this commandment, according to rabbinical interpretation, men are required to wear the tzitziot but women have an option because of the work they do in the home.  Having two year olds hanging from your tzitziot is not very edifying!  Look at some of the patterns and colors and tell me they are just for men.
    Size:  The sizes listed are generally the width.  i.e. 24x72 means 24 inches from your head down to your shoulders.  72 is the length from hand to hand across your shoulders.   72 inches is the average standard length for a tallit and that is what is assumed if no length is listed.
    We generally do not sell anything under a 24 inch unless it is for a child or young person or unless it is a special manufacturing run.  It is also not considered a tallit by halaka (Jewish rabbinical rules concerning the Torah).  We have found that less than 24 inches will not properly cover your head and shoulders.
    Be aware that a 50 inch looks good on a larger person (whether they are tall or short) but the fringe will drag on the ground on someone under 5"5".  We don't want to look like the hypocrites of Matthew 23:6 who "enlarge the borders of their garments"!
Tzitzit:  tassel, fringe also translated as border or fringe in the Brit Chadasha (New Testament).  The plural is tzitziot.  These are the long twisted cords (gedillum) on the four corners (kanfot also translated as wing).  On most tallitot the tzitziot are white because this is the way they have been manufactured for the last 1900 years.   The blue thread (techelet) has only been reproduced in the last 10 years.
Techelet:  the blue strand in the tzitzit that is dyed with a special blue dye from the gland of the "chillizon" ( murex snail).  These alone are very expensive.  To be less rabbinical but still accurate you can retie the tzitziot with blue yarn or thread.  Wool would be best but anything is appropriate as long as it approaches the original.  The blue is like royal blue or turquoise.
We can provide instructions for retying the tzitziot.  There is a special satisfaction in doing it yourself.
Atara:  is the neckpiece or "crown".  It is considered the top of the tallit.  It can be of any design whether matching or distinctive.  The most common have the "brakha" or blessing in Hebrew although I have seen them in English and Spanish.  The very heavy, large Chassidic may also have them with Sterling Silver thread (yes we can get them if you want to pay the cost!)
Corners:  Are reinforced with corner pieces to keep the tzitziot from tearing off (remember the corner of the garment torn from Samuel's ghost by Saul).  They are generally on the "inside" which means you can see them when the tallit is over your head and you are in your "closet".  But I have seen them on the outside.  Which is right? - I do not know.  
Colors:  Choose whatever color or colors you prefer.  Yes, certain colors are associated with different things but are generally used with flags, banners and ensigns.  Most Orthodox Jews wear black for mourning the destruction of the Temple and to not draw attention to themselves.  Women usually like the more colorful ones.
    The most traditional (if that is not an oxymoron!) color worn by non-Jews is the blue with either no trim or with gold or silver.  
Materials:  Wool is the preferred material.  It lasts longer and hangs better.  It is easy to keep clean (hand wash it in something like Woolite) and line dry.  Other materials are Acrylic and rayon which is silk like.  Raw silk which is beautiful but expensive. 
    Blends like wool and polyester.  The only blend not allowed by Torah is linen and wool.  Why? I don't except YHVH said NO, although you can put wool techelet on a linen tallit.  This perhaps shows that the original intention was for all of Israel to become a "nation of priests".  The garments in the Mishkan and Temple had both linen and wool.
   And again, other synthetics are made from acrylic called "Acrylon" and is very light and inexpensive.  It makes a great first tallit until you are sure of what you want.

We have been in the Bookstore business for almost 13 years and selling Judaica since 1998 and we've seen so many people (ministers and intercessors) come into the store, called by the Holy Spirit to purchase a head covering -- when we tell them about the tallit, they instantly KNOW this is what they want.  WE have been in a position to greet many tourists from all over the world who have been called by the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) to return to the Hebraic/Jewish roots of the Christian faith.  Anyone who dares to say that this is not of God is of the wrong spirit themselves.  

May the Lord bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you and give you shalom.

                                    With Love in Yeshua,

                                         Bobby and Charlene Gates

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