Search results for: ""talit gadol""
Talit Gadol with Talit Katan
Wear a talit gadol even though you are already wearing a talit katan, as a means of honoring the prayers.
Talit Gadol: Prayer Leader during Amida Repetition
A prayer leader should be especially careful to cover his head when saying the reader's repetition of the amida. A hatless prayer leader covers his head with the talit gadol during the private amida (also during the public amida and repetition). If wearing a hat, he does not cover his head with the talit.
Talit Gadol: Amida
A talit is required only when saying the amida prayer, but the universal custom (for men who wear talitot!) is to wear the talit during the entire shacharit service.
Note A talit is worn for shacharit, musaf, and all day and night on Yom Kippur; it is not commonly worn for mincha or ma'ariv (except on Yom Kippur).
Note A talit is worn for shacharit, musaf, and all day and night on Yom Kippur; it is not commonly worn for mincha or ma'ariv (except on Yom Kippur).
Talit Gadol: Humility
When a person speaks directly to God, it is very important to demonstrate humility. Since the Talmud says that covering one's head is a form of humility (and that learned Jews/talmidei chachamim used to cover their heads), men who wear a talit for prayer should ideally use it to cover their heads whenever they wear it, but the minimum is during the amida.
Talit Gadol: Form of Honor
It is a form of honor for the congregation for the leader to dress up (some congregations have the custom of requiring the leader to wear a jacket for mincha for this reason). A talit is usually the form of dressing up for all men during prayer services.
Talit Gadol: Mitzva
Men wear a talit as a mitzva (wearing a four-cornered garment in order to wear tzitzit).
Talit Gadol: Tzitzit Placement
Like all tzitzit, tzitzit on a talit gadol must hang over the edge of the talit and not hang down from the bottom (see diagram).
Talit Gadol: Color
A talit should be primarily white. Here are some details:
- A talit gadol should be either all white or white with black stripes. Avoid a very colorful talit that makes the white part look insignificant.
- Blue stripes used to be used: as with techelet, the blue reminds us of the sky, of God's throne (kisei ha'kavod), and of God.
- Even though the talit was originally supposed to have blue stripes, it is not the custom today to use blue stripes.
- Black stripes have no significance or importance.
Talit Gadol: Material
A talit gadol (or a talit katan) must be made from at least 51\% natural fibers.
Tzitzit: Placement
Like all tzitzit, tzitzit on a talit gadol should hang over the side edge of the talit and not hang down from the bottom.
Note They are still kosher even if they hang straight down, b'di'avad.
Talit Katan: Material
A talit katan (or a talit gadol) must be made from at least 51\% natural fibers.
Tzitzit: Garment Disposal
Garments for talit katan and talit gadol have no special holiness (kedusha). But once used for a mitzva, the garments—like the tzitziyot themselves--must be wrapped before disposal, as above.
Kissing Tzitziyot in Shema
Kiss all four tzitziyot in a talit gadol when saying the shema. Just kiss the front two tzitziyot if you only wear a talit katan. Doing either one is a non-binding custom, not a halacha.
Tzitzit Checking: Before Blessing
You are not required to check tzitzit on a talit katan or talit gadol each day.
Reason We assume, based on the norm (chazaka), that the tzitzit are OK.
But it is a good idea to check them before saying the blessing over them each day.
Reason We assume, based on the norm (chazaka), that the tzitzit are OK.
But it is a good idea to check them before saying the blessing over them each day.
What To Wear for Shema in Shacharit
Men should wear a talit katan (for married men, also wear a talit gadol) and tefilin in order to say shema in shacharit. However, if none are available, say the shema without them.