Origins

• The origins of the tallit go back to the Bible. In Numbers 15:37-41, God said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and bid them to affix fringes (tzitziot) to the corners of their garments...that you may look upon them and remember all the commandments of the Lord." The tallit was created as an outer garment that could be worn in a way that honored this request from God.
  
  

What is a tallit?

• The tallit is a large square of wool with fringe attached to each corner. Many historians believe it originally resembled blankets used by Bedouin traders. There are few religious guidelines for the tallit, other than it needs to be large enough to be considered a garment. The fringe is more important, since its presence helps fulfill the request from God mentioned in Bible.
  
  

Common usage

• In the early years of Judaism, the tallit was typically worn on the Sabbath and other religious occasions. Today, in Orthodox Judaism, it is customary for all males over the age of 13 to wear a tallit during religious services. This custom is seen as a way to honor God and the glory he brings to the world. Modern tallits are more ornate and decorated than in the early years of Judaism. Early tallits were often nothing more than a plain cloth, festooned with a small bit of fringe.
  
  

Weddings

• In Orthodox Jewish communities, it is customary for the groom to wear a tallit during the ceremony. In Sephardic communities, the groom wears a tallit under the chuppah (wedding canopy). In Ashkenazi communities, it is more common for grooms to wear a kittel (a long flowing white robe), but some Ashkenazi have started to wear a tallit in accordance with Sephardic custom. While wearing a tallit is not common in Reform Jewish weddings, it is often used as a canopy at wedding ceremonies.
  
  

Women

• In the early years of Judiasm, women wore the tallit. Over the centuries, however, that custom has faded. Orthodox Jews and Ashkenazi believe that because the four-cornered tallit was originally considered men's garb, and the Bible prohibits women from wearing men's clothing, women should not wear the tallit.