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As modern day dawned
and people began wearing the apparel with which we
are all quite familiar (shirts and slacks, etc.),
the four-cornered sheet-like cloth fell out of
style and practicality, and to this end, the
Biblical commandment to attach tzitzis to one's
garments effectively became obsolete. However, in
a demonstration of love for the Almighty and their
desire to keep His commandments, the Rabbis
ordained that Jews should purposely wear
four-cornered garments to necessitate the
attachment of the tzitzis.
The tzitzis that are
spoken about in Numbers (ibid.) refer to four
twisted strings of wool that are inserted into a
hole (or two holes, depending on varying
tradition) on each of the four corners of the
sheet-like cloth that are folded over to produce
eight strings and then tied together in an
intricate pattern of knots and twirlings.
In Numbers, the Torah also states that a blue
string is to be placed on each corner as well. The
blue string was similar to the white strings
except that it had been dyed with a special dye,
the tekhelet, from an organism known as the
chilazon. However, over the many years of exile in
the Diaspora, noted as being sometime between
500-600 CE, the identity of this organism, as well
as the proper procedure for processing the dye,
was lost.
Over the many
years of absence of this tekhelet, there had been
a custom among some to include some sort of
colored stripe on the actual four cornered cloth
as a reminder of the Biblical decree or the blue
string. The Rambam, a leading Sefardic Biblical
commentator, placed a blue stripe on his tallit,
Rashi, a leading Ashkenazic Biblical commentator,
placed a black stripe on his tallit (Rashi's
school of thought was that the blue color of the
tekheilet was actually a very dark blue/purplish
color, and thus more similar to black than to the
light blue of the Rambam's stripe.) This blue on a
white background became accepted as a symbol for
the Jewish community, and was the inspiration for
the development of the Flag of Israel. This color
might be synonymous with the dye color known as
Tyrian purple, used by the royalty and upper class
of ancient times. A less common practice is the
use of the blue thread, regardless of the source
of the dye.
While many
statements about this dye exist in rabbinic
literature, they are not clear enough to provide
positive identification. Only in the 20th century
has archaeological research, combined with
readings of rabbinic literature, allowed
scientists to speculate about the source of this
dye. The cuttlefish and the Murex trunculus snail
have both been identified as possibly being the
true chilazon, with the latter gaining more
acceptance but both still being far from attaining
universal approval. In recent years, following
discovery of a method to produce blue die from the
Murex trunculus snail, a few noted individuals
have begun to produce the blue dye, claiming it to
be the original tekhelet.
It is said that
when the Jews will look at this blue string, they
will come to think of the blue sea, and the sea
will make them think of the blue heavens, and the
heavens will make them remember God above them,
and they will thus be protected from sinning.
Tekhelet corresponds to the color of the divine
revelation (Midrash Numbers Rabbah xv.).
[edit]
Kinds of tallit
There are two
kinds of tallit — tallit gadol and tallit katan.
Tallit gadol
The tallit gadol
(traditionally known as tallét gedolah amongst
Sephardim), or "large" tallit, is worn over ones
clothing resting on the shoulders. This is the
prayer shawl that is worn during the morning
services in synagogue and by the leader of the
prayers during some other services.
Tallit katan
The tallit katan
(traditionally known as tallét ketannah amongst
Sephardim), or "small" tallit, is worn for the
duration of the day by Orthodox Jewish men. While
it should not be worn directly on the skin, it is
often worn beneath one's shirt (yet above an
undershirt) so as to conform to societal dress
codes. However, Chassidim tend to wear them on top
of their shirts, as they do not desire to conform
to the modern Western-style mode of dress. They
do, however, wear a suit vest over their tallit
katan.
The tallit katan is also known as arba kanfot
(Yid. arba kanfos or tzitzit (Yid. tzitzis).
Description of tallit gadol
The tallit gadol,
which can be spread out like a sheet, is
traditionally usually woven of wool — especially
amongst Ashkenazim. Some Spanish and Portuguese
Jews, however, have the tradition to use silk
talletot, and cotton or linen are also traditional
choices. In our days, other materials are also
used — including synthetic materials like rayon,
polyester and acrylic. Talletot may be of any
colour, but are typically white, and usually with
black, blue or white stripes along the lateral
sides (see Historical Origins above for stripe
explanation).
Sizes of talletot vary greatly. The silk and
synthetic ones vary in size, for men, from about
36 × 54 inches (91 × 137 cm) to 72 × 96 inches
(183 × 244 cm). The woolen tallit is
proportionately larger (sometimes reaching to the
ankle), conforming to the Halakha that the tallit
should be large enough to be full-body apparel and
not just scarf-like. A ribbon, or a band
artistically woven with silver or gold threads
(called "spania"), and about 24 inches (61 cm)
long by 2 to 6 inches (5 to 15 cm) wide, may be
sewn on the side of the tallit that is nearest to
the head, and is called the atarah, or ‘crown’.
From the four corners of the tallit hang fringes
called tzitzit, in compliance with the laws in the
Torah (Book of Numbers 15:38). |
