History
A tallit is a prayer shawl worn by men (and sometimes women) within the Jewish faith. Traditionally, it is worn when praying, although it may be worn at all times (as some Ashkenazi men prefer to do). Wearing one comes from the Book of Numbers in the passage that says, "The Lord said to Moses: Speak to the Israelites and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God." [Numbers 15:37-41] In most customs, Jews begin to wear a tallit once they have reached the age of 13 (the age of majority or bat/bar mitzvah), although some still wait to wear one once they have been married. The tallit is to remind the Jews of their constant devotion to God.
What Does It Look Like?
The tallit is a rectangular band of cloth with fringes on each of the four corners. The tallit is usually lined with a blue band on each side. Some of the tallits have the prayers you recite when donning a tallit across the neck. The fringes on the four corners are called tzitzit and tied in a specific way to represent some of the names of God.
How to Wear the Tallit
When putting on a tallit, it is customary to recite the berachah, which is sometimes embroidered on the neck of the garment. The prayer roughly translates to: "Blessed Are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes us holy with commandments, and has commanded us to wrap ourselves in the tzitzit (the fringes on the tallit which remind us of God's commandments)." The wearer will then kiss the embroidered prayer (at the last word and then the first word) and then wrap it around him or herself, usually first over the head for prayer, and then around his or her shoulders.
Women and the Tallit
Women are not commanded to wear a tallit, making it a widespread controversy in Judaism. Most Reform and Conservative communities have no qualms about allowing a woman to wear it, although some communities think it is silly for a woman to fulfill a commandment she is not required to. However, as early as 1040, rabbis have been allowing women to wear the prayer shawl if they wish to do so. Even though some rabbis have been allowing this practice for over 1,000 years, it is still heavily debated in some circles. If women do wear the tallit, they follow the same instructions as a man and can begin to wear it at age 12 or 13.
When to Wear the Tallit
When to wear the Tallit is largely based on customs. Many Sephardic (Jews of Latin or Spanish background) wear a tallit at morning, mid-day and evening prayers as well as under the wedding canopy. Most Ashkenazi do not wear it under the wedding canopy. Some Orthodox Ashkenazi see it fit to wear the tallit at all times. It is widely varied when to wear it, but it is universally agreed upon that these tallits are here to remind Jews of their rich heritage and is often given as a gift between father and son or mother and daughter on the day of a bat or bar mitzvah.