What is a tallit?
The tallit (also pronounced tallis) is a prayer shawl, the most authentic Jewish garment. It is a rectangular-shaped piece of linen or wool (and sometimes, now, polyester or silk) with special fringes called Tzitzit on each of the four corners. The purpose of the garment is to hold the Tzitzit.
Most tallitot (alternative plural: talleisim) have a neckband, called an Atarah, which most often has the blessing one recites when donning the tallit, embroidered across it.
Why wear a tallit?
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]
The purpose of the tallit, then, is to hold the Tzitzit, and the purpose of the Tzitzit (according to the Torah) is to remind us of God's commandments.
The tallit is worn for morning prayer, during the week as well as on Shabbat and other holy days. It is not worn for afternoon and evening prayers because of the commandment that one should see the Tzitzit, which has been interpreted as meaning to be seen by the light of the day. The Shaliach Tzibur (who leads the prayer) usually wears a tallit, as well, even in the afternoon and evening.
THE MEANING OF SHALOM
The Hebrew word SHALOM is understood around the world to mean peace. But peace is only one small part of the meaning of the word SHALOM.
Strong's Concordance 7965 - Hebrew Shalom ..... A word study in the New King James version for SHALOM says: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.
Shalom comes from the root verb Shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the obviously related word Shelem means to pay for, and Shulam means to be fully paid; nothing missing, nothing broken.
Sar SHALOM (Prince of Peace) is one of the descriptive names the Bible uses to indicate the ministry and personality of the Messiah: Isaiah 9:6 - The Son of God is completely perfect in all things. And, thus so, the fullness of Shalom may be found ONLY IN HIM. There is no true and lasting Shalom when our path is not one in which Yeshua is not our Adonai—Lord & Master. It IS the will of the Father that we abide in His Shalom but we hold the deciding ‘vote.’
An art instructor with 2 prize students commissioned each to draw a portrait of their vision of peace. The first drew an idyllic scene where the lion and lamb rested ever so blissfully side by side. The second positioned a singing bird on the branch of a limb, next to her nest, outstretched into a cascading waterfall.
Too often we assume that restfulness is the full essence of peace. In the lack of confrontation even we all may find rest but it is in the storm that we abide in His Peace. The storms of life are but the seeds of the coming of the rainbow. IN the MIDST of the storm when all seems lost, when we can claim with holy confidence in our Father that all is well, now there is Shalom.
So in essence, when you speak out the word SHALOM - you are not only proclaiming peace, but all the above meanings of the word over that person - that's a mighty blessing!!!
Remember what the word of God says - "there is life or death in the power of the tongue". Prov 18:21--Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Numbers 6:24-26: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. In the name of SAR SHALOM - the Prince of Peace.
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