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Bar
Mitzvah Preparation: Tallit and Tefillin
Reform Perspective
by Rivka C. Berman
Tallit – Prayer Shawl
A
tallit purchase is a personal choice, but it is recommended that you take into
consideration your synagogue’s custom, your family traditions and of course your
desire or absence of regarding wearing a prayer shawl. (Do your friends own a
prayer shawl?)
Adults wear tallitot. When bnei mitzvah wear them it’s a visual cue to
their new status. The custom to wear a tallit is derived from the verse: “Speak
to the Children of Israel. They should make for themselves tassels on the
corners of their garments” (Numbers 15:38-40).
You’ve heard the old instruction “tie a string around your finger so you won’t
forget”? Tassels serve much the same purpose and act as reminders to live up to
Jewish responsibilities.
Until four-cornered outer garments fell out of fashion, the tassels were tied
onto everyday clothing. Today, traditional Jewish males wear a special
four-cornered garment, a tallit katan, all throughout the day. As a symbol of
holiness, tallitot are supposed to help wearers keep their minds focused on
prayer and serving God.
If you choose to wear a tallit, then bring it along for the bar mitzvah service
because the tallit is worn whenever the Torah is read. It is also worn during
morning services, even if the Torah will not be read. (A bit of trivia: the only
time the tallit is worn at night is at the Kol Nidrei service.)
Size wise, a tallit should be large enough to cover a small child and still
permit him to walk. Narrow and scarf-like or big and blanket-size, a tallit
should be shorter than the clothing it covers, by at least four inches, so it
does not drag on the ground (Kimmel 80-83).
Choosing a Tallit
Options abound. Go the traditional route with a blue and white or a
black and white tallit. Ask relatives for a tallit that once belonged a
grandparent. Let the tallit reflect personal tastes. One patriotic teen had an
American and Israeli flag sewn back to back for his tallit. Multicolored, tie
dyed tallitot are available. So are tallitot with multiple atarot – neckbands –
to accommodate changing tastes from flowers to cartoon characters. Making your
own isn’t hard either. With paint markers and a little flair for tzitzit tying,
you don’t even need sewing know-how to create your own tallit. The goal is to
create a prayer shawl that inspires holiness and focuses the mind.
Tefillin – Phylacteries (The little black boxes with straps)
Reform Jews rarely wear these prayer accessories, however, if you would like
more information about the Tefillin, the origin of the mitzvah, the meaning and
the rituals associated with donning them, check out
The Tefillin Ritual
Click
Here to Search For
Bar & Bat Mitzvah Service
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Bar & Bat Mitzvah
Reform Perspective
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Getting Ready: Tallit & Tefillin
(Prayer
Shawl & Phylacteries)
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