
A tallit, taleth, or tallis is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. In many Jewish communities, the tallit is worn by men and boys over the age of 13 (bar mitzvah age). In some communities, it is worn from a younger age, and in others, it is only worn after marriage. The tallit is incorporated into Jewish wedding ceremonies in various ways. One custom is for the groom to wear a tallit under the chuppah (wedding canopy), and sometimes the bride and groom are wrapped in the tallit together during the ceremony. The tallit may also be used as the cloth roof of the chuppah.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who wears the tallis? | The groom |
| When is it worn? | During the wedding ceremony, particularly under the chuppah (wedding canopy) |
| Who gives the tallis? | The bride to the groom as a wedding present |
| Who is it given to? | In some communities, it is worn from bar mitzvah. In many Ashkenazi circles, it is worn only after marriage. |
| What does it symbolise? | Unity, being surrounded by love, and creating a Jewish home together |
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What You'll Learn
- The tallis is worn by the groom under the chuppah in Sephardic, German Jewish and some other communities
- The bride gives the groom a tallis as a wedding present
- The tallis is draped over the couple during the final blessings as a symbol of unity and love
- The tallis is used as a chuppah or wedding canopy
- The tallis is worn by the rabbi and relatives during the chuppah ceremony

The tallis is worn by the groom under the chuppah in Sephardic, German Jewish and some other communities
The tallis, or tallit, is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The tallis is traditionally worn by men and boys over the age of 13 or from their bar mitzvah. However, in some communities, boys may wear a tallit from preschool age, and in others, men only start wearing a tallit after they are married.
In many Sephardic and German Jewish communities, the groom wears a tallit gadol (large tallit) under the chuppah (wedding canopy). The groom will often wrap the tallit around himself and the bride during the ceremony. This custom is also practised in some other communities, including Yemenite Jews.
The Sephardic custom is for the groom to put on a new tallit, and then, when the Sheva Brachos (seven blessings) are recited, bachelors hold the tallit over the couple. In German Jewish communities, the rabbi and two honoured relatives also wear a tallit during the recital of the Sheva Brachos.
The tallit may also serve as the cloth roof of the chuppah. Some couples choose to use a tallit as a chuppah, especially if it is a family heirloom. The tallit is also incorporated during the final blessings when the couple's parents wrap it around the couple's shoulders, symbolising unity and being surrounded by love.
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The bride gives the groom a tallis as a wedding present
In Jewish communities, a tallit is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The cloth part is known as the beged, and is usually made from wool or cotton, though silk is sometimes used for a tallit gadol. The tallit has special knotted fringes known as tzitzit attached to its four corners.
In many Jewish wedding traditions, a tallit is used in several ways. For example, a tallit may serve as the cloth roof portion of the chuppah, or wedding canopy. This is often the case when using a family heirloom of a loved one who has passed away. The tallit is also incorporated during the final blessings when the couple's parents wrap the tallit around the couple's shoulders, symbolising unity and being surrounded by love.
In many Sephardic and German Jewish communities, the groom traditionally wears a tallit gadol under the chuppah. In non-German Ashkenazi communities, the groom usually wears a kittel instead. In Hasidic and some non-Hasidic communities, an overcoat is worn over the kittel.
In many Ashkenazi circles, a tallit gadol is worn only after marriage, and in some communities, it is customarily presented to a groom by the bride before the marriage as a wedding present or as part of a dowry. This custom arose because the predominant Ashkenazi custom is that young men do not start wearing a tallit at bar mitzvah, but only after they get married.
In Orthodox communities, the Jewish wedding tradition of the bedeken ceremony is held before the wedding. The bride and groom are separated, and then the groom, his male relatives and friends make a joyful procession to the bride. She is placed on a throne surrounded by her female family and loved ones. As guests sing and dance, the groom places the veil over the bride's face. This tradition represents modesty and the groom's love for the bride's inner beauty.
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The tallis is draped over the couple during the final blessings as a symbol of unity and love
The tallit, also known as the tallis or taleth, is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. It is a four-cornered cloth, usually made from wool or cotton, with special knotted fringes called tzitzit attached to each corner. The tallit is worn in the synagogue by men and boys over the bar mitzvah age, and in some communities, even younger.
The tallit is also incorporated into Jewish wedding ceremonies. One custom is for the groom to wear a tallit under the chuppah (wedding canopy), and in some cases, he wraps it around the bride as well. This is particularly common among Sephardic and German Jews. In non-German Ashkenazi communities, the groom typically wears a kittel instead of a tallit.
The tallit may also be used as the cloth roof of the chuppah, especially when using a family heirloom to commemorate a loved one who has passed away. In addition, the tallit is draped over the couple during the final blessings as a symbol of unity and love. This is often done by the couple's parents, enveloping them in the loving protection of the Holy One and inviting the loving Presence of the Source of Life and Love to surround them as they begin their married life together.
The use of the tallit in Jewish wedding ceremonies is a beautiful way to incorporate the couple's heritage and faith into their special day, adding a layer of symbolism and meaning to the celebration of their union.
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The tallis is used as a chuppah or wedding canopy
The tallis, or tallit, is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The cloth part is known as the "beged" and is usually made from wool or cotton, although silk is sometimes used for a tallit gadol. The tallit is worn in the synagogue by all men and boys over bar mitzvah age, and in some communities, even younger.
The tallit is used as a chuppah or wedding canopy in some Jewish weddings. The chuppah is a canopy that does not have to resemble a tallit, but some couples opt to use a tallit as one. The tallit is also incorporated during the final blessings when the couple's parents wrap it around the couple's shoulders, symbolising unity and being surrounded by love.
In Sephardic and German Jewish communities, the groom traditionally wears a tallit gadol under the chuppah and may wrap it around the bride during the ceremony. In non-German Ashkenazi communities, it is more common for the groom to wear a kittel. The traditional Ashkenazi custom is not to use a tallit at all, but today, some couples adopt the Sephardic custom.
The tallit is also used during the final blessings of the wedding ceremony, when the couple's parents wrap it around the couple's shoulders. This symbolises unity and being surrounded by love.
Some couples choose to incorporate the tallit into their wedding ceremony as a way to connect with their cultural heritage and receive blessings for their future family.
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The tallis is worn by the rabbi and relatives during the chuppah ceremony
The tallis, or tallit, is a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews. The cloth part is known as the beged, and the fringes are called tzitzit. The tallis is worn by men and boys over the age of 13 in many Jewish communities. In some communities, it is worn from a younger age, and in others, it is only worn after marriage. The act of wearing the tallis is said to help the wearer feel connected with and surrounded by the loving protection of God.
During a Jewish wedding, the tallis is often incorporated into the ceremony in different ways. One custom is for the groom to wear a tallis under the chuppah, or wedding canopy. In some communities, the groom will also wrap the tallis around the bride during the ceremony. The tallis may also be used as the cloth roof of the chuppah.
The Sephardic custom is for the groom to put on a new tallis, and then for bachelors to hold the tallis over the bride and groom when the Sheva Brachos are recited. In German Jewish communities, the tallis plays a dominant role during the chuppah ceremony. The rabbi and two relatives honoured with reciting the Sheva Brachos wear a tallis, and the chassan (groom) wears a "chuppah tallis" and drapes it over himself and the bride.
The tallis is also incorporated during the final blessings when the couple's parents wrap the tallis around the couple's shoulders, symbolising unity and being surrounded by love.
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Frequently asked questions
The tallit is put around the wedding couple during the final blessings of the ceremony.
The couple's parents put the tallit around the couple's shoulders.
The tallit symbolises unity and being surrounded by love. The act of wrapping oneself in a tallit symbolises being enveloped by the loving protection of God.
It can be any tallit, except a Messianic one. It is often a tallit belonging to a member of the couple or their families.











































