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Koshering a Tallit
For a tallit to be kosher, it must adhere to certain specifications when being made. The construction of the tallit should not be undertaken lightly. Tallitot must be made with all requisite laws so that the garment will end up as kosher. The cloth used must not be of mixed fibers (referred to as shaatnez) – in other words, if wool is used, it must be fully constructed of wool. The garment must also comply with measurement specifications. Additionally, the tallit must have four corners; and the garment must have an indication at the neck as to which way is ‘up’. The threads, fringes or tzitzit, are the most important part of the garment, and these threads must be of the same fiber as the garment; and they must be tied by a God fearing man. The tallit itself does not require a specific pattern or scene and can be fabricated from any number of materials, such as silk, cotton, wool, or even nylon. It is recommended that you check the tzitzit each morning to ensure they are kosher prior to putting the tallit on. Any strings that are broken should be replaced immediately and any knots that have been unraveled should be tightened. Austin Custom Tallit will happily tighten your knots. Originally, the commandment about wearing tallitot said that each fringe should contain one blue string. However, the dye (extracted from a type of fish or water worm called, Chilazon) was lost; meaning that the exact shade of blue can no longer be matched with absolute certainty. Thus, white threads-only, became the norm. There are a few instances where a blue thread is used, but as a result, there are mixed feelings amongst Rabbis as to whether a tallit with a blue thread is kosher. If you want a blue thread, discuss it with your Rabbi or spiritual advisor first, ensuring that you do not make a hasty decision. Regardless of the outcome of that discussion, we will happily add a blue thread if you specifically request one. Any other Tallit
that we prepare, make from scratch, tighten for you, or replace for you,
will be Kosher.
Baruch HaShem
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