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Significance Of The Jewish Prayer Shawl Nov 10, 2008 2:50 am
Mood: A New Understanding, 554 Views
While Alan and I were at the Holyland Experience, in Orlando, they were featuring the Jewish Prayer Shawl for sale that day, for $9.99 and Alan bought one. I had previously heard several teachings about it and was amazed at the significance. It's meaning and use are deeply steeped in Jewish tradition.

The Prayer Shawl, (aka. tallis, tallit, talis) is a religious symbol, a garment, shroud, canopy, cloak which envelops the Jew both physically and spiritually, in prayer and celebration, in joy and sorrow.

Anyone attending an orthodox synagogue today will see that the men are all wearing prayer shawls. It is a very important part of Jewish life. Learning about this sacred garment will teach many exciting lessons from other Bible stories, even in the New Testament!

It is used at all major Jewish occasions: circumcisions, bar mitsvahs, weddings and burials. It protects the scrolls of the Torah when they are moved.

It inspired the Jewish flag. Three separate people had the same idea. They just unfurled the prayer shawl and added the Shield of David and created the flag of Israel.

The dead are wrapped in it when they are buried.

The wearing of the "tallit" (pronounced tal-eet), also called the "tallis" or "prayer shawl," was commanded by God in Deuteronomy 22 :12 and Num.15:37-40; "Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord."

In biblical times the Jewish men wore the prayer shawl all the time -- not just at prayer. The actors at Holyland Experience all walked around with their prayer shawl on, some over their heads, some over their shoulders.

A private and personal Prayer Closet
TALITH contains two Hebrew words; TAL meaning tent and ITH meaning little. Thus, you have LITTLE TENT. Each man had his own little tent. Six million Jews could not fit into the tent of meeting that was set up in the Old Testament. Therefore, what was given to them was their own private sanctuary where they could meet with God. Each man had one! His Prayer Shawl or Talith. They would pull it up over their head, forming a tent, where they would begin to chant and sing their Hebrew songs, and call upon God. It was intimate, private, and set apart from anyone else -- enabling them to totally focus upon God. This was their prayer closet! It represented each man's intimate time with God.

In New Testament times, ordinary people only wore a tallit on special occasions, if at all. It was the Pharisees who seem to have worn it regularly and, apparently in some cases, often for show. Jesus expresses no disapproval of the custom itself but he does condemn the extra long fringes that they affected to display their piety [Matthew 23:5]. Thus the hem or fringe of a garment indicated the rank or personality of the wearer.

As the prayer shawl was placed over the head, it formed his own tent. WINGS of the garment were formed when the arms were held out. For this reason, the corners of the prayer shawl are often called "wings." During the first century there were several traditions associated with the tzitzit concerning Messiah. One was that these knotted fringes possessed healing powers. Certainly the woman with the issue of blood knew of these traditions, which would explain why she sought to touch the hem (the wings) of Jesus' prayer garment. The same word used in Numbers 15:38 for corner is used in Malachi 4:2 for wings. With this understanding in mind, an ancient Jew under the prayer shawl could be said to be dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and under His wings (Ps. 91:1-4). The lady with the issue knew that if Jesus were the promised Messiah, there would be healing in His wings (fringes). That this was the opinion of many other people is revealed by the crowd who sought his healing powers, "that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole," Matthew 14:36.

So, the wearing of the prayer shawl signifies great things. Not only one's own personal "place" to be with God, but also healing qualities and powers. Wear it My Love, and dwell in the secret place of the Most High and under His wings. There's no better place to be!
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