Tallit Sizing Tips

Questions on tallit sizing are just about the most common inquiries we receive. This week we received an email from a customer in Australia who is happy with the handwoven tallit he bought from us six months ago, and is thinking of buying a second handwoven tallit, but has questions on tallit sizing. 

Although his question is specific to his height, a lot of people out their can benefit from an understanding of how a size 24 tallit and a size 36 tallit fits, which is fairly universal.

I have been thinking about  purchasing another tallit .  Although very pleased with my last purchase I have always been keen on the look of the Kedma Classic (based on the photos on your website). I'm just wondering about the size?  Would the 25 inches be wide enough or 36 inches?  I am 5'10 in height.
I appreciate your advice.

With larger sizes, say 55 inches and up, the tallit is going to hang down in back, and then the question is how far it drapes.

With smaller sizes, whether 25 inches, 36 inches or 40 inches, someone 5'10" could wear any of them, but each would be worn very differently. Let me explain in detail.

If the tallit is 18 to 20 inches wide, it is worn like a scarf, just sitting on the neck and hanging in front.

If it is 24 to 26 inches wide, it is worn the same, but looks a bit different because it covers some of the upper back and upper arms.

A size 36 sort of wraps around you, as opposed to simply hanging down in front.

Once you get up to a size 45+, like you bought last time, the dimensions are designed so that it drapes down the back, traditional style, covering most of the back, or even hanging down to the belt, the back of the legs or the knees, depending on one's personal preference. Some people your height would even wear a size 70, which would hang down to the back of their knees. It looks long and elegant that way, and very frum, but many people find that to be too much tallit and hard to manage.

I have two idea for you to get an idea of a size 25 and a size 36.

1) Watch this video. The model is only 5'1", but it still gives you an idea of what I'm describing.

2) Take your tallit, which is around 48 inches. Fold it in half lengthwise, i.e. keep the atara straight, unfolded. You just turned it into a 24 inch tallit. Try it on.

By the way, I have seen Yemenites who wear their tallit this way every day. The Gemara speaks of taking your tallit and מתעטף yourself in it, which means wrap yourself. According to the Yemenite, and to some extent German, tradition, this means you wrap it around yourself, with the tzitzit in front. (I can't understand why Yemenite Jews don't simply buy a size 24 or 36 and save themselves a lot of money.) Most other Jews hold that you should have two tzitzit corners in front, and two in back.

Tallit Size Wizard>>>

Nonslip Tallit

In recent years nonslip tallits have gained popularity quite quickly. Today we received the following, very short inquiry from parents shopping for a nonslip tallit for their son.

Which is the tallis that does not fall off?

The truth is that any tallit can fall off, but in recent years tallit makers started developing special textured weaves that help keep the tallit in place. Tallit sellers often call these a "nonslip tallit," which is probably a touch of hyperbole, but I have had customers rave about how well they stay put on their shoulders.

My own Shabbos tallit has this nonslip tallit fabric (sometimes referred to as a box weave or waffle weave) and I'm quite happy with it. Beyond the nonslip factor, the tallitfabric is supple and has a nice feel to it.

If you go to the search box on the upper right of our webstore and enter "nonslip" you will see a wide range of nonslip tallit options, or try this link.

We have a lot of resources on the upper navigation bar to help you choose the right tallit, the right tzitzit, etc., and if you have any further questions, feel free to contact me.

Tallit with Matching Tallit Bag

This week we received an inquiry from a customer in Chile. He plans to make a big order, including tallit, tallit bag, tallit bag cover, tallit katan and mezuzahs, so he has a lot of questions to ask.

After he settled on a top-of-the-line traditional black-striped wool tallit, he asked about a matching tallit bag.

I think i'm buying the chatanim, it's really beautiful =)

http://tzitzit.tallit-shop.com/tallit-chatanim/

The tallit also includes a plastic bag and the matching tallit bag?

From his question, it sounds like he's assuming the tallit comes as a set, with a free matching tallit bag. But the truth is high-end tallits are never sold with a matching bag.

There is no matching bag made for the Chatanim. In fact, I've never seen a matching bag for a black-striped tallit. All of the matching tallit bags have a bit of color in them, e.g. black-silver, white-silver, blue-silver, blue-gold, etc. Also, the matching bags on the top line here are not such great quality (that's why they are only $12.50) and they are not quite big enough for a size 70.

Usually people who wear a black-striped tallit do not have a matching bag, but just any bag they like (usually dark blue, but not always). With tallit bags, generally the more you spend, the better the material.

I use a fairly inexpensive velvet bag (under $15) from before I ventured into the tallit business, and it has held up quite well for several years. But to tell you the truth, I secretly wish it would wear out so I could get something a bit nicer.