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>>>

Size 36 Tallit

Tallit sizing is standardized internationally, for the most part, but there's still plenty of room for confusion. If you're looking at the smaller tallit sizes, i.e. 24, 36, 45 and 50, there's an important distinction you need to understand.

Yesterday we received the following inquiry from a prospective tallit buyer:

I am considering my first adult tallit (I'm a recent convert). I stand about 5'9". I find full size traditional a bit large, but not to fussy on the scarf like shawls. Would a 36" fall somewhere in between? Thanks, Thom

I recommended to Thom that he choose either a size 36 or a size 50. Let me explain.

A size 24 tallit and a size 36 tallit are worn with all the tzitzit in front. It covers just the shoulders and upper back, and then wraps around the upper arms and hangs in front.

The larger tallit sizes, i.e. 45 for a 5' bar mitzvah boy, then 50, 55 and 60 for short and medium height men, and finally size 70 and 80 for tall men (and occasionally even a size 90), are all worn with two tzitzit hanging in front and two in back.

In halacha this is considered preferable, however there are two Jewish communities -- German Jews and Yemenite Jews -- that wear the tallit with all the tzitzit hanging in front. Both of these groups adhere very closely to traditional Jewish practice, and I'm not sure how to reconcile this with the halachic preference of two in the front and two in the back.

I'm 5'7" and my size 60 hangs down to mid-thigh on me. A size 50 is 8 inches shorter, so I would estimate it would hang down just below Thom's waist, and shouldn't be cumbersome at all.

More tallit sizing resources:
Tallit Size Wizard
Bar Mitzvah Tallit Sizes