I have just finished two copies of my “Mizpah” Tallit, inspired by the Mizpah Covenant between Jacob and Laban in Genesis 31:49, popularized as a romantic pledge between two people – “The LORD watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another.”
The colors represent the map of the hill country of Gilead and the Jabbok River valley where the Mizpah Covenant was made.
This lush tallit as 108″ long plus fringes, and 21″ wide. It is made from 100% cotton (exclusive of the atarah), and includes the atarah and hand-tied tzit-zit.
There are currently two available, and they would make a fine Bride and Groom wedding pair.
Price: $250.00
Use links to our Etsy and Amazon Shops on the left.
I am a rose of Sharon A lily of the valleys. Song of Solomon 2.1
The message of the Rose of Sharon Tallit:
The rose, gold, and black recall the colors of the Rose of Sharon found in Israel.
The rose color is for Hesed, G-d’s Steadfast Love.
The Gold color is for Chaim, the Gift of Life.
The Black Color is for the unsearchable Providence of G-d:
On one side, the narrower stripe is Sorrow
On the other side, the wider stripe is Hope.
Life, Love, Sorrow, Hope. This is the lot of the Jewish People. This is the meaning into which we are initiated. May it be a blessing to you.
~ Will Melnyk, Tallit Weaver
EphodsandPomegranates.com
However you say it, the practice of tying tassels on the four corners of a garment, especially a tallit, are a reminder to faithfulness.
At Ephods and Pomegranates, we hand tie all tzitzits to finish off each tallit.
Tzitzit Cord from Israel
Will Tying a Tzitzit
TZITZIT CUSTOM
It is a positive commandment to put tzitzit on any four cornered garment that you wear, as it says in Numbers 15:37-41:
The Lord said to Moses as follows: Speak to the Israelite people and instruct them to make for themselves fringes on the corners of their garments throughout the ages; let them attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. That shall be your fringe; look at it and recall all the commandments of the Lord and observe them, so that you do not follow your heart and eyes in your lustful urge. Thus you shall be reminded to observe all My commandments and to be holy to your God. I the Lord am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I, the Lord your God.
As is apparent, this mitzvah is given in order to remember God, His great love, all of His commandments and to do them. While the large tallit is used specifically for prayer, it is a mitzvah in itself to wear a garment with tzitzit all day. Traditional Jews, therefore, wear a tallit katan (small tallit) all day and a large tallit just for morning prayers. The tallit is not worn at night because the mitzvah stipulates that one should see the tzitzit. (The implication is that this should be seen by light of day, not by artificial light.) The tzitzit have to be at the corners; but there is a question as to where the corner is on a four cornered piece of material. A general guide is that the hole be three or four finger breadths from the corner edges. There is an opinion that the tzitzit should hang on the side of the corner and not on the bottom toward the ground. There is a custom not to cut the tzitzit to shorten them, but to bite them with your teeth.
How to tie tzitzit: ritual macrame
Before you try tying tzitzit to your tallit, it is advisable to practice with twine or heavy string looped around a chair leg.
Although you can spin or devise your own tzitzit strands, it is easier to buy a tzitzit pack, which is available at most Hebrew bookstores.
There will be sixteen strands in the pack (four long ones and twelve short ones; four off 60 inchest and twelve at 40 inches). Separate these into four groups with one long and three short in each. The longer strand is called the shammash and is the one used for the winding. Even up the four strands at one end and push the group through one of the corner holes in the tallit. Even up seven of the eight strands (the four being doubled) and leave the extra length of the shammash hanging to one side.
With four strands in one hand and the other four in the other hand, make a double knot near the edge of the material. In order to fulfill the mitvah of tzitzit, it is customary for you to say “l’shem mitzvat tzitzit,” “for the sake of performing the mitzvah of tzitzit,” each time you tie a knot Take the shammash and wind it round the other seven strands in a spiral (seven turns).
Be sure you end the winding where you began, otherwise you may end up with 7? or 6? winds. Make another double knot at this point (four over four). Spiral the shammash eight times around. Double knot. Spiral the shammash eleven times around. Double knot. Spiral the shammash thirteen times around. Final double knot. This is the common, and halakhically precise type of tying. There are, however, two variations on this:
A Sephardic tying adds another dimension to the pattern: each time the shammash is brought around, take it under the previous wind before winding it further. This will produce a curving ridge around the tzitzit. This, too, should be practiced before trying it on the tallit.
Although not in strict accordance with the halakhah, some tie the tzitzit with the shammash spiraling 10-5-6-5 times respectively.
The symbolism for the numbers is central to the overall symbolism of the tallit. Seven and eight equals fifteen, which in gematria (numerology) is equal to the two letters yod and heh the first two letters of the Name of God. Eleven is the equivalent of vav and heh the last two letters of the Name of God. The total, twenty six, is thus equivalent and representative YHVH the four letter Name of God. Thirteen is equivalent to the Hebrew word Ehad alef, chet, dalet which means One. So to look at the tzitzit is to remember and know that “God is One”. According to the second way of winding, each section is a different letter of God’s four letter Name. The central commandment surrounding tzitzit is:
“And you should see it and remember all of God’s commandments and do them”.
How do the tzitzit do this?
In gematria, tzitzit = six hundred. In addition there are eight strands plus five knots. The total is six hundred and thirteen which, according tradition, is the exact number of commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah. Just to look at them, therefore, is to remember all the mitzvot.
Two new Tallits are now in our Etsy Shop. These are about 20″ x 84″, handwoven from mercerized cotton. We include a package of tzitzit strings from Israel, and instructions for tying your own tzitzits, which is the best tradition.
The stripes have an overshot woven pattern, which gives them a beautiful, lacy look.
The “Mount Horeb” Tallit is now on Will’s loom, and will soon join two other new Tallit offerings on our Etsy and Amazon sites. Available with hand tied tzitzits.
Now on the Woven Judaica Loom at Ephods & Pomegranates: The “Siloam,” a new tallit.
Approximately 20″ wide by 84″ long, plus fringe, with hand tied tzitzits. Woven from three colors (lavender, purple, and white) of mercerized cotton. Watch for it to appear in the Tallit section of our Etsy Shop.
MONTEAGLE FOG FESTIVAL
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
February 12, 13 and 14
Studio Open House, Weaving Demonstrations, Items for sale, Refreshments
1805 Laurel Lake Drive, Monteagle
Friday & Saturday, February 12, 13
Studio Open House 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Weaving Demonstrations at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 14
Studio Open House 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Weaving Demonstration at 2:00 p.m.
Directions: Turn on to Laurel Lake Drive beside the Mountain Goat Market and go about 2 miles. We are the first driveway on the right after the big Bear Den sign. (Look for the red Fog Festival sign.
There will be a special 10% Fog Fest Discount on all items.
Here is some of our studio inventory of shawls, scarves, table runners, clergy stoles, etc.: