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Morning Prayers

Tallit

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עטיפת טלית

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עטיפת טלית

TALLIT

Say the following meditation before putting on the tallit. Meditations before the fulfillment of mitzvot are to ensure that we do so with the requisite intention (kavana). This particularly applies to mitzvot whose purpose is to induce in us certain states of mind, as is the case with tallit and tefillin, both of which are external symbols of inward commitment to the life of observance of the mitzvot.
Ps. 104
Hebrew
בָּרְכִי נַפְשִׁי אֶת־יְהוָה, יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד, הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ: עֹטֶה־אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה, נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם כַּיְרִיעָה:
English
Bless the LORD, my soul. LORD, my God, You are very great, clothed in majesty and splendor, wrapped in a robe of light, spreading out the heavens like a tent.
Sephardi
Barechi nafshi et-Adonai, Adonai Elohai gadalta me’od, hod vehadar lavashta; oteh-or kasalmah, noteh shamayim kayri’ah.
Some say:
Deut. 32
Hebrew
לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, לְיַחֵד שֵׁם י״ה בְּו״ה בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הֲרֵינִי מִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית. כֵּן תִּתְעַטֵּף נִשְׁמָתִי וְרַמַ״ח אֵבָרַי וּשְׁסָ״ה גִּידַי בְּאוֹר הַצִּיצִית הָעוֹלֶה תַּרְיַ״ג. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי מִתְכַּסֶּה בְּטַלִּית בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כָּךְ אֶזְכֶּה לַחֲלוּקָא דְרַבָּנָן וּלְטַלִּית נָאָה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן. וְעַל יְדֵי מִצְוַת צִיצִית תַּצִּיל נַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי וּתְפִלָּתִי מִן הַחִיצוֹנִים, וְהַטַּלִּית תִּפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפֶיהָ עֲלֵיהֶם וְתַצִּילֵם, כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ עַל־גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף. וּתְהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ וְכַוָּנוֹתֶיהָ וְתַרְיַ״ג מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּהּ, אָמֵן סֶלָה.
English
For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Divine Presence, in reverence and love, to unify the name Yod-Heh with Vav-Heh in perfect unity in the name of all Israel. I am about to wrap myself in this tasseled garment (tallit). So may my soul, my 248 limbs and 365 sinews be wrapped in the light of the tassel (hatzitzit) which amounts to 613 [commandments]. And just as I cover myself with a tasseled garment in this world, so may I be worthy of rabbinical dress and a fine garment in the World to Come in the Garden of Eden. Through the commandment of tassels may my life’s-breath, spirit, soul and prayer be delivered from external impediments, and may the tallit spread its wings over them like an eagle stirring up its nest, hovering over its young. May the commandment of the tasseled garment be considered before the Holy One, blessed be He, as if I had fulfilled it in all its specifics, details and intentions, as well as the 613 commandments dependent on it, Amen, Selah.
Sephardi
Leshem yiḥud Kudsha Berich Hu uShechinteh bidḥilu urḥimu, leyaḥed shem Yod-Heh beVav-Heh beyiḥuda shelim beshem kol Yisrael. Hareini mitatef betzitzit. Ken titatef nishmati veramaḥ evarai ushesah gidai be’or hatzitzit ha’oleh taryag. Ucheshem she’ani mitkasseh betallit ba-olam hazeh, kach ezkeh laḥaluka derabbanan uletallit na’ah la-olam haba beGan Eden. Ve’al yedei mitzvat tzitzit tatzil nafshi veruḥi venishmati utefillati min haḥitzonim, vehatallit tifros kenafeha aleihem vetatzilem, kenesher ya’ir kinno al-gozalav yeraḥef. Utehe ḥashuvah mitzvat tzitzit lifnei Hakadosh Baruch Hu, ke’ilu kiyamtiha bechol perateha vedikdukeha vekavvanoteha vetaryag mitzvot hateluyot bah, Amen Selah.
Before wrapping oneself in the tallit, say:
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִית.
English
Blessed are You, LORD our God, King of the Universe, who has made us holy through His commandments, and has commanded us to wrap ourselves in the tasseled garment.
Sephardi
Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu lehit’atef betzitzit.
According to the Shela (R. Isaiah Horowitz), one should say these verses after wrapping oneself in the tallit:
Ps. 36
Hebrew
מַה־יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים, וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחֱסָיוּן: יִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ, וְנַחַל עֲדָנֶיךָ תַשְׁקֵם: כִּי־עִמְּךָ מְקוֹר חַיִּים, בְּאוֹרְךָ נִרְאֶה־אוֹר: מְשֹׁךְ חַסְדְּךָ לְיֹדְעֶיךָ, וְצִדְקָתְךָ לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב:
English
How precious is Your loving-kindness, O God, and the children of men find refuge under the shadow of Your wings. They are filled with the rich plenty of Your House. You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light. Continue Your loving-kindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
Sephardi
Mah yakar ḥasdecha Elohim, uvnei adam betzel kenafecha yeḥesayun; yirveyun middeshen beitecha, venaḥal adanecha tashkem; ki immecha mekor ḥayyim, be’orecha nir’eh-or; meshokh ḥasdecha leyode’echa, vetzidkatecha leyishrei-lev.