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Blessings for putting on a prayer shawl (tallit, tallis).

Optional: Before the blessing for donning the tallit

Some add this meditation before saying the blessing on the mitzvah of wrapping oneself in the tallit.

Transliteration:

Bar'chi nafshi et Adonai, Adonai Elohai, gadalta m’od, hod v’hadar lavashta. Oteh or kasalmah, noteh shamayim kay’riah

Translation:

Bless, Adonai, O my soul!
Adonai my God, how great You are.
You are robed in glory and majesty,
wrapping Yourself in light as in a garment,
spreading forth the heavens like a curtain.

Barchi Nafshi Read.mp3
Audio file:
Blessing for the Donning of the Tallit

Spread the tallit wide in front of you and look at it while saying this blessing.

Once the blessing is complete, wrap it around yourself. Many wrap it over their head for a few moments, to fully surround themselves in the mitzvah, before settling the tallit back on their shoulders.

Transliteration:

Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hitateif batzitzit.

Translation:

Blessed are you, Adonai our God,
Sovereign of all,
who hallows us with mitzvot,
commanding us to wrap ourselves in the fringes.

Tallit Blessing Read.mp3
Audio file:

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