Significance of the Torah and the tallit- Explained

1. Significance of the Torah and the tallit- Explained The Torah In Judaism, the Torah plays a crucial role in the life, ritual and belief of the Jewish people. In simple words, without the Torah, there will be no existence of Judaism. The Torah basically constitutes the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) that direct the lives of the Jews in many ways that include morality, relationships, hospitality, charity, marriage and purity. The meaning of the word “Torah” in Hebrew is to “teach, direct and guide in the right path.” According to Judaism, it is the document that contains all of the rules by which the Jewish people are able to structure their spiritual lives. The Jewish people believe that 50 days after Passover, God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai. They believe that by giving His law and commandments, God made His will known about how He wants His people to live. The Torah contains 613 Mitzvahs (commandments) and within these, there are 10 statements, which are followed by Jews religiously. As a book that has been used through the ages, the Torah is written in Hebrew (The oldest and official language of Israel). Oral Torah Alongside the written law, Judaism also recognizes an oral or spoken tradition of laws and stories. This “Oral Torah” is believed to be told by God to Moses on Mount Sinai at the same time as he received the stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments. This Oral Torah is known as the Torah she b’al pei or literally Torah from the mouth.

2. The Oral Torah or Oral Law are basically those sets of purported laws, statutes, and legal interpretations that were not recorded in the Five Books of Moses, the Written Torah. Some of the laws mentioned in the Torah cannot be understood without the help of the Oral Torah. For instance, in Shema's first paragraph, the Bible instructs: "And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise up. And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes." According to the last paragraph which mentions, "Bind them for a sign upon your hand," the Torah doesn’t say clearly what to bind. Furthermore, there is no information regarding the frontlets mentioned in the last paragraph as well. In the Torah, the Hebrew word for frontlets, totafot is used three times — always in this context (Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8, 11:18) — and is as obscure as is the English. The only way possible to know and learn about what a Jewish male should bind upon his hand and between his eyes is through the Oral Torah, which is tefillin (phylacteries). The Torah and the tallit- Connection “Make tassels for yourselves on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself.” (Deuteronomy 22:12) A tallit is a Jewish prayer shawl that is worn by Jewish people as a symbol of communal solidarity and devotion to their god. From the four corners of these rectangular religious garments hang the special twined and knotted fringes known as tzitzit. The knotted fringes or the tassels serve as a constant reminder of the 613 commandments of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses.

3. Today, there are plenty of beautifully decorated modern tallits available at the online store of Galilee Silks. These tallitot are made as per the Jewish laws and traditions that will serve as an ongoing reminder of the commandments. If you want to buy tallis that you will enjoy wearing to synagogue or on any religious occasions, visit the official website of Galilee Silks today!