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Morning Prayers

Tallit

עֲטִיפַת טַלִּית

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עֲטִיפַת טַלִּית

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:
Sephardi
Barchi nafshi et-Adonai, Adonai Elohai gadalta me'od, hod vehadar lavashta:
Oteh-or kasalmah, noteh shamayim kayri'ah:
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.
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 וְרַמ״ח אֵבָרַי וְשַׁס״ה גִּידַי בְּאוֹר הַצִּיצִית
הָעוֹלֶה תרי״ג. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁאֲנִי מִתְכַּסֶּה בְּטַלִּית בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כָּךְ אֶזְכֶּה לַחֲלוּקָא
דְּרַבָּנָן וּלְטַלִּית נָאֶה לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּגַן עֵדֶן. וְעַל יְדֵי מִצְוַת צִיצִית תִּנָּצֵל נַפְשִׁי וְרוּחִי
וְנִשְׁמָתִי וּתְפִלָּתִי מִן הַחִיצוֹנִים. וְהַטַּלִּית תִּפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפֶיהָ עֲלֵיהֶם וְתַצִּילֵם, כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר
קִנּוֹ עַל־גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף: וּתְהֵא חֲשֻׁבָה מִצְוַת צִיצִית לְפָנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כְּאִלּוּ
קִיַּמְתִּיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ וְכַוָּנוֹתֶיהָ וְתַרְיַ״ג מִצְוֹת הַתְּלוּיוֹת בָּהּ, אָמֵן סֶלָה.
Sephardi
Leshem yichud kudsha berich hu ushechinteh bidchilu urechimu, leyached sheim Yod-Heh be-Vav-Heh
Beyichuda shelim beshem kol Yisrael:
Hareini mitatef betzitzit. Kein titatef nishmati veramach eivarai veshasah gidai be'or hatzitzit
Ha'oleh taryag. Ucheshem she'ani mitkaseh betallit ba'olam hazeh, kach ezkeh lachaluka
Derabbanan uletallit na'eh la'olam haba began Eden. Ve'al yedei mitzvat tzitzit tinatzel nafshi veruchi
Venishmati utefilati min hachitzonim. Vehatallit tifros kenafeihah aleihem vetatzilem, kenesher ya'ir
Kino al-gozalav yerachef: utehe chashuvah mitzvat tzitzit lifnei hakadosh baruch hu, ke'ilu
Kiyamtihah bechol peratehah vedikdukehah vechavanotehah vetaryag mitzvot hateluyot bah, amen selah.
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.
Before wrapping oneself in the tallit, say:
Hebrew
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בַּצִּיצִית.
Sephardi
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha'olam
asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehitatef batzitzit.
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.
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:
Sephardi
Mah-yakar chasdecha Elohim, uvenei adam betzel kenafecha yechesayun: yirveyun
Mideshen beitecha, venachal adanecha tashkem: ki-imcha mekor chayim, be'orecha
Nir'eh-or: meshoch chasdecha leyode'echa, vetzidkatecha leyishrei-lev:
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.