February 2015 – Ben's Tallit Shop

Seven Species Tallit

The Shivat Haminim Tallit (or "Seven Species Tallit") features a rich pattern with shades of blue, magenta and other pastels. The vibrant designs focuses on a Shivat HaMinim motif -- the Seven Species for which the Land of Israel is praised: wheat, barley, olives, dates, figs, pomegranates and grapes. Inspiration Behind the Shivat HaMinim Tallit Various...

Do import taxes apply to a tallit or tzitzit?

I have a hunch that very few readers will find this post engaging, but since for several years I've been making a living by selling tallit and tzitzit products and sending them to customers around the world, I was quite intrigued to come across a court decision that delved into the definition and description...

Size 22 wool tallit katan with fringes

This week we received an inquiry about the fringes along the front bottom edge of a wool tallit katan. I was wondering if the wool tzitzit has the (tallis like) fringes across the bottom of the garment. I bought this type in Israel but can't find it in NY. Thanks, Zach Our standard wool tallit katan...

Where to buy a shofar online

Our specialty is tallit and tzitzit, but periodically our customers ask if we sell shofars as well, or if we can recommend where to buy a ram's horn or Yemenite shofar. For a long time we simply referred them to other Judaica webstores that sell shofars. Browse shofar selection >> But something always bothered me: All...

What makes a mezuzah case kosher?

What makes a mezuzah case kosher? The simple answer is nothing, it doesn't have to be kosher. The whole issue is the mezuzah parchment. In theory, you don't need a mezuzah case at all. In certain times and places in Jewish history, the mezuzah parchment was inserted into a crevice made in the doorpost, and...

Blue Tzitzit String

This week I had an email exchange with a prospective customer interested in buying a tallit with techelet tzitzit. Nice talking with you on the phone this morning.... But, I forgot to ask you something: If I choose just the "Handmade Thick Tzitzit" and the Chabad - Arizal tying, will it still be with seven...

Techelet: How many blue strings?

Someone by the name of Mark has sent me a few questions on techelet by email and today he called me on the phone. One question that has apparently been on his mind lately is how many strings of techelet should you use: one blue and three white, according to the Raavad, or one...

Chabad Tallis: What makes it unique?

We get plenty of customers looking for a genuine Chabad tallis, but we also see a number of tallis buyers who want what you might call a "pseudo-Chabad tallit." Today, for example, we received the following inquiry: Is there any difference between your Chabad Tallit and your Prima A.A. Tallit with Ari/Chabad tzitzis? Thank you for...