I get this question a lot. Often people ask me, “What is the prayer on the tallit collar?” (The correct term for the neckband on the tallit is “atara.”)
First of all, it’s actually not a prayer, but the blessing recited just before putting the tallit on. And the blessing doesn’t mention the word “tallit,” but rather focuses on the tzitzit, because really the mitzvah is to wear tzitzit, and the tallit is the vehicle to accomplish that.
Atara with Tzitzit Blessing
The tzitzit blessing on the atara reads as follows:
בָּרוּך אַתָּה ה’ אֱ-להֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אַשֶׁר קִדְשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָנוּ לְהִתעַטֵף בְּצִיצִת
Baruch attah Ado-noy Elo-hay-nu Melech ha’olam asher kid-sha-nu b’mitz-vo-sav v’tzi-vanu l’his-atef b’tzitzis. (Trans: Blessed are you, Lord our G‑d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to enwrap ourselves with tzitzis.)
Since Jews are often quite familiar with the first six words of the blessing, sometimes the atara leaves out these words to save space.
It is very common to find the Tzitzit Blessing embroidered on the tallit atara, although in strictly Orthodox congregations, many prefer not to have the blessing on the neckband, because they say it every day and have no need to see it printed.
If you do not not the Tzitzit Blessing and do not have it printed on the atara, there’s no need to fret: you can always find it printed toward the beginning of your Siddur.