how the tallit speaks to the Church

[HelenaZF]

Yes, agreed. There is no scriptural "pattern" for the body of the tallit. It has developed through the centuries into the large white rectangle with blue striping on the edges that is the picture most recognize today as the tallit. Granted, most would project that image onto the biblical references to the tallit.



In fact, the important part of the tallit...the fringes...can be worn in such a way that they are barely seen. [Note: tzitzit is usually translated as fringes, but actually refers to the tassels on the corners of the garment. There are also fringe-like, feathery knots decorating the unsewn, end edges between the tzitzit. These feathery features do not have significance. It's the tzitzit that makes the garment what it is.]



Perhaps, you would like to elaborate on just what it is that make a tallit authentic and what tzitzit in biblical times actually looked like?