Tallit Atara Customization

3rd Aug 2022

Over the years, we've gotten all sorts of requests for tallit atara ("neckband" or "collar") customization. Some customers have asked for a guitar design or musical notes (we actually do have an atara with musical notes), others for a mountain motif and one unforgettable request was for a tallit that commemorated the Florida Gators. 

For the most part, we're not set up to accommodate this sort of request. 

Our hand-woven tallits have an option for letter customation on the atara, but note that we don't embroider verses. Why not?

This week we received a request from a mother who wanted to order a handwoven tallit for an upcoming bar mitzvah with the words Tzedek tzedek tirdof (Devarim 16:20) because it's one of the verses in the Torah portion to be read on the lad's bar mitzvah.

We declined, explaining that the Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 283,4) states that you should not embroider verses on a tallit. This is explained in detail here. Note that there may be room for leniency. You might want to consult with your rabbi. 

If you read Hebrew, you might want to refer to this question and answer posted at Din Online.