Order of Putting on the Tallit

Chabad: ' is a reduced vowel — every vocal shva, always pronounced. - separates syllables that would otherwise run together.

How to read the transliterations

ORDER OF PUTTING ON THE TALLIT

It is the Chabad custom to don the tallit and tefillin before אֵיזֶהוּ מְקוֹמָן, page 22.

Stand with the folded tallit on the right shoulder with the four tzitzit in front. Examine the tzitzit to make sure they are not torn, while reciting the following:

Hebrew

בָּרְכִי* נַפְשִׁי אֶת יְהֹוָה, יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַי גָּדַלְתָּ מְאֹד, הוֹד
וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ: עֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָה, נוֹטֶה
שָׁמַיִם* כַּיְרִיעָה:²

Chabad

bor'chi* nafshi es Adonoy, Adonoy Eloyhai godalto m'oyd, hoyd
v'hodor lovoshto: oyteh oyr kasalmoh, noyteh
shomayim* kayri-oh:

Unfold the tallit and open it wide, kiss its upper edge, and swing it around from the position in which it is held in front of you until it is hanging behind you. At this point, begin the blessing.

While reciting the blessing, place the tallit over the head and upper body, and bear in mind that God commanded us to enwrap ourselves in it, to remind us to perform all His commandments.

Hebrew

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ
בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהִתְעַטֵּף בְּצִיצִת:

Chabad

boruch atoh Adonoy, Eloyheinu melech ho-oylom, asher kid'shonu
b'mitzvoysov, v'tzivonu l'hisateif b'tzitzis:

While concluding the blessing, gather the two right corners of the tallit, raise them up, and place them over the left shoulder; gather the two left corners and bring them up to the left side of the chest. Thus all four tzitzit are on the left side, two in front and two behind. See illustrations, page 639. It is the Chabad custom to cover one's face—with the upper part of the tallit—only down to cover the eyes, not down to the mouth.

Remain enwrapped after the blessing, as long as it takes to walk four cubits (i.e., approximately three seconds), and recite the following:

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:³

Chabad

mah yokor chasd'cho Eloyhim, uv'nei* Odom b'tzeil k'nofecho yechesoyun:
yirv'yun mideshen beisecho, v'nachal adonecho sashkeim: ki im'cho*
m'koyr chayim, b'oyr'cho* nireh oyr: m'shoych chasd'cho l'yoyd'-echo,*
v'tzidkos'cho* l'yishrei* leiv:

Drape the tallit over the head, shoulders, and back during the entire time of prayer.