From the Rav’s Desk: Wearing a coat over a Tallis

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  1. Question: [Sunday, 11th Shevat 5781]

Now that we are praying outside in the freezing cold due to coronavirus is it permitted to wear a coat over one’s Tallis during the Shacharis prayer? Is it better to wear the Tallis over one’s coat, or to wear the coat over one’s Tallis?

Answer:

Practically, the common practice is to wear one’s winter coat over one’s Tallis. Seemingly, this is done to increase one’s warmth, as well as to prevent the Tallis from slipping off if it were to be worn over one’s coat. Nonetheless, if one chooses, he may certainly wear it over his coat and benefit from having his Tallis Gadol be the most external garment which is completely visible to the outside.

Sources: See M”A 8:13 in name of Arizal that the Tallis Katan represents Penimiyus, and hence should not be seen, as opposed to the Tallis Gadol which represents Chitzoniyus

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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