At a Rosh Hashanah mindfulness service I attended, the rabbi spoke about “Ruah Elohim,” the “breath [or spirit] of God,” a phrase that appears in a number of places in prayers and in the Torah. What does that really mean, though? I tried to find a visual image to help me understand. I thought about the second verse of Genesis, which says the universe began as “tohu vavohu,” “formless and void,” nothingness—which I also can’t quite comprehend. After that, God appears as “Ruah Elohim” and transforms that emptiness into the universe. This design is my attempt to show that transition. To me, God is about color and the wonderful chaos of life. On the bottom of this tallit is the initial stage, including the Hebrew words "tohu vavohu," along with a grey and black design. Then it changes, and at the top—the part that embraces our shoulders—along with the Hebrew words "Ruah Elohim," is color, and life.
In Hebrew along each side of this tallit is the second verse of Genesis, chapter 1:
1:2 And the earth was without form, and void [tohu vavohu]; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God [Ruah Elohim] moved upon the face of the waters.
Each tallit comes with a matching zippered tallit bag (see last photo), printed on both sides and machine-washable.
Material: Medium-weight cotton and satin trim. Size: 72" long x 24" wide, designed to be warn shawl-style. They're a comfortable size for men and women alike. Please see the F.A.Q. page for more information about how Goren Judaica tallitot are made, and options for customization.
