http://www.israelvisit.co.il/beged-ivri/catalogue/Tallith.htm

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters – We should not feel scared or timid in learning our Hebraic Roots… and I pray Yahweh Blesses you all in feeling more open and comfortable in seeing how the feasts He has ordained – eventually would give you pictures and types of Yeshua’s pupose and his Kingship…
Shalom…

As far as the form of the garment, that may have some effect of others understanding of them. For Mormons, of course, I think it matters little the form they take. The form of the garment, as with the form of the temple ordinances, has changed slightly over time to adapt to the needs and circumstances of the people by revelation through God’s chosen prophets and apostles. I believe the vestments of the Lord’s covenant people have always followed closely the most respectable and proper forms of the day.

As with all subjects temple-related, I agree that we should speak more about them with others, but always in an appropriate way according to what we’ve learned from the General Authorities and trusted scholars, or through the comparative study of other traditions as we’ve done here.

I think Mormon garments are viewed with greater suspicion than the tallit katan or other religious clothing because we do have a stronger element of ‘secrecy’ in the way we interpret the charge to keep them sacred. We do not have fringe sticking out or do not outwardly have other signs of orthodoxy to act as visual cues; we do not talk about it them in our meetings and people are not exposed to them visually in society. I could have described a tallit and yarmulka when I was 6 having watched Fiddler on the Roof.

I think part of the issue is also in the design, just the fact that Mormon garments take an ancient tradition and put them on clothing that has a modern look and feel, i.e. boxers and a t-shirt and not of a pattern or design that has a stronger, shall we say, artistic or ethnic touch. The tallit katan in design and fabric still has an ‘ancient’ look to it. We can see Jesus wearing this same style of dress and it does not seem unnatural to us but perhaps the same could not be said about a shirt that is modeled after a modern t-shirt. It is that blurring of ancient ritual and orthodoxy and the modern look of business suits that throws people for a loop with the Mormons.

The Mormons view their garment as sacred and as such a civilized society should respect that view and consider it when they talk about the garment. But perhaps we as Mormons could speak more frankly about the garment and the deep meaning it has for us in appropriate settings and audiences.

About the picture, I wondered the same thing myself, but then I found many Jewish and other scholarly websites that also publish pictures of various tallit including the tallit katan (here is an example). If my understanding is correct, the tallit is sacred to the Jews, but it is not withheld from public view like the Mormon garment, particularly when it is not being worn. The fringes, or tzitzit, of the tallit will often hang down outside of the trousers in full view (as described in the classic book The Chosen by Chaïm Potok). The tallit gadol, another form of tallit, is much like a large scarf and is worn over the clothes resting on the shoulders (such as here, and here). Some observant Jews even sell the tallit katan on the internet (like here, and the Google ad that just showed up here from http://www.talit.com). If I am mistaken, may someone correct me. I do want to make sure we are always respectful of other faiths. And of course, here we are describing and giving appreciation and respect for the Jewish practice of wearing that sacred clothing.

Thanks for your concern.

I wonder if it is appropriate to display a picture of the Jewish sacred garment… I know I would not be comfortable with a picture of Mormon garments on display.