Tefillin

From Halachipedia

Order of wearing Tefillin

  1. One should put on Talit before Teffilin. [1]Even if the Talit is only obligated in Tzitzit Derabbanan it still takes precedence to the Teffilin. [2]

Torah Sources

The obligation of tefillin is mentioned four times in the Torah: twice when recalling the The Exodus from Egypt:

  1. "And it shall be for a sign for you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand did the LORD bring you out of Egypt."[3]
  2. "And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and as totafot between your eyes; for with a mighty hand did the LORD bring us forth out of Egypt." [4]

and twice in the first two paragraphs of Kriat Shema:

  1. "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes." [5]
  2. "You shall put these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall tie them for a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes." [6]

Arrangement of Paragaphs

There is much discussion among the rabbis of the Talmud as to the order in which the biblical passages should be written in the arm and head tefillin. The rabbis most famous for this dispute were Rashi and his grandson Rabbeinu Tam and the two versions used today are named after them. Nowadays the prevailing custom of the majority of Jews is to follow the opinion based on Rashi. Rabbenu Joseph Karo wrote in Shulchan Aruch Orech Chaim 34:2 that the especially pious should wear both sets, but added that only one commonly known to be especially pious may do so, perhaps lest one seem ostentatious about one's piety.(34:3) Some wear the Rashi tefillin alone, and then remove them and briefly wear Rabbeinu Tam tefillin. Others wear both sets of tefillin simultaneously, with the Rabbeinu Tam tefillin higher up than the Rashi tefillin.

  • Order of the passages of the arm-tefillin

Rashi: Kadesh Li, Ve-haya Ki Yeviehcha, Shema, Ve-haya Im Shemoa - (according to the chronological order as they appear in the Torah) Rabbeinu Tam: Kadesh Li, Ve-haya Ki Yeviehcha, Ve-haya Im Shemoa, Shema

  • Order of the passages of the head-tefillin

Rashi: Kadesh Li, Ve-haya Ki Yeviehcha, Shema, Ve-haya Im Shemoa Rabbeinu Tam: Kadesh Li, Ve-haya Ki Yeviehcha, Ve-haya Im Shemoa, Shema

Halachot for the Scribe

  • The passages must be written in order, and it is preferable to write those in the arm tefillin first (32:1).
  • Those in the head tefillin are written on four separate pieces of parchment and then placed into four compartments in the head tefillin(32:14), while those in the arm, on one piece (32:2).
  • The parchment must be made from the skin of a kosher type of animal or bird and bound with kosher animal hair. (32:12)
  • The passages must be written with intent (32:19), with the right hand (32:5), in black ink (see 32:3), and the pen should be tested before writing (32:22). They must be written by a literate, religious adult male Jew (see 32:30;39:1).
  • The boxes and their stitches must be perfectly square.
  • On the right and left sides of the head-tefillin the letter shin must be embossed.
  • The straps must be black on the outside and should be knotted in the form of the letter dalet.

References

  1. ↑ S”A 25:1 says that the Talit goes first because we want to increase in Kedusha from Talit to Teffilin.
  2. ↑ Halacha Brurah 25:7.
  3. ↑ Exodus 13:9
  4. ↑ Exodus 13:16
  5. ↑ Deuteronomy 6:8
  6. ↑ Deuteronomy 11:18
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