Details About the Tefillin Boxes and Straps: Difference between revisions
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Details About the Tefillin Boxes and Straps (view source)
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==Halachot of the Boxes (Batim)== | ==Halachot of the Boxes (Batim)== | ||
# The boxes should be black.<ref> Shulchan Aruch O.C. 32:40, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 12. Mishna Brurah 32:184 comments that Shulchan Aruch implies that it is only a mitzvah but after the fact it isn't critical, however, the Gra holds that it is essential in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Tefillin. Halacha Brurah 32:161 rules that after the fact Tefillin are kosher even if the batim aren't black. Shulchan Aruch only mentions blackening the Batim and Retzuot, however, Pitchei Teshuva 32:64 quotes the Sefer Tikun Tefilin and Zichron Eliyahu ch. 20 who say also to paint the entire Tefillin including the Titura and Mavarta excluding the inside of the Mavarta. Halacha Brurah 32:161 agrees.</ref> | # The boxes should be black.<ref> Shulchan Aruch O.C. 32:40, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 12. Mishna Brurah 32:184 comments that Shulchan Aruch implies that it is only a mitzvah but after the fact it isn't critical, however, the Gra holds that it is essential in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Tefillin. Halacha Brurah 32:161 rules that after the fact Tefillin are kosher even if the batim aren't black. Shulchan Aruch only mentions blackening the Batim and Retzuot, however, Pitchei Teshuva 32:64 quotes the Sefer Tikun Tefilin and Zichron Eliyahu ch. 20 who say also to paint the entire Tefillin including the Titura and Mavarta excluding the inside of the Mavarta. Halacha Brurah 32:161 agrees.</ref> | ||
# The Tefillin boxes must be square.<ref> Shulchan Aruch | # The Tefillin boxes must be square.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:39, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 13 </ref> | ||
== Halachot for the | == Halachot for the Scrolls == | ||
===The Parchment (Klaf) Used for Tefillin=== | |||
# The parchment must be made from the skin of a kosher type of animal or bird. Even if the animal is taref, it is permitted to use as long as the animal is from a kosher species.<ref> [[Shabbos]] 108a, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:12, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 6 </ref> | |||
===How to Write Tefillin === | |||
# The parchment must be made from the skin of a kosher type of animal or bird. Even if the animal is taref, it is permitted to use as long as the animal is from a kosher species.<ref> [[Shabbos]] 108a, Shulchan Aruch | # The passages must be written with intent of writting them for the [[kedusha]] of [[Tefillin]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:19 </ref> | ||
# The passages must be written with intent of writting them for the [[kedusha]] of [[Tefillin]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch | |||
# Before and while writing the passages for the [[Tefillin]] the sofer should say "I am writing for the sake of the holiness of [[Tefillin]]." <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 7 </ref> | # Before and while writing the passages for the [[Tefillin]] the sofer should say "I am writing for the sake of the holiness of [[Tefillin]]." <ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 7 </ref> | ||
# The passages must be written with one's right hand if one is right-handed or ambidextrous, however, a left-handed person must write the passages with his left hand.<ref>Shulchan Aruch | # The passages must be written with one's right hand if one is right-handed or ambidextrous, however, a left-handed person must write the passages with his left hand.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:5. See Mishna Brurah 32:18 who quotes the Pri Megadim that preferably one should not have a sofer who writes with the right hand and does other activities with the left hand or the opposite. </ref> | ||
# The passages must be written with black ink.<ref>Shulchan Aruch | # The passages must be written with black ink.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:3 </ref> | ||
# It is a good habit to test out the pen before beginning to write a passage.<ref> Shulchan Aruch | # It is a good habit to test out the pen before beginning to write a passage.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:22 </ref> | ||
# The passages for [[Tefillin]] must be written by a literate religious adult male Jew.<ref> Shulchan Aruch | ===Who Can Write Tefillin (Who Can Be a Sofer)=== | ||
# [[Tefillin]] written by a gentile or a Jew who does not believe in the entire Torah and its divinity are not kosher.<ref> Rambam Hilchot [[Tefillin]] 1:13 </ref> Women are exempt from wearing [[Tefillin]] and as such may not write [[Tefillin]].<ref>Gemara Gittin 45b, Shulchan Aruch | # The passages for [[Tefillin]] must be written by a literate religious adult male Jew.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:30 and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim39:1 </ref> | ||
# The passages | # [[Tefillin]] written by a gentile or a Jew who does not believe in the entire Torah and its divinity are not kosher.<ref> Rambam Hilchot [[Tefillin]] 1:13 </ref> Women are exempt from wearing [[Tefillin]] and as such may not write [[Tefillin]].<ref>Gemara Gittin 45b, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim39:1</ref> | ||
===The Passages (Parshiot) Written in Tefillin=== | |||
# The passages must be written in the order of the Torah (Kadesh, VeHaya Ki Yiviyecha, Shema, and then VeHaya Im Shamoa).<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:1 </ref> It is preferable to write the passages for the arm [[Tefillin]] before writing the passages for the head [[Tefillin]].<ref>Rama 32:1, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 2 </ref> | |||
# Those in the head [[Tefillin]] are written on four separate pieces of parchment, while those in the arm [[Tefillin]] are written on one piece of parchment.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim32:2</ref> | |||
# The first three passages are Petuchot and the last one is Setumah. Bediavad, if the parsha which is supposed to be patuach is written satum or the satum parsha is written patuach the [[Tefillin]] are considered pasul.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim34:36, See Taz ibid. Yechave Daat 5:3, Ohr LeTzion vol. 2 pg 35, Iggros Moshe O.C. vol. 1 Siman 12</ref> | |||
# In normal circumstances, Sephardim will not have fulfilled their obligation of [[Tefillin]], if they are written according to minhag Ashkenaz. If one has no choice, a halachic authority should be contacted.<ref> Halacha Brurah 32:148. See Yechave Daat 2:3 and 5:3 where Chacham Ovadia explains that LeKulei Alma the script itself is not a problem; rather, the issue is that Ashkenazi sofrim follow the Taz's peshara to be yotzeh both the Rambam and Rosh's opinions of a Parsha Stumah. Since the Shulchan Aruch explicitly rejects this peshara in Hilchot Sefer Torah, it is invalid for Sephardim, thereby rendering the [[Tefillin]] Pesulim according to the Sephardi custom.</ref> | |||
==Halachot of the Straps (Retzuot)== | ==Halachot of the Straps (Retzuot)== | ||
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# The coloring can be done by a women, or a child if the child is supervised by an adult who instructs him to paint it for his sake.<ref> Mishna Brurah 33:23 </ref> | # The coloring can be done by a women, or a child if the child is supervised by an adult who instructs him to paint it for his sake.<ref> Mishna Brurah 33:23 </ref> | ||
# The coloring can be done at night.<ref> Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg quoted in Mivakshei Torah volume 4 page 415. </ref> | # The coloring can be done at night.<ref> Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv and Rav Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg quoted in Mivakshei Torah volume 4 page 415. </ref> | ||
# One should ensure that the black of the straps faces outward.<ref> Shulchan Aruch | # One should ensure that the black of the straps faces outward.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim27:11. Mishna Brurah 27:38 says that one really only has to make sure that the part around the head and around the arm muscle has the black on the outside, but it looks nicer when the black faces outward everywhere and therefore we make sure to practice that way. </ref> | ||
# The minimum width of the [[Tefillin]] straps is the width of a barley kernel, which is approximately a centimeter.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch | # The minimum width of the [[Tefillin]] straps is the width of a barley kernel, which is approximately a centimeter.<ref>Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim10:13 writes that the minimum width of the [[Tefillin]] straps is the width of a barley kernel. Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (comments on Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim10:16) writes that the size of a barley is one centimeter.</ref> | ||
# The straps of the [[Tefillin]] should be made from the skin of a kosher animal.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of the straps, seif 2 </ref> | # The straps of the [[Tefillin]] should be made from the skin of a kosher animal.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of the straps, seif 2 </ref> | ||
# The strap of the [[Tefillin]] shel rosh should contain a knot in the shape of the hebrew letter dalet, and the strap of the [[Tefillin]] shel yad should contain a knot in the shape of the letter yod. In the end, these symbols and the Hebrew letter shin on the [[Tefillin]] shel rosh will complete the spelling of the name of Hashem.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of the straps, seif 1 </ref> | # The strap of the [[Tefillin]] shel rosh should contain a knot in the shape of the hebrew letter dalet, and the strap of the [[Tefillin]] shel yad should contain a knot in the shape of the letter yod. In the end, these symbols and the Hebrew letter shin on the [[Tefillin]] shel rosh will complete the spelling of the name of Hashem.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of the straps, seif 1 </ref> | ||
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# One may not remove the borrowed [[Tefillin]] from the synagogue or the owner's home without permission.<ref> Chesed La'alafim 14:4 </ref> | # One may not remove the borrowed [[Tefillin]] from the synagogue or the owner's home without permission.<ref> Chesed La'alafim 14:4 </ref> | ||
# Obviously one may not damage the [[Tefillin]] <ref> Kaf Hachayim 14:22 </ref> | # Obviously one may not damage the [[Tefillin]] <ref> Kaf Hachayim 14:22 </ref> | ||
# One does not however fulfill one's obligation of [[Tefillin]] with stolen [[Tefillin]] and may not recite a bracha on them.<ref> Shulchan Aruch | # One does not however fulfill one's obligation of [[Tefillin]] with stolen [[Tefillin]] and may not recite a bracha on them.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim25:12, Mishna Brurah 25:54 </ref> | ||
==Getting Tefillin Checked== | ==Getting Tefillin Checked== | ||
