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 leather of the boxes needs to be tanned "Lishmah" (for the same of Tefillin).<ref>Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 32:8). See Or LeTzion (vol. 1 Orach Chaim 2:11 and vol. 2 3:5) regarding the use of machines.</ref> | |||
# The boxes should be black.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 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 Orach Chaim 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 Orach Chaim 32:39, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 13 </ref> | # The Tefillin boxes must be square.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:39, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 13 </ref> | ||
== Halachot for the Scrolls == | == Halachot for the Scrolls == | ||
===The Parchment (Klaf) Used for Tefillin=== | ===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 Chaim 32:12, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 6 </ref> | # 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 Chaim 32:12, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, [[miscellaneous]] laws (of [[Tefillin]]), seif 6 </ref> | ||
# According to [[Shulchan Aruch]], Tefillin must be written on ''klaf'', not ''duchsustus'' or ''gevil'', on the inner side, not the outer one. Otherwise, the Tefillin are invalid.<ref>Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 32:7). See Magen Avot (Lebhar, Orach Chaim 32:7) regarding nowadays.</ref> | |||
===How to Write Tefillin === | ===How to Write Tefillin === | ||
''See the [[Tzurat HaOtiot]] page for [[How To Write Letters in a Sefer Torah, Tefillin, and Mezuzot]].'' | |||
# The passages must be written with intent of writting them for the [[kedusha]] of [[Tefillin]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:19 </ref> | # The passages must be written with intent of writting them for the [[kedusha]] of [[Tefillin]].<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:19 </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> | # 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 Orach Chaim 32:5. 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 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 Chaim 32:5. 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. Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul (Or LeTzion 2:3:3) is quoted as stating that Tefillin written by someone who is purely left handed are kasher just not Mehudar (see Rav Pe'alinm 2:9), but those written by someone who is ambidextrous are subject to debate whether they are kasher or not. Therefore, an ambidextrous person should not get involved and the buyer should be informed of the status of any Tefillin written by him.</ref> | ||
# The passages must be written with black ink.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:3 </ref> | # The passages must be written with black ink.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:3 </ref> | ||
# It is a good habit to test out the pen before beginning to write a passage.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:22 </ref> | # It is a good habit to test out the pen before beginning to write a passage.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:22 </ref> | ||
===Who Can Write Tefillin (Who Can Be a Sofer)=== | ===Who Can Write Tefillin (Who Can Be a Sofer)=== | ||
# The passages for [[Tefillin]] must be written by a literate religious adult male Jew.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:30 and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 39:1 </ref> | # The passages for [[Tefillin]] must be written by a literate religious adult male Jew.<ref> Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:30 and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 39:1 </ref> | ||
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# 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 Chaim 32:2</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 Chaim 32:2</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 Chaim 34:36, See Taz ibid. Yechave Daat 5:3, Ohr LeTzion vol. 2 pg 35, Iggros Moshe Orach Chaim vol. 1 Siman 12</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 Chaim 34:36, See Taz ibid. Yechave Daat 5:3, Ohr LeTzion vol. 2 pg 35, Iggros Moshe Orach Chaim vol. 1 Siman 12</ref> | ||
# | # Given the debate between the [[Rambam]] and [[Rosh]] regarding how to write a Petuchah and a Setumah, Ashkenazi Tefillin are written in a way that attempts to form a compromise between the two. Unfortunately, this compromise is absolutely unacceptable for Sephardim, as it is against [[Shulchan Aruch]]. Therefore, Sephardim will not have fulfilled their obligation of [[Tefillin]] if they are written according to minhag Ashkenaz. If one has no choice, he should wear them without a Beracha, and a halachic authority should be contacted. This is not an issue with Chabad Tefillin.<ref>See Yechave Daat 2:3 and 5:3 where Chacham Ovadia explains that according to all opinions 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. This also the ruling of Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul (Or LeTzion 2:3:7). Yabia Omer (vol. 9 OC 108:24), Halacha Brurah 32:148</ref> | ||
==Halachot of the Straps (Retzuot)== | ==Halachot of the Straps (Retzuot)== | ||
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# 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 Knot of Tefillin Shel Rosh=== | ===The Knot of Tefillin Shel Rosh=== | ||
# The strap of the [[Tefillin]] | # 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> | ||
# Different customs about how to tie the ''Dalet'' exist. Some do an L rotated 180°, while others do a square.<ref>See Avnei Nezer (Orach Chaim 183), Shu"t Tzofnat Paneach Siman 93, Nefesh HaRav pp.105-106, and Tzitz Eliezer 9:9. Magen Avot (Orach Chaim 32:52) says Moroccans don't do a square, but some say it comes from the Arizal.</ref> | |||
==Borrowing Tallit or Tefillin== | ==Borrowing Tallit or Tefillin== | ||
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# Even though one is not obligated, it is praiseworthy to have one's [[Tefillin]] checked every year, particularly during the month of [[Elul]] and the aseret yimei teshuva.<ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:49, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=356 </ref> | # Even though one is not obligated, it is praiseworthy to have one's [[Tefillin]] checked every year, particularly during the month of [[Elul]] and the aseret yimei teshuva.<ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 1:49, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=356 </ref> | ||
# It is proper to check one's Tefillin to make sure that they are still valid twice every seven years. However, if [[Tefillin]] get damaged by water then they should be checked immediately, if that is not possible then one may use them, however without making a bracha.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 10:26 </ref> | # It is proper to check one's Tefillin to make sure that they are still valid twice every seven years. However, if [[Tefillin]] get damaged by water then they should be checked immediately, if that is not possible then one may use them, however without making a bracha.<ref> Kitzur Shulchan Aruch of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu 10:26 </ref> | ||
# If one has not gotten one's [[Tefillin]] checked for a long time and later finds out they were unkosher, one should increase one's Torah learning and some say one should take upon oneself to also wear Rabbeinu Tam | # If one has not gotten one's [[Tefillin]] checked for a long time and later finds out they were unkosher, one should increase one's Torah learning and some say one should take upon oneself to also wear [[Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin]] if one has not been already doing so.<ref> Sh"t Otzrot Yosef 3:8 </ref> | ||
==See also== | |||
#[[Burying_Religious_Articles#Tefillin accessories|Burying Religious Articles, Tefillin accessories]] | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
[[Category:Tefillin]] | [[Category:Tefillin]] | ||
