Tefillin: Difference between revisions

# Some have the minhag to keep their tefillin on during a [[brit milah]] <ref> Mishna Berura 25:55 based on Magen Avraham OC 25:28 and Shach YD 265:24. Rabbi Chaim Jachter http://koltorah.org/ravj/Minhagim_of_Brit_Milah_1.html testifies that this is the minhag of Rav Reuven and Rav Dovid Feinstein, although Rabbi Jachter himself says that the minhag seems to be that only the father and sandek wear it throughout the bris. </ref> while some people remove it before the brit. <ref> Yalkut Yosef p. 895, Aruch Hashulchan YD 265:38. Kaf Hachayim 25:92 writes that the minhag is for the father, mohel, and sandak to leave their tefillin on for the brit. </ref>

# The minimum length of the strap for the tefillin for the arm is at least long enough to wrap around the upper arm and extend downwards to the hand and wrapped around the middle finger three times. Preferably though it should be long enough to wrap around the arm six or seven times. <ref> S:A 27:8. Mishna Berura 27:31 says the custom nowadays is seven times. </ref>   

# The minimum length of the strap for the tefillin of the head is at least enough to go around the head plus two [[Tefachim]] on each side going down. <ref> Mishna Berura 27:44 </ref> The custom is that the right one be longer than the left one and that both go past the midsection. <ref> Mishna Berura 27:41 </ref>

# The straps should be colored black. <ref> Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, place of donning and how to don, seif 24, S"A 33:3 and Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of the straps, seif 3 say that this is a halacha limoshe misinai. Mishna Berura 33:19 says they should be as black as a raven and adds that one should be especially careful at the spot where one tightens the tefillin as the paint there wears off easily. </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 its sake. <ref> Mishna Berura 33:23 </ref>

# One should ensure that the black of the straps is facing outward. <ref> S"A 27:11. Mishna Berura 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 to make sure the whole thing is that way. </ref>

# Right handed people wear the tefillin on their left arm and left handed people place it on their right arm. Whether you are right handed or left handed is determined by which hand you write with. Someone who is completely ambidextrous should place it on the left arm. <ref> S"A 27:1, 27:6 based on gemara Menachot 37a. Halacha Berura 27:21 writes that someone who writes with one hand and performs all other activities with another is praiseworthy if he places on the other hand in addition without a beracha. This is also the ruling of Rabbi Eli Mansour http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=1101 </ref> One who in the past performed all activities with his right hand but for whatever reason has lost use of it and now his left becomes stronger should place it on the right arm. <ref> Mishna Berura 27:22 </ref>

# One should ensure that there is no interposition between the Tefillin Shel Rosh and one's head or the Tefillin Shel Yad and one's arm. <ref> Bet Yosef 27:4 quotes a dispute between the Rosh (Hilchot Tefillin 18, Sh"t HaRosh 3:4) who says that that there may not be any interposition between the Tefillin Shel Rosh and one's head and the Tefillin Shel Yad and one's arm and the Rashba ([[Megillah]] 24b s.v. Sipah) who allows putting Tefillin on top of an interposition. [See the Sh"t HaRashba Sh"t 3:282 where at first he acknowledges the explanation of the Rosh but comments that this is the halacha lo lemaaseh and continues to explain his own explanation until he concludes that his approach is the halacha.] S"A 27:4 rules like the Rosh. The Rama 27:4 says that this only applies for the batim (boxes) themselves and not the retzuot (straps) but Mishna Berura 27:16 says that one should not be lenient in this. S"A 27:5 says though that if one needs to lenient for some medical reason and needs a head covering, he can wear them above a thin hat. The Rama there says in that case he can't say a beracha. </ref>

# The following are considered items that separate between the Tefillin and one's body: loose dirt <ref> Mishna Berura 27:14 </ref>, water in your hair <ref> Shaare Teshuva 27:6 says one should make sure to dry his hair well if he wet it before putting on the tefillin, both because it could damage the tefillin, and because the water itself could be considered a separation.</ref>, a wig <ref> Mishna Berura 27:16 </ref> a toupee <ref> Iggerot Moshe OC 4:40:18 says that if removing it in public would embarrass the person that he should put on Tefillin in private with a beracha without the toupee and then go to shul and put it on there over the toupee without a beracha but hair that is transplanted is considered part of the head and is not a problem. see [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=2233 Daily Halacha (by Rabbi Mansour)].</ref>, and long hair.<ref> Machatzit Hashekel 27 and Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 10:6 say that although short hair would not be a problem, excessively long hair could be. The Pri Megadim 27 says that hair which is not located in its place of growth but rather has been brushed across from another part of the head, constitutes a chatzitza in tefillin.  Mishna Berura 27:14-15 agrees to this, and says that it also could be hard to keep the Tefillin lined up between the eyes and at the right height with long hair. Aruch Hashulchan 27:14 and Rav Ovadia (Yechave Daat 2:2(22)) hold that there is what to rely on regarding really long hair. The Aruch Hashulchan says only hair moved from another place would be problematic. </ref>.

# It is customary to fast if one's tefillin fall to the floor even if it was accidental. <ref> Mishna Berura 40:3, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, who is valid to write tefillin and to buy from, seif 3, Iggerot Moshe OC 3:3. Daat Torah 44:1 however quotes poskim who say that fasting is only necessary if they fell because of negligence. Baer Heitev 571:1 and Kaf hachayim 40:6 write that it is preferable for one to fast on the day that the tefillin fell. Kaf Hachayim 40:7 writes that one doesn't need to fast at all if the tefillin fell from less than 3 [[Tefachim]] high. </ref> In some cases instead of fasting, it is better to give [[charity]], or do a taanit dibur, or learn for additional hours, and therefore a posek should be consulted. <ref> Az Nidberu 8:20 and Rivevos Efrayim 6:14 quoting the Steipler. Daat Torah 44:1 writes that if fasting is too hard for somebody they can be lenient and give [[charity]] and this is the case for someone who is physically weak, a torah scholar or teacher as well as somebody who is active in the community. This is also the opinion of the Chida in Chayim Sho’al 12, Ben Ish Chai Parashat Chayei Sarah halacha 18, Sh"t Yabia Omer 2:28 </ref>

# One doesn't however fulfill his obligation with stolen tefillin and cannot recite a beracha on them. <ref> S"A 25:12, Mishna Berura 25:54 </ref>  

# Tefillin are not worn on [[Shabbat]] and the major [[holidays]] including [[Pesach]], [[Shavuot]], [[Rosh Hashana]]h, [[Yom Kippur]] and [[Sukkot]]. The reason given that these [[holidays]] are themselves "signs" which render the use of tefillin, which are to serve as "signs" themselves, superfluous. <ref> S"A 31:1, Mishna Berura 31:1, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 10, laws of [[tefilin]] on [[shabbat]] and [[yom tov]], seif 1 </ref>

# The tefillin are removed before we recite [[Mussaf]] on [[Rosh Chodesh]]. <ref> S"A 25:13, S"A 423:4, Mishna Berura 25:59, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 10:19, Rivevot Ephraim 7:317, Kaf Hachayim 25:94. Beit Yosef 25 s.v. "ubayom" writes that since in [[kedusha]] we recite that the angels should give Hashem a crown it would be improper for us to show our crowns, the tefillin. See Kaf Hachayim 25:94 for Kabbalistic reasons behind the removal of tefillin before [[Mussaf]]. </ref>  

# There are two reasons for taking off our [[tefilin]] before [[mussaf]]. The first reason is related to the [[Mussaf]] liturgy. According to nusach sefard and sefardi, the [[Mussaf]] [[Kedusha]] opens with the words “keter yitnu lecha” (“We crown you, our Lord…”) referring to the teaching that the Jewish people, along with the angels, crown God as King of the world. It is explained that it would be unbecoming to make reference to God as the Supreme crowned being while one is wearing tefillin, which are considered to be a crown in their own right. <ref> Mishna Berura 25:61, Shulchan Aruch Harav 25:41 </ref> The second reason tefillin are removed before [[Mussaf]] is in order to add a [[Yom Tov]] flavor to the day. As [[Mussaf]] represents the [[Yom Tov]] nature of [[Rosh Chodesh]] the tefillin are removed at that time. <ref> Levush 25:13, Mishna Berura 423:10 </ref>

# Tefillin are often removed and just placed on a table and not properly put away or wrapped. This is in order to minimize the interruption between the [[kaddish]] and the start of [[Mussaf]]. <ref> Rambam (Hilchot [[Tefilla]] 9:13), Taamei Haminhagim (Inyanei [[Rosh Chodesh]]) </ref> Nonetheless, one's tefillin should at least be covered before one begins [[Mussaf]]. <ref> Kaf Hachaim 28:7, Teshuvot V’hanhagot 1:45, Rivevot Ephraim 1:281:5 </ref> Although this approach is normative and based on kabbalisitc considerations, there is reason to suggest that it might not be the ideal manner in which to conduct oneself. <ref>  Magen Avraham 423:6, Pri Megadim E"A 423:6, Mishna Berura 25:59, Kaf HaChaim 25:94-95. </ref>

# According to a number of authorities the tefillin should be removed while reciting uva l’tzion, just before beginning the yehi ratzon paragraph. <ref> Mishna Berura 25:59. </ref> However, other sources seem to indicate that the tefillin should be removed after completing uva l’tzion but before the [[kaddish]] is recited. <ref> Siddur Baal Hatanya </ref>

# Leaving the tefillin exposed and unwrapped for the duration of [[Mussaf]] is unbecoming the reverence owed to them. In fact, according to halacha, whenever one removes tefillin one is to wrap and put away the shel-rosh before even removing the shel yad! There does not seem to be any good reason why this halacha should be ignored on [[Rosh Chodesh]]. <ref> Mishna Berura 28:8 </ref>

# Folding the tefillin during the repetition of [[Mussaf]] is also not an option as one is required to listen attentively to the repetition and not engage in any other activities. <ref> Mishna Berura 124:17, Igrot Moshe, OC 4:19, Tzitz Eliezer 11:10 </ref> As such, the tefillin are left unwrapped and exposed for an exceptionally long time. <ref> Pri Megadim, MZ 34:2 </ref>

# In the morning, one should wear his tefillin during the megilla reading even if he has already worn them. <ref> Mishna Berura 693:7, Magen Avraham 693:2, Baer Heitev 693:3. This is based on the gemara in Megilla 16b which says that the word viykar in Esther 8:16 relates to the tefillin that after the death of Haman the Jews continued to put on tefillin. Moed Likol Chai 31:88 says that one the word viykar is read one should kiss his tefillin. </ref>  

* The Tur (Siman 31) quotes some rishonim who are uncertain whether one must lay [[tefillin on Chol HaMoed]] and concludes that one should wear Tefillin without a Bracha. These opinions include the Ritva (Eruvin 96a), Smag (Eruvin 153), Meiri (Moed Katan 18b), and Taz 31:2. The Mishna Berura recommends that on Hol Hamoed one make a mental stipulation before donning tefillin: If I am obligated to don tefillin I intend to fulfill my obligation and if I am not obligated to don tefillin, my doing so should not be considered as fulfilling any obligation; and that the blessing not be recited. The Rama writes that the Ashkenazic custom is to wear Tefillin with a Bracha which is to be made in an undertone. See further: [http://www.koltorah.org/ravj/tefillinONmoed.htm Rabbi Jachter on koltorah.org].</ref>Someone who doesn’t have a minhag should not wear Tefillin on Chol haMoed. <Ref>Sh”t Teshuvot VeHanhagot 2:332 </ref>