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Tefillin: Difference between revisions
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== | ==Talit before Tefillin== | ||
# One should put on Talit before Teffilin. <Ref>S”A 25:1 says that the Talit goes first because we want to increase in Kedusha from Talit to Teffilin. </ref>Even if the Talit is only obligated in Tzitzit Derabbanan it still takes precedence to the Teffilin. <Ref> Halacha Brurah 25:7. </ref> | # One should put on Talit before Teffilin. <Ref>S”A 25:1 says that the Talit goes first because we want to increase in Kedusha from Talit to Teffilin. </ref>Even if the Talit is only obligated in Tzitzit Derabbanan it still takes precedence to the Teffilin. <Ref> Halacha Brurah 25:7. </ref> | ||
== Torah Sources == | == Torah Sources == | ||
# The obligation of tefillin is mentioned four times in the Torah. <ref> The torah mentions Tefillin twice when recalling the The Exodus from Egypt as in Exodus 13:9 it reads "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." and Exodus 13:16 "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." and twice in the first two paragraphs of Kriat Shema as in Deuteronomy 6:8 it says "And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes." and lastly in Deuteronomy 11:18 "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." </ref> | |||
The obligation of tefillin is mentioned four times in the Torah | |||
==Who is obligated?== | |||
# All men above the age of thirteen are required to put on tefillin daily. | |||
and twice in the first two paragraphs of Kriat Shema: | # Women are exempt because it is a time-bound mitzva. | ||
== Arrangement of Paragaphs == | == 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. | # 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 | *Order of the passages of the arm-tefillin | ||
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# The Tefillin of the arm is put on before the Tefillin of the head. Therefore one should be careful to arrange the Tefillin in the case so that one takes the Tefillin shel yad first. | # The Tefillin of the arm is put on before the Tefillin of the head. Therefore one should be careful to arrange the Tefillin in the case so that one takes the Tefillin shel yad first. | ||
# However, if one did take the Tefillin Shel Rosh first one must pass up that Tefillin and put on the Tefillin Shel yad first. <ref> S"A 25:5 </ref> | # However, if one did take the Tefillin Shel Rosh first one must pass up that Tefillin and put on the Tefillin Shel yad first. <ref> S"A 25:5 </ref> | ||
==Brachot of Tefillin== | |||
# Before the strap of the arm-tefillin is tightened, the blessing of להניח תפילין is said. <ref> S"A 25:8 </ref> | # Before the strap of the arm-tefillin is tightened, the blessing of להניח תפילין is said. <ref> S"A 25:8 </ref> | ||
# Upon placement of the head-tefillin, Sephardic and Hasidic authorities are of the opinion that the blessing on laying the head-tefillin is not necessary and the one blessing on laying the arm-tefillin is sufficient. <ref> S"A 25:5 </ref> | |||
# It is strictly forbidden to talk between the placement of the arm and head-tefillin. <ref> S"A 25:9 </ref> | |||
# However, if one spoke by mistake, he must recite the beracha of al mitzvat tefillin as the Ashkenaz. <ref> S"A 25:9 </ref> | |||
# Ashkenazim, however, do recite a second blessing of על מצות תפילין on the head-tefillin, before tightening it around the head. <ref> Rama 25:5 </ref> | |||
# It is also customary to add the phrase ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד because of the doubt as too the necessity of the beracha. <ref> Rama 25:5 </ref> | |||
==Where the Tefillin are placed== | |||
# The arm-tefillin is placed on the biceps of the arm, two finger breadths away from the elbow, with the box facing inward towards the heart. After the beracha is said, the arm-tefillin is tightened, then wrapped around the arm seven times. The knot formation and arm binding differ considerably between different traditions. There is a custom to cover the arm-tefillin with the sleeve, in accordance with the verse "And they will be a sign to you...", i.e. to you and not to others. | |||
# Next, the head-tefillin is placed on top of the head, "between the eyes" but not lower than the hairline (or if balding, where one's hairline once was). The knot of the head-tefillin sits at the back of the head, upon the part of the occipital bone that protrudes just above the nape. The two straps of the head-tefillin are brought in front of the shoulders, with their blackened side facing outwards. | |||
==Wrappings around the hand== | |||
# After placing the head-tefillin the remainder of the arm-tefillin straps are then wound three times around the middle finger and around the hand. This is accompanied by the recitation of Hoshea 2:21 and 2:22 | |||
"'וארשתיך לי לעולם, וארשתיך לי בצדק ובמשפט ובחסד וברחמים, וארשתיך לי באמונה וידעת את ה". | "'וארשתיך לי לעולם, וארשתיך לי בצדק ובמשפט ובחסד וברחמים, וארשתיך לי באמונה וידעת את ה". | ||
# The Sephardic method of wrapping results in a dalet shape on the palm of the hand and a shin around the middle finger, so as to represent the name of G-d from the middle finger (ש) through the palm (ד) to the knot (י) hanging from the box of the arm-tefillin. | |||
==Removing the Tefillin== | |||
# On removing the tefillin the three twistings on the middle finger are loosened first; then the head-tefillin is removed; and finally the arm-tefillin. | |||
On removing the tefillin the three twistings on the middle finger are loosened first; then the head-tefillin is removed; and finally the arm-tefillin. | |||
It is customary among Ashkenazi Jews to put and to remove the tefillin while standing(Ramah on Orach Chaim 25:11) while Sephardim sit for arm-tefillin and stand for head tefillin. | It is customary among Ashkenazi Jews to put and to remove the tefillin while standing(Ramah on Orach Chaim 25:11) while Sephardim sit for arm-tefillin and stand for head tefillin. | ||
== When to Wear Tefillin == | == When to Wear Tefillin == | ||
Originally tefillin were laid all day, but not during the night. Nowadays the prevailing custom is to lay them only during the weekday morning service.(Orach Chaim 37:2) | # Originally tefillin were laid all day, but not during the night. | ||
The problem with wearing them all day is the necessity to remove them when encountering an unclean place and the requirement to constantly have in mind the knowledge that they are being worn. | # Nowadays the prevailing custom is to lay them only during the weekday morning service.(Orach Chaim 37:2) | ||
# The minimum requirement is to have Tefillin on during Kriyat Shema and Shemona Esreh. <ref> S"A 25:4 </ref> | |||
# The problem with wearing them all day is the necessity to remove them when encountering an unclean place and the requirement to constantly have in mind the knowledge that they are being worn. | |||
'''Shabbat and Yom Tov''' | '''Shabbat and Yom Tov''' | ||
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The majority of those who lay tefillin on Hol HaMoed remove them before the Hallel prayer, unlike on Rosh Chodesh, when the tefillin is removed just prior to the Mussaf prayer. This is out of respect for the festive nature of Hol HaMoed, a festive nature which is especially palpable during the recitation of Hallel. The one exception to this practice is the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach, when the Torah reading which follows Hallel discusses the mitzvah of tefillin. Because the Torah reading on that particular day focuses on the tefillin, those who lay tefillin on Hol HaMoed keep them on during Hallel and the Torah reading, and only remove the tefillin after the Torah reading is completed. | The majority of those who lay tefillin on Hol HaMoed remove them before the Hallel prayer, unlike on Rosh Chodesh, when the tefillin is removed just prior to the Mussaf prayer. This is out of respect for the festive nature of Hol HaMoed, a festive nature which is especially palpable during the recitation of Hallel. The one exception to this practice is the first day of Chol HaMoed Pesach, when the Torah reading which follows Hallel discusses the mitzvah of tefillin. Because the Torah reading on that particular day focuses on the tefillin, those who lay tefillin on Hol HaMoed keep them on during Hallel and the Torah reading, and only remove the tefillin after the Torah reading is completed. | ||
==Tisha BeAv== | |||
# On Tisha B'Av, tefillin are worn at the afternoon service instead. This is because tefillin are considered an ornament or symbolic of a connection to God, both of which are inappropriate for a day of mourning the distance between God and the Jewish people. Wearing tefillin is thus delayed until the afternoon, when the mourning is considered to have passed its peak. | |||
On Tisha B'Av, tefillin are worn at the afternoon service instead. This is because tefillin are considered an ornament or symbolic of a connection to God, both of which are inappropriate for a day of mourning the distance between God and the Jewish people. Wearing tefillin is thus delayed until the afternoon, when the mourning is considered to have passed its peak. However, many Jews, especially among Ashkenazi and Sepharadi Jerusalemites, do lay tefillin for the morning service as well. Another custom exists among some Sephardic Jews put on tefillin privately in their homes and then go to shul to pray without tefillin. | # However, many Jews, especially among Ashkenazi and Sepharadi Jerusalemites, do lay tefillin for the morning service as well. | ||
# Another custom exists among some Sephardic Jews put on tefillin privately in their homes and then go to shul to pray without tefillin. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
