Tefillin: Difference between revisions

# The Tefillin Shel Yad should be put on the left arm on the area where the muscle bulges in the lower half of the area between the elbow and armpit. <Ref> S”A 27:1, Mishna Brurah 27:4 </ref> One should make sure not to put the Tefillin within two fingerbreadths of one’s elbow. <Ref>Piskei Teshuvot 27:1 quoted Tefillah LeMoshe 7:7 </ref>

# The Tefillin should be tilted slightly towards the body so that when the arm is bent the Tefillin faces the heart. <Ref> S”A 27:1 </ref>

# The knot which looks like a Yud on the Tefillin Shel Yad should be facing inward and touching the main Tefillin box. <Ref> S”A 27:2. Ben Ish Chai Vayera Halacha 15 says that according to Kabbalah the yud should be tocuhing the box even when the tefillin are wrapped in their boxes. Shaare Teshuva OC 27:2 quotes the Shalmei Tzibbur saying the same. </ref>

# The Minhag is to put the Maavarta (bridge) part of the Tefillin facing the shoulder. <Ref> S”A 27:3 </ref> The Maavarta should also be below halfway between the elbow and armpit. <Ref>Piskei Teshuvot 27:1 inferring from Mishna Brurah 27:34</ref>