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I once heard from a Sofer the shocking revelation that Rabbeinu Tam's Tefillin do not actually follow Rabbeinu Tam's opinion. Is that correct? Did I misunderstand? Are there any Soferim in our forum who are not only intimately familiar with how "Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin" are made, but also intimately familiar with Rabbeinu Tam's actual, written Shittah?

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I'm not sure about the tagging change. Isn't this more theory? – Seth J Dec 29 '11 at 19:27

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Rabenu Tam (as cited in paragraph 6 of the Rosh's laws of sefer Tora) holds that ink made of gallnuts (which we use even in 'his' t'filin) is no good.

Also, Rabenu Tam (as cited in Tosafos to M'nachos 33:1 s.v. "Ha daavida") holds the parchments must be lying flat in their case, and we put them upright (per SA OC 32:45), and even in 'his' t'filin.

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Sources for the way Rabbeinu Tams tefillin are currently constructed? – HodofHod Dec 29 '11 at 20:21
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@HodofHod, I'm afraid I don't have a good source for that. But it's true. :-) – msh210♦ Dec 29 '11 at 20:33
I don't doubt it. :) – HodofHod Dec 29 '11 at 20:37
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@HodofHod ask your local Sofer – Hacham Gabriel Dec 29 '11 at 20:52
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To clarify for those not in the loop: when we say "Rabbenu Tam tefilin", we mean the 4 Biblical paragraphs on the parchment inside are in Rabbenu Tam's specified, non-Scriptural order. So they're "tefilin following Rabbenu Tam's ordering", not necessarily "tefilin that meets every single one of Rabbenu Tam's criteria." – Shalom Dec 29 '11 at 20:53
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In addition Rabeinu Tam holds (see Bais Yosef (3rd from top)) that the word Letotofos in the Parsha Vehaya Im Shomo'a is written without any Vov while we write it with a Vov after the first Tes even in Rabeinu Tam's Tefillin.

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