Davening musaf alone on Rosh Chodesh

Question

Normally on Rosh Chodesh, people in most shuls I've seen take off their tefillin after kaddish, but don't wrap them. This is also what Artscroll nusach Ashkenaz says.

What about if you daven alone and there's no kaddish? If you follow this minhag, should you wrap your tefillin? We seem not to be too concerned about hefsek between ashrei(+uva letziyon) and shemoneh esrei, since at shacharit we put kriyat shema between pesukei dezimra, which is the extension of ashrei, and shemoneh esrei, and at mincha on Shabbos and fast days we put leining in between.

On the other hand, we do announce things (משיב הרוח, יעלה ויבא, ...) between kaddish and shemoneh esrei instead of before kaddish, so maybe there's something more subtle happening with regard to wrapping tefillin that I'm not appreciating.

Answer 1

The discussion of what one is supposed to do Rosh Chodesh: Removing Tefillin seems, based on the meforshim cited in the footnotes, that the reason is that one does not delay (after the chazan removes his tefillin) because of hefsek after kaddish and tircha detziburah. Also, that everyone should start at the same time as the tzibur. The implication would seem to be that when davening alone, one should not delay wrapping (at least) the tefillin. ([16] Mishna Berura 28:8.)

On the other hand. many people begin removing their tefillin before kaddish so that they can finish before everyone starts shmoneh esrai.

As one will notice, widespread custom is to remove the tefillin after the kaddish that follows “uva l’tzion“.[8] Once the tefillin are removed they are usually just placed on a table and not properly put away and in most cases they are not even wrapped up. The reason for this is in order to minimize the interruption between the kaddish and the start of Mussaf.[9] Nevertheless, the tefillin should at least be covered before one begins Mussaf.[10]

Although this approach is normative and based on kabbalisitc considerations,[12] there is reason to suggest that it might not be the ideal manner in which to conduct onself. According to a number of authorities the tefillin should be removed while reciting uva l’tzion, just before beginning the yehi ratzon paragraph.[13] Other sources seem to indicate that the tefillin should be removed after completing uva l’tzion but before the kaddish is recited.[14] Indeed, this approach is consistent with other occasions when there is some form of an interruption before Mussaf. For example, in most congregations the rabbi delivers the Shabbat morning drasha before the kaddish is recited. In this way, Mussaf can commence immediately after the kaddish with no interruptions.[15]

[13] Mishna Berura 25:59.

[14] Siddur Baal Hatanya.

[15] Mishna Berura 25:59.