are double rosh tefillin knots kosher?

Question

I recently inherited an older tefillin. It has two double square knots for the rosh straps, head. These join to form a circle like this image.

What does the dual knot symbolize? Is that kosher?

Todah Rabah

Answer 1

see this: double dalet (not the square) knot

If you are referring to the double knot below.
Quote from site: "There is a third, rarely seen, type of knot which is made from two ד knots – an inverted ד under a regular ד. This is most likely the true “double-ד” knot2. This double-ד knot is mentioned by some sources as having kabalistic origins, but many authorities discourage its use."

Answer 2

It is well known that the Rav (Soloveitchik) held everyone should follow their families minhagim and not pick up minhagim from him or elsewhere. However,he held that when it came to the minhag of not sitting in the sukka Shimni Atzertz and using the double daled for the shel rosh one should change their family minhag. This is recorded in Nefesh HaRav(Rav Herschel Schacter- talmid of the Rav) pg. 105- 106. Other talmidim have said this as well bshem the Rav orally.

Answer 3

See Shulchan Aruch OC 27, 10 and Magen Avraham sk 16:

1. The first question is if someone can argue that a knot is not Kasher at all. For we need clear instructions. In this regard, here is what is provided by Shulchan Aruch and Magen Avraham:

   • Shulchan Aruch:

   ‏ צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַקֶּשֶׁר מֵאֲחוֹרֵי הָרֹאשׁ לְמַעְלָה בָּעֹרֶף. צָרִיךְ לְכַוֵּן הַקְּצִיצָה שֶׁתְּהֵא בָּאֶמְצַע כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּהֵא כְּנֶגֶד בֵּין הָעֵינַיִם, וְגַם הַקֶּשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בְּאֶמְצַע הָעֹרֶף וְלֹא יִטֶּה לְכָאן אוֹ לְכָאן, וְצָרִיךְ שֶׁיְּהֵא הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁבַּקֶּשֶׁר שֶׁנִּרְאֶה כְּעֵין דָּלֶ''ת לְצַד חוּץ: ‏

   The knot must looks as a Dalet (ד) from the external side.

   • Magen Avraham:

   מכאן משמע שאין עושים דל"ת אלא מצד אחד דלא כמו שנוהגין קצת לעשות ב' דלתתי"ן משני צדדים . ‏

   He start the paragraph saying that the Shulchan Aruch stated against people who have the custom to make 2 Dalet in two sides {loosely as this <>}

   Iam not sure that he told about the double Daled of Maharam Milonzano (see below), but it seems that he spoke about this, a square without hole Shimusha Rabba, or this of RI Alexandri. But it seems from that out of the Dalet of Rashi.

2 . But the Magen Avraham concludes against the existence of any reason to argue that a knot is not Kasher.

ואף על גב שיש מפרשים פירוש אחר על "נויהן לבר" דלא קאי על הדל"ת רק על השחור ותוספות בערובין דף צ"ז עמוד א' כתבו שזה הפירוש עיקר וכן מוכח שם בגמרא. ‏

But he goes on further to say that the Shulchan Aruch is based on the perush of Rashi for the Gemara Eruvin 97a "...The shape of the knot of the tefillin is a halachah that was given to Moses at Sinai, and R`Nahman explained: Their ornamentation must be turned outwards?" and Rashi commented that the knot seems as the letter Daleth. And Magen Avraham concludes that this commentary is rejected by Tosfot and that the opinion of Tosfot is the most compelling.

3.So, following the Magen Avraham your "double dalet tefilin" are Kasher.

The Mishna Berura at this saif doesn't add nothing.

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This knot in the photo is known as Kesher of Maharam Milonzano in name of Gure Haari and also known as Kesher Sanz. See in this book