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Most Ashkenazi siddurim note that some have the custom of touching the arm and head tefillin (and then touching the fingertips to the lips) upon reciting the verse

.פּוֹתֵחַ אֶת-יָדֶךָ; וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ לְכָל-חַי רָצוֹן

during Ashrei.

Which communities have or had this custom?

I'm interested in the general Ashkenazi custom but also more specifically the Yekke practice.

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  • Verifying - You're asking specifically about Ashrei, or touching the tefillin in general?
    – DanF
    Commented Nov 20, 2017 at 19:30
  • related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/53527/5275
    – DanF
    Commented Nov 20, 2017 at 20:45
  • In the related question, second answer quotes R. Rakowski who "makes connection to minhagei ashkenaz" which I understand to mean the Yekke practice.
    – Avrohom Yitzchok
    Commented Nov 20, 2017 at 21:15
  • Yes, I'm asking specifically about touching tefillin during Ashrei.
    – Jakub
    Commented Nov 20, 2017 at 21:44
  • Related question but probably not worth making a new post... what’s the Ashkenazi custom (and source) of kissing the Tefillin at the Bracha of Yotzer Or (in Birkot Kriyat Shema)? The ArtScroll Siddur says to do so but gives no reason or source.
    – user15842
    Commented Nov 21, 2017 at 4:08

1 Answer 1

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In Tefiloh Sefas Yisroel 1 Shacharit, note 63 on פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ it says

“The ancient מנהג of touching and kissing the תפילין during, ”פּוֹתֵ֥חַ אֶת־יָדֶ֑ךָ...“, is cited by רב משה מאינץ”.

This siddur is to be found here and is

a nusaḥ Ashkenaz siddur dedicated to the memory of the Bad Homburg Jewish community

and so probably relates to the Yekke minhag.

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  • Thanks for the citation - I'm familiar with that siddur but had completely overlooked that footnote!
    – Jakub
    Commented Nov 20, 2017 at 21:47

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