Questions tagged [tefilin]
Also called "phylacteries": a religious object worn by Jewish men, usually during morning weekday prayers.
388
questions
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150 views
What qualities are necessary in a halachic wrapping?
There are occasions, e.g. a mezuza in a sometimes-unbecoming environment, in which we're required to cover a holy object with one or two wrappings to separate it from various environmental elements. ...
4
votes
2answers
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How does “וקשרתם לאות” become “להניח תפלין”?
Every day, when donning my tefillin, I (being Ashkenazic) recite two b'rachos, the first one of which is אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וצונו להניח תפלין, said whilst I tie down the shel yad onto my bicep with ...
16
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5answers
2k views
Why does the Tefilin Shel Yad have a protective cover?
When you purchase Tefilin, the Tefilin Shel Yad has a protective cover. Why? Is it Halachically necessary?
8
votes
2answers
461 views
How often should Tefillin be inspected?
Like the title says: how often should one have his tefillin inspected, and why was such a frequency chosen?
8
votes
3answers
889 views
Direction of Tefillin Winding
Why do some people have the custom to wind the Tefillin-Shel-Yad towards themselves, while others wind it away from themselves? What is the reason behind these two customs, and which sects of Judaism ...
5
votes
2answers
202 views
Touching the forearm when putting on Tefilin
If one has touched his forearm while placing the arm-Tefilin (I see that it's a very common case), is he obligated to wash his hands immediately, as he has to say a Beracha on the head-Tefilin? If so, ...
10
votes
3answers
882 views
Did Rabbi Dovid Feinstein of Uzda wear tefilin that were Ktav Ari or Ktav Beit Yosef? What about his son?
The biographical sketch of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein that appears in the beginning of Igrot Moshe volume 8 states that his father, Rabbi Dovid Feinstein of Uzda, was born and raised Hassidic, but took on ...
12
votes
2answers
321 views
Is it possible to convert a rosh of a Rabeynu Tam Tefillin into a rosh of a Rashi Tefillin?
If I find a Rabeynu Tam Tefillin and I do not have another one, can I take it apart, and change the rosh (I know how to) from Rabeynu Tam to a Rashi Tefillin?
11
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3answers
2k views
Tefillin On Shabbos
Why do we not put on Tefillin on Shabbos?
Why is one not allowed to put on Tefillin on Shabbos?
And similarly, why is Tefillin Muktzah?
11
votes
5answers
410 views
Where in Davening do we kiss תפילין?
It is well-known (I assume) that one should kiss his תפילין when saying וקשרתם לאות... (twice) in שמע, when saying פותח את ידך... in אשרי, and עוטר ישראל בתפארה in ברכת השחר.
Most Artscroll Siddurim ...
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votes
4answers
440 views
Keeping Tefillin Black
What are some suggestions for keeping the Tefiliin Retzuos (straps) black? How can I prevent the Retzuos from needing to be painted and/or replaced?
8
votes
3answers
437 views
Sources on covering tefilin shel yad
I've read several things about covering the tefilin shel yad :
covering it with the tallit while fixing it
covering it with the tallit for the entire tefila
covering it with the shirt sleeve for the ...
5
votes
3answers
809 views
Tefillin removal on Rosh Chodesh
Removal before Musaf, some wait until after Kaddish, some don't. Why wait? Is there a source for this?
Some do not 'wind up' the rezuas but wait until after amidah. Is this because it creates a ...
10
votes
2answers
400 views
Teffilin and women
Rashi's daughters are popularly described as having worn Teffilin, but apparently there is no such source, just a popular urban legend in Jewish circles. Are there any women described in Rabbinic ...
5
votes
4answers
422 views
Finding the tefilin boundary on a balding head
The head tefilin are supposed to go above the hairline, or above where the hairline was on someone whose hairline has receded.
The former situation is easy to deal with. A man whose hairline hasn't ...
8
votes
2answers
192 views
how to describe to a jew what tefillin is?
BH i very often have the merit of putting tefillin on jews that have never put it on. how do i describe to them what it does spiritually?
4
votes
2answers
275 views
Shachris in the Dark
When do people who live in places where it is dark for days Daven Shachris and put on Tefillin?
Please provide a source (Mareh Makom).
4
votes
2answers
127 views
Is checking the parshios a hefsek?
Are you required to make another bracha on your tefillin if you take them off to check the parshios?
5
votes
3answers
1k views
Are there standard sizes for tefilin batim (leather cases/housings) today?
I just looked down at the little plastic cover on my arm-tefilin and it had the number 4 on it. I assume that's a size ... while tefilin must be square, there are definitely a variety of sizes out ...
9
votes
1answer
479 views
Speaking while wearing Tefillin
Is there a real halachic source for the widespread practice not to speak while wearing tefillin? Of course, one is required to keep his mind on the tefillin, and may not get drawn into conversations ...
3
votes
1answer
161 views
Tefillin or Tzitzis
If one has enough money to buy Tzitzis or Tefillin and not both, which one should he buy? I heard Rabbi Akiva Aiger talks about it.
5
votes
2answers
965 views
Procedure for pre-kevasikin prayer
If one needs to daven shacharis at a super-early (i.e., post-dawn but pre-sunrise) minyan, what is the correct procedure for putting on Tallis and Tefillin? At what point are they put on, and which ...
10
votes
8answers
1k views
Are tefillin supposed to be removed before a bris (circumcision)? If so, why?
I remember in yeshiva one day as a bris was about to start after minyan, someone came around and told everybody, "take off your tefilin!"
Recently I saw R' Moshe Feinstein explaining why we leave ...
0
votes
2answers
159 views
Any reason not to put your tefilin inside your car's spare tire when driving?
For cars that store their spare tire in a well inside the trunk, that seems like a good place to put my tefilin while driving -- it takes up no extra space (if they fit in the middle of the tire), ...
10
votes
1answer
405 views
Illness with Talit and Tefillin
If one is wearing Talit and Tefillin and suddenly becomes violently ill, what should one do? One cannot enter a bathroom with them on; however, one also runs the risk of fouling himself, or ...
14
votes
1answer
501 views
Putting Tefillin on Un-educated Jews
May one put tefillin on an uneducated Jew without first explaining to him the laws of keeping his body clean and conveying to him the seriousness of the sanctity of tefillin (is that even possible?)?
4
votes
1answer
77 views
4
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2answers
134 views
8
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5answers
1k views
Tefillin under Bar Mitzvah
Common practice is that a boy begins wearing Tefillin when he reaches Bar Mitzvah age, or perhaps a month (or three) prior. While there should be an obligation even earlier (under the rubric of ...
6
votes
2answers
542 views
Composition of Sofer's ink
What ingredients are currently used in the manufacture of ink for Safrus? Is there a different formulation for the paint that is used to dye tefillin straps/boxes?
8
votes
3answers
1k views
Cutting Tefillin Retzuos
As we know, the outside of the tefillin's retzuos (phylacteries' straps) must be black. Lately, I've noticed that the very end of the retzuah of my shel yad (tefillin of the arm) is cracking and ...
9
votes
1answer
408 views
Removing Tefilin before Mussaf
I've seen some people remove their Tefillin before Mussaf on weekdays of Rosh Chodesh. Why do they do this?
4
votes
3answers
201 views
Writing on t'filin straps
Is there any problem with having stray marks or writing on the underside of a t'filin strap?
If it is in a non-essential location (such as down at the end of a long strap) is it preferable to cut it ...
10
votes
6answers
375 views
God's Pair of Teffilin
How when moshe turns his head not to see God's face, he sees He's got on teffilin? I thought God had no physical form.
13
votes
6answers
2k views
Should I wear tefillin during Chol HaMoed?
If I don't have a known family minhag regarding this, how should I decide whether to wear tefillin during Chol HaMoed? Which communities generally follow each option, and what are the reasons behind ...
14
votes
3answers
7k views
Putting on tefillin late
For whatever reason, I was unable to put on tefillin while davening shacharit this morning. However, I have access to tefillin now, and the sun has not yet set. After I put on the tefillin, what ...
11
votes
3answers
749 views
Best practices for praying in public with talit and tefilin
I just learned that a flight out of New York was diverted because a flight attendant saw a passenger putting on tefilin and freaked out, thinking that he was strapping on bombs.
So, do you have any ...
3
votes
8answers
488 views
Can you recommend an alternative outer talit bag?
I need to replace my outer talit bag - the one that most people have as a brittle, transparent, zippered bag with gold piping (e.g.). I am tired of having these bags break on me, and I don't have a ...
