Deriving Benefit from Gid Ha’nasheh - Continued

Q. A previous Halacha Yomis mentioned that according to some poskim it is proper to be strict not to derive benefit from the gid ha’nasheh. Can it be used to tie together tefillin or the parchments of a sefer Torah?

A. The Darchei Teshuva (65:83) quotes the Sefer Maaseh Avrohom who writes that according to all opinions it is permissible to use the gid ha’nasheh from a kosher animal to tie together a sefer Torah or tefillin, because the only purpose in doing so is to accomplish a mitzvah. The rule is that “mitzvos lav lehenos nitnu” (fulfilling a mitzvah is not considered deriving benefit). Although there is no greater spiritual benefit than performing mitzvos, since there is no physical benefit, this is permitted. However, he writes that the one who owns a gid ha’nasheh should not sell it to the sofer. (Selling is not a mitzvah, and “mitzvos lav lehenos nitnu” would not apply.) However, one may give the gid ha’nasheh to the sofer as a gift.

It is interesting to note that although the gid ha’anasheh is not kosher, it may be used to stitch together tefillin or a sefer Torah. Even though there is a requirement that all the parts used to make tefillin or a sefer Torah must come from a kosher animal, this does not mean that they must actually be kosher. For example, tefillin may be written on the hide of a non-slaughtered animal so long as the species that it comes from is a kosher, such as a cow.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.