Giddim with Glue
Question: When I asked my battim macher to tell me some of the hiddurim he is careful about, he mentioned that he only uses giddim which don’t have any glue. Can you please explain what this means, and why it would be considered a hiddur?
Discussion: We live in a generation of specialists. Just as in tefillin there is a klaf macher, a battim macher, and a retzuos macher, there is also the “giddim macher.” It is his job to makes giddim that are used for sewing up tefillin, Sifrei Torah, Nevi’im, and Megillos.
When sewing up tefillin, it is ideal116 for a single gid to be used for the entire shel rosh, and a single gid for the entire shel yad. In order to achieve this, the gid must be strong enough not to rip during the sewing process.
For this reason, a number of giddim machers have a practice of moistening the gid with glue as they spin it. This strengthens the gid, and makes it last longer, too.
Actually, if the giddim would be strong enough without the glue, then the added glue would not be considered a problem; these giddim would be perfectly acceptable. However, sometimes the gid would not be strong enough without the glue. In such an instance, it would seem that such giddim may not be used.
Question: Why would one not be permitted to use such giddim?
Discussion: To understand this, we must understand the concept of ma’amid.
Ma’amid means that if one object is held together by a second object, the second object is considered to be the main component.
For instance, if a wooden barrel is held together by metal braces, the barrel will be viewed as if it is entirely made out of metal. Therefore, although there is no obligation to immerse a wooden food utensil, this barrel would need immersion (though no berachah is recited) since it is considered a metal utensil.117
Regarding giddim that are glued, there are a number of factors:
• Giddim could be of varying qualities, some stronger and some weaker. Sometimes this is because the giddim machers use giddim from parts of the animal which provide better quality giddim, while other giddim machers who are looking to cut corners and save money will use giddim from parts of the animal which provide weaker quality giddim.118
• There are different methods of spinning and twisting the giddim which can affect the strength of the gid.
• The temperature and humidity can be controlled, which can affect the strength of the gid.
Hence, if one is dealing with giddim which – due to their quality and how they were made – would be strong enough to be used for tefillin without any glue, then the added glue would not be considered a ma’amid. Otherwise, the added glue would be considered a ma’amid.
One can only know if the glue is actually functioning as a ma’amid if one knows all that has gone into the giddim in question. Since this is usually impossible, better hechsheirim will not approve giddim that are manufactured with any glue.
116 Mishnah Berurah 32, note 231.
117 Shach, Yoreh Deah 120:12.
118 An expert can sometimes tell based on the color of the gid.