Tefilin - part 1

Richard B. Aiken

Torah Mitzva

Have in mind that you are doing a mitzva of the Torah while putting on tefilin.

When Tefilin Straps Become Holy

The straps on tefilin become holy objects once they have been used.

Holiness: Head and Arm Tefilin Boxes

The box for holding the head tefila (tefila shel rosh) has a higher level of holiness than does the box for holding the arm tefila (tefila shel yad). You may not intentionally switch the boxes.

Switching Boxes by Mistake

If you inadvertently put the arm tefila (tefila shel yad) into the box for the tefila shel rosh, take it out and put it into its proper box.

Arm Tefila: How To Put On

  1. Place arm tefila box (bayit) on center of bicep of whichever arm you do not write with (knot on the arm tefila should touch the side of the box). If you are ambidextrous, put the tefila on your left arm.
  2. Say the first blessing, “lehaniach tefilin.”
  3. Tighten the strap.
  4. Wrap the strap around your arm seven times between your cubit (inside of your arm, opposite the elbow) and your wrist.

Note: If you wrap more times, it is OK.

Note: You may wrap the tefilin strap over a wristwatch or put a watch on top of the tefilin strap.

Note: Tefilin straps should not overlap with each other and should not be wrapped on top of the ulna protuberance, but if they do--it is permitted.

  1. Wrap the excess around the palm of your hand (tuck in the end to keep it tight and out of the way).

tefillin

Head Tefila: How To Put On

  1. Place the tefila on your head tightly enough so it does not slip off under normal motion.
  2. Center the head tefila box on your forehead (as it appears to an average person. There is no need to look in a mirror.)
  3. Place the head tefila box with its front edge above your hairline (or where your hairline was when you were 13!), not further back than half-way on your skull from front to back.
  4. Ideally, place the knot at the back on your occipital bone (base of your skull), but you may place it lower as long as it is still on top of your hair.
  5. Say the second blessing, al mitzvat tefilin.
  6. Tighten the tefila on your head and say, Baruch shem kevod malchuto l'olam va'ed

Reason: “Al mitzvat tefilin” is a questionable blessing (safek bracha).

Note: Tefilin head straps should reach at least to your navel (left strap) and mila (right strap).

Arm Tefila: How To Finish

  • Unwrap the excess strap from your palm and wrap it three times around your middle finger while saying the three “v'eirastich li” phrases, one for each wrap.
  • Wrap the strap around your palm in the shape of the Hebrew letter “shin.”
  • Wrap the excess around your palm and tuck in the end of the strap to keep it tight and out of your way.

Note: You may not say amen or reply to kaddish or kedusha if you have said the blessing on your arm tefila but have not yet said the blessing on your head tefila.

Left-Handed Men

Left-handed men must put tefilin on their right arm.

Broken Arm

Even with a broken arm, do not switch the arm on which you wrap your tefilin.

Note: If your (normally) weaker arm becomes permanently stronger than the other arm, switch to wearing tefilin on the newly weaker arm.

Fallen: Fast

If tefilin without their covers on fall onto the ground, the custom is to fast for one day. If the covers are on the tefilin, there is no custom to fast.

Adjusting: Saying Blessing

If you adjust your tefilin, do not say the blessing again.

Replacing: Tefilin You Had To Take Off or That Fell Off

If you take off your tefilin because you have to, such as to go to the bathroom, or if one or both of the tefilin fall or slide off your arm or head, say:

  • Both blessings again when you replace the head tefila (tefila shel rosh) on your head.
  • Only the first blessing when replacing the arm tefila (tefila shel yad) on your arm.
  • Each blessing in its correct place if you took off both.

Reason: We say the blessing again for tefilin that fell off because there was discontinuity in thought (hesech da'at) when they fell off.

Note: If you took the tefilin off between bar'chu and the end of amida and replaced them without saying the blessings:

  • Wait until after you have finished the amida, and then
  • Move each of the tefilin slightly, first the arm tefila and then the head tefila, and
  • Say the appropriate blessings.

 

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.