Tefilin - part 2

Richard B. Aiken

Tefilin: Replacing: Tefilin You Took Off by Choice

If you take off your tefilin without being required to do so and with the intention of replacing them, do not say the blessings when you replace them on your head and arm.

Note: If you took the tefilin off between bar'chu and the end of amida, see the note to Replacing: Tefilin You Had To Take Off or That Fell Off in part 1.

Tefilin: Removing

Earliest Time

The earliest time to remove tefilin on normal weekdays is after saying u'va l'tzion.

Exception: If you wear tefilin on chol ha'moed, remove them after the amida in shacharit.

Storing: How To Put Away

Put tefilin into its bag so that the knot on the arm tefila (tefila shel yad”) faces away from the head tefila (tefila shel rosh).

Reason: So that the arm tefila does not abrade the head tefila.

Note: This is not a halacha, just good advice.

Tefilin: Care

Where Tefilin Must Be Black

Tefilin must be black as follows:

  • Tefilin must be black on all of the exposed surfaces, but not on the bases/bottoms.
  • Tefilin straps must be completely black on one surface.

Tefilin: Checking

When

It is customary to check tefilin twice in each seven year period. Tefilin do not usually require checking, but you should periodically check:

  • Tefilin of the type that can become pasul (due to white-washed parchment).
  • Tefilin that are moved a lot, such as from place to place where there are large changes in temperature.
  • Tefilin in humid climates, such as Florida.

Note: Ask a sofer for advice about any of these cases.

Tefilin: Kissing

Kissing tefilin is not halacha but rather a custom to show our love for the mitzva.

Tefilin: When To Touch

When praying on weekday mornings, touch and “kiss” the tefilin at:

  • Places in the shema that mention tefilin, and
  • Potei'ach in ashrei.

Reason: When wearing tefilin, you should be constantly conscious that you are wearing them. One way of reminding ourselves that we are wearing tefilin is to touch them at these times.

Note: To “kiss” tefilin, touch the box with one or more fingers and then kiss those fingers.

Tefilin: Activities While Wearing

Distractions

You may not do any activities while wearing tefilin that would distract you (hesech da'at) from remembering that you are wearing tefilin.

Eating

You may eat a snack while wearing tefilin, but you may not eat a full meal (with bread).

Tefilin: Rosh Chodesh

Removing before Rosh Chodesh Musaf

Remove tefilin before musaf on Rosh Chodesh.

Tefilin: Chol HaMoed

Remove before Hallel

Remove tefilin before hallel on chol ha'moed.

Exception: On chol ha'moed Pesach, on the day when tefilin are read about (kadeish li…), many people keep tefilin on until after the Torah has been read.

In Eretz Yisrael

If you move to Eretz Yisrael (where no one wears tefilin on chol ha'moed) to live there permanently, do not continue to wear tefilin on chol ha'moed (if that was your custom).

If you are only visiting Eretz Yisrael but not living there permanently, follow your custom.

Situation: Your custom is to wear tefilin on chol ha'moed, You are in Israel during chol ha'moed.

What to Do: You still put on tefilin, but only in private, not in public.

Blessing

If you wear tefilin on chol ha'moed (German and Lithuanian customs), do as follows:

  • Jews of German descent: Say the tefilin blessings, and
  • Jews of Lithuanian descent: Omit the tefilin blessings.

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