Editing The Mitzvah of Tefillin

'''Tefillin''' refers to the divine commandment from the Torah where we are commanded to put on a pair of tefillin - two boxes containing parchment scrolls with written Torah passages from Shema. One is placed on the head, where an infant's skull is soft, opposite the area between the eyes. The second is placed on the arm, on the lower half of the protruding area of the upper arm, opposite the heart.

== Source of the Mitzvah ==
The source of this mitzvah comes from the first and second paragraphs of the Shema, recited daily:

"And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for totafot between your eyes" (Deuteronomy 6:8)

The details of the mitzvah, such as the color of the boxes and straps, their square shape, etc., were transmitted through oral tradition from person to person starting from Moshe Rabbeinu.

== Method of Putting On Tefillin ==
The process is as follows: First, one puts on the hand tefillin, followed by the head tefillin. The blessing customs differ between Sephardic and Ashkenazic communities. Ashkenazim recite "l'haniach tefillin" on the hand tefillin and "al mitzvat tefillin" on the head tefillin. If there's an interruption between putting on the hand and head tefillin, both blessings are repeated for the head tefillin. Sephardim only recite "l'haniach tefillin" for both, unless there's an interruption like speaking, in which case they add "al mitzvat tefillin" for the head tefillin.

The punishment for not fulfilling this mitzvah is extremely severe. The Gemara states that "Jewish sinners with their bodies descend to Gehinnom and are judged there for 12 months, after which their body is consumed, their soul is burned, and their ashes are scattered under the feet of the righteous." The Gemara explains this refers to "one who never put on tefillin."

Most Rishonim maintain that this severe punishment only applies to someone who never put on tefillin in their entire life. This is one of the reasons why the Rebbe instituted Mivtza Tefillin, to merit as many Jews as possible with the mitzvah of tefillin at least once in their lives, so they wouldn't receive the severe punishment of "one who never put on tefillin." In his seforim, the Rebbe strongly states that only an am ha'aretz could question the benefit of Mivtza Tefillin, since putting on tefillin even once removes one from the severe category of "never having put on tefillin!"

== Essence of the Mitzvah ==
The mitzvah contains two aspects:

# The physical act of putting on tefillin on the head and arm
# Subjugating the heart and mind to Hashem, which is an ongoing effect. Therefore, the impact of tefillin through this subjugation continues throughout the day, even after removing them.

== Beginning to Put On Tefillin ==
According to Chabad custom, one begins putting on tefillin two months before their Bar Mitzvah, and after several weeks - with a bracha, though without Shehecheyanu.

When holidays fall within these two months, some have the custom to start earlier accordingly.

The preparation for Bar Mitzvah regarding tefillin applies to both Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin at the same time.

== Our Rebbeim ==
When the Frierdiker Rebbe was 11, his father the Rebbe Rashab called him and told him to begin putting on Rashi tefillin privately, saying this was the custom of our Rebbeim to put on tefillin before age 11.

He began putting on tefillin on the 11th of Tammuz, since that year the 12th of Tammuz fell on Shabbat.

== Four Pairs of Tefillin ==
There are four different approaches to laying Tefillin:

# The first is Rashi's approach, according to which the order of the parshiyos is: Kadesh, V'haya Ki Yeviacha, Shema, and V'haya Im Shamoa. According to the Arizal, the sod (mystical significance) of these Tefillin is "Mochin D'Ima."
# The second is Rabbeinu Tam's approach, according to which the order of the parshiyos is: Kadesh, V'haya Ki Yeviacha, V'haya Im Shamoa, Shema. According to the Arizal, the sod of these Tefillin is "Mochin D'Abba."
# The Shimusha Rabba approach - where the order of the parshiyos follows Rashi's approach, but the order is reversed to the right of the wearer. According to the Ari, the sod of these Tefillin is Mochin D'Abba and Ima together. In Emek HaMelech (Shaar Kiryat Arba Chapter 68), he writes that Shimusha Rabba and Raavad are in Kesser. The Rebbe writes about this (in Likutei Sichos Vol. 2, p. 508 note 45) "Perhaps one could say - Atik and Arich."
# The Raavad's approach is that the order of the parshiyos follows Rabbeinu Tam's approach, but reversed from left to right of the wearer.

At the Shabbos Nachamu 1989 farbrengen, the Rebbe addressed wearing four pairs of Tefillin - Rashi, Rabbeinu Tam, Shimusha Rabba, and Raavad - saying: "Regarding gold and fine gold, a Yid needs them for Torah and mitzvos... like buying mehudar Tefillin. Not just mehudar Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin, but also mehudar Raavad and Shimusha Rabba Tefillin, as is known the greatness of wearing four pairs of Tefillin."

Based on this, Rav Zimroni Tzik wrote to the Rebbe asking if the intention was to begin wearing four pairs of Tefillin, and the Rebbe instructed him to consult with his mashpia. His mashpia Reb Mendel Futerfas approved, and since then he wore four pairs of Tefillin and even conducted a campaign to request permission and wear the pairs.

== According to Chassidus ==
It is explained in Shaar HaTefillin of the Alter Rebbe that the Tefillin Shel Rosh are a "raised seal" with which Hashem seals Himself in us through the raised seal of the Shin, while the Tefillin Shel Yad which has no Shin represents the opposite - that through the Tefillin Shel Yad, the person seals himself with Hashem, making the hand itself holy. This differs from the Tefillin Shel Rosh, whose purpose is not about the place where the Tefillin are laid but rather to indicate that the Tefillin are within the head itself.

Tefillin are compared to dove's wings, as brought in the Gemara that when the government decreed against wearing Tefillin, and when they caught a tzaddik named Elisha with Tefillin in his hand, Elisha answered that they were actually dove's wings, and when he opened his hand, it appeared to the enemies that they were indeed dove's wings.

The holy Zohar explains that the two straps of the Tefillin Shel Rosh are compared to two dove's wings, because the Tefillin Shel Yad alludes to the Shechina, about which it is said "My dove, my perfect one." Just as doves come in male and female pairs, and one who wishes to catch both takes the female and binds her, and immediately the male dove comes to her call, so too when Yidden wish to connect to Hashem, they must accept Hashem's sovereignty through mitzvos which represent the Shechina, namely through the mitzvah of Tefillin, and through this they can call to Hashem, meaning Zeir Anpin which is the middle line.

== Chabad Customs in Tefillin Laying ==
Among Chabad chassidim, there are various customs regarding laying tefillin, their binding, and preparation methods:

Some have the custom to lay and make the bracha on the tefillin shel yad while sitting, according to kabbalah, but in practice, it is customary among Chabad chassidim to do the entire laying procedure while standing.

Some have the custom to cover the tefillin shel yad during the bracha.

The bracha on the tefillin shel yad is made after placing the tefillin on the kibores (muscle), before tightening the knot, and one should have in mind to include the tefillin shel rosh.

The knot of Chabad chassidim is different from the knot as accepted in other circles, and it is from a tikkun of the Alter Rebbe so that it would be possible to fulfill the concept of "ukshartem" - to make a new knot each day. However, the Rebbe explained that there is no necessity to open and tie anew each day and did not decide whether one needs to open and close the loop each day. On the other hand, the Rebbe testified about himself (in yechidus to Rav SZ G"A) that he himself does not open and tighten, and even negated this (due to hefsek). Even in the manner of making the knot of the tefillin shel rosh, there are minor differences among Chabad chassidim themselves, with various precisions about how the Rebbe's own tefillin knot was made.

== Additional Customs ==
During the bracha, remove the cover from the tefillin shel yad, and return it only after finishing wrapping the retzuos on the hand.

According to what the Rebbe Maharash taught, the wrapping of the retzuos on the hand is done in divisions of: one wrap and space, 2 wraps and space, four wraps, totaling 7 wraps on the hand.

They create an inverted daled on the hand, and then wrap three wraps on the middle finger - one on the bottom joint, one on the middle joint, and again one wrap on the bottom joint.

The retzuos of the tefillin shel rosh are long and need to reach until the feet.

The Rebbe testifies about himself that he follows the Sefer HaEshkol and Rambam etc. - that the height of the tefillin equals their length and width.

Our custom is that the size of the tefillin is two fingers by two fingers.

It is told about the Alter Rebbe that he used a snuff box he received as a 'mirror' to align the tefillin, but in practice among Chabad chassidim, they did not use a mirror.

== Mivtza Tefillin ==
Mivtza Tefillin began in 1967, when the Rebbe called on Chabad chassidim to merit every Jew with the mitzvah of laying tefillin each day. On Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar, which was also Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Sivan in 1967, just days before the outbreak of the Six Day War when the Jewish people were under great tension and in a somber mood - the Rebbe spoke at the farbrengen on Shabbos afternoon and made an emotional call to chassidim to go out to the "city streets" and merit Jews with laying tefillin, which is the special mitzvah that equals the entire Torah, and has a special segula for victory of the Jewish people in war.

== Checking Tefillin ==

====== Extended Article - Checking Tefillin and Mezuzos ======
According to the Rebbe, since all spiritual and physical abundance comes to every Jew through their tefillin, whenever any problem arises, one should check their tefillin. In Igros Kodesh, there are thousands of responses from the Rebbe to Jews who mention various problems, whether regarding having children, finding an appropriate shidduch, or other issues, where he instructs them to check their tefillin and mezuzos.

== During Elul ==
The sefer "Mateh Ephraim" by Rabbi Ephraim Zalman Margolies states regarding Elul: "People of action have the custom during this month to examine the details of mitzvos by checking and inspecting their tefillin and mezuzos."

Based on this practice, in 1974 (5734), following the Mivtza Mezuzah campaign, the Rebbe encouraged everyone to check their tefillin and mezuzos in their homes during Elul, even if they were purchased from a G-d-fearing sofer and written with hiddur.

The Rebbe further added, "Through this, there will be an increase in Hashem's blessings in general, and particularly in being written and sealed for a good and sweet year. It is worthwhile and very appropriate for each person to make an effort to publicize this - in addition to fulfilling it themselves - wherever their influence reaches, in every place, to all our Jewish brethren."

The Rebbe clarified that although according to halacha, checking needs to be done only once every three and a half years, "when there is any need for additional blessing from above, such as during Elul, it immediately becomes a good custom to check the mezuzos and tefillin." This is particularly relevant today, as unlike previous generations where everything was done with kashrus and hiddur, there is now a greater concern that tefillin may not have been made with proper hiddur and could become possul.

== See Also ==

* Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin
* Tefillin of Yemos HaMoshiach

== Further Reading ==

* How did the Rebbe practice regarding the method of tying the Tefillin Shel Yad?, in the 'Chayei Rebbi' section of Kfar Chabad weekly issue 1871 page 42
* How did the Rebbe put on Tefillin?, in the 'From the Secretary's Diary' section of Beis Moshiach weekly issue 1224 page 19
* Crown of Tefillin, by Rebbetzin Sima Ashkenazi in the 'Nashi' supplement to Kfar Chabad weekly 1918 page 23