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Hilchos Tefillin 32 (page 109)
מסעיף מג עד סעיף מה
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The Hairs that Wrap Around the Parshiyos
Wrapping the Tefillin Scroll with Klaf
"The Nations Will See That Hashem's Name is Upon You"
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The Hairs that Wrap Around the Parshiyos
There is a
halacha l'Moshe m'Sinai which requires that each
tefillin scroll be wrapped in the hairs of a kosher animal. If they are not wrapped, the
tefillin are
pasul. They should be wrapped
lishma. How should the hairs be wrapped around the parchments? According to some Rishonim, they should be tied around like a cord that closes a letter. Other Rishonim hold that they should be wrapped around enough times for the
parshios to stay closed without a knot. The hairs of
parshas V'haya should be extended and drawn through the stitching hole between
Shema and
V'haya (aligned with the first ridge, on the left side as one views the
tefillin). The emerging hairs should not be longer than a grain of barley. Ideally, the hairs should come from a calf. Likewise, the ideal hide for the
batim and
retzuos should be from a calf. The calf calls to mind the sin of the Golden Calf and its subsequent punishment, so as to deter people from sinning and to atone for that sin.
(
סעיף מד וס"ק רח, רי, ריא ו־ריב; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 243-244)
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Wrapping the tefillin scroll with klaf
According to the Rambam (based on the Yerushalmi), aside from wrapping the parchments with hair, the
halacha l'Moshe m'Sinai mandates that each scroll be wrapped with a strip of extra parchment or cloth. Most Rishonim explain the Yerushalmi to mean something else, however, and they do not require this special wrapping. The original
minhag Ashkenaz was to omit the extra parchment, but Shulchan Aruch
paskens like the Rambam and requires it.
B'dieved, a
beracha can be recited on
tefillin that are not wrapped if that is all that is available. The
poskim discuss whether the parchment or cloth should be wrapped over, or under, the hairs. The Rama advises following both opinions and tying hairs over and under the parchment layer.
(
סעיף מד, ס"ק רה, רו, רז ו־רט, וביה"ל ד"ה וכורכם; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 247)
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"The nations will see that Hashem's name is upon you"
Chazal
darshan the
pasuk "
the nations will see that Hashem's name is upon you" as referring to the
tefillin
shel rosh, specifically the two
shins on either side of the
shel rosh. The name
"shin" is comprised of the first letters of the Hebrew words in the phrase
"Shem Hashem Nikra" ("Hashem's name is upon..."). The
shin should be written completely on each side of the
bayis. If the bottom part of the
shin ends up stretching over the
titura so that the higher part on the
bayis does not appear like a
shin, the
tefillin are
pasul. It is also important for the branches of the
shin to be properly connected to the base. There is an opinion that this applies only to the three-branched
shin, but not to the four-branched one. According to this opinion, the branches of the four-branched
shin should not contact the base and - instead of being shaped like a
vav or
yud as
shin branches usually are - each branch should take the form of a straight line. This opinion can be relied upon
b'dieved.
(
סעיף מג, ס"ק קצח-ר, וביה"ל ד"ה וכן, ד"ה צריך וד"ה שגם)
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- There are two shins required by halacha l'Moshe m'Sinai on the sides of the tefillinshel rosh: a three-branched one on the right side of the bayis, and a four-branched one on the left side.
- The shin of the tefillin is usually formed by pressing a raised mold on the inner side of the bayis to push the shin out. A cutout of a shin pressed from the outside should not be used because that is a problem of chok tochos.
- Ideally, the titura of the tefillin should be between two and four fingers wide. Other widths are kosher bedieved, but it cannot be less than one finger's width.
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- Placement of the parshios
- Writing the four parshios of the shel rosh on one klaf
- Sewing the tefillin with sinews
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