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Hilchos Tefillin 32 (page 81)


The Number of Compartments and Scrolls in the Tefillin
The Order of Writing the Parshios
The Large Daled of Echad

 

The number of compartments and scrolls in the tefillin 

There are four parshiyos (paragraphs) written on the tefillin scrolls - kadesh, v'haya ki yeviacha, shema, and v'haya im shamo'a. For the shel rosh, each parsha is written on a separate parchment and inserted into one of four separate compartments in the bayis. For the shel yad, the four paragraphs are written in separate columns on one parchment and inserted into a single compartment of the bayis. The need for these two arrangements is based on the pesukim of "they shall serve as a sign on your arm" (sign is singular) and "they shall be a totafos between your eyes (totafos is plural).

(סעיף א-ב וס"ק ו)

The order of writing the tefillin 

The parshiyos must be written in the sequence in which they appear in the Torah: kadesh, v'haya ki yeviacha, shema, and v'haya im shamo'a. Parshiyos written out of order (e.g. v'haya ki yeviacha written before kadesh) may not be used as one set. They may, however, be matched with other parshiyos that were written in the proper sequence (e.g. kadesh with a parsha written after it, v'haya ki yeviacha with a kadesh written before it). According to many poskim, the parshiyos of the shel yad should be written before those of the shel rosh.

(סעיף א, ס"ק ג-ד, וביה"ל ד"ה וצריך; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 4)

 

 
The large daled of echad

The mesora for writing stam (a Hebrew acronym for sefer Torah, tefillin and mezuza) dictates that the letter daled at the end of the word echad (the final word in the first sentence of shema) should be larger than the other letters. According to the Arizal, it should be as large as four small dalisoss. The poskim note that this is not an exact shiur since there is no definition of a 'small daled'.  Instead, the poskim say to make the letter larger than the surrounding ones.  Bedieved, the sefer Torah is kosher even if the daled is not larger.

(ס"ק א; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 1)

 

 
  • Wearing tefillin on Shabbos and Yom Tov (including Yom Tov sheni of chutz la'aretz) is forbidden. Since these days are called ois and tefillin is also called an ois, wearing the tefillin on these days would denigrate their special status.
 
  • The poskim discuss whether tefillin are in the class of keli shemelachto l'heter or keli shemelachto l'issur. Under normal circumstances, it is proper to be stringent.
 
  • The Mechaber and Gra pasken like the Rishonim who hold that tefillin may not be worn on Chol Hamoed. This is the prevalent minhag in Eretz Yisrael and in many places in chutz la'aretz. The Rama paskens like the Rishonim who hold that tefillin must be worn on Chol Hamoed and this is the custom in many other places in chutz la'aretz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Acceptable materials for making ink for stam

  • The materials used today


  • Writing tefillin with light blue ink

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
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