Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Can a traveler put on tefillin while it is still dark?

As we have learned, a person may not lay tefillin while it is still dark outside. There is a concern that he may fall asleep and will not maintain the bodily cleanliness necessary for tefillin. One who will be setting out on a trip early in the morning and will not be able to put on tefillin while traveling may put them on before he leaves. A brocha should not be said. When it becomes light, he should touch his tefillin and recite the brochos. This leniency only applies to one who is traveling by foot, since there is no concern of falling asleep while walking. If, however, one is traveling while seated (e.g. in a bus, train or wagon), the concern of falling asleep is still relevant and it is forbidden to lay tefillin while it is still dark.

[שו"ע ל, ג, משנ"ב י-יד, וביה"ל ד"ה וכשיגיע, ושם, ד, ד"ה היה]

Can tefillin ever be worn openly outside?

As we have learned, one who is wearing his tefillin at sunset does not have to remove them. However, he may not continue to wear them in public. According to some opinions, if he is in a Beis Medrash among people who knew that he put on his tefillin before sunset, he may continue to wear them around those people. A person who was walking outside while wearing tefillin at sunset may continue wearing them if he cannot carry them and there is nowhere safe to remove them or leave them. A similar halacha applies on Friday afternoon. Tefillin may be worn into Shabbos if there is no safe place to hide them.

[שו"ע ל, ד, משנ"ב טו-טז, וביה"ל ד"ה היה]

Can tefillin be worn after one is mekabel shabbos?

If one has not yet worn tefillin during the day, he may even put them on during bein hashemashos. If he is unsure if it is bein hashemashos, a brocha may be said. If one has already davened Ma’ariv (while it is still daytime) and then realized that he has not yet put on tefillin, he should put them on without a brocha. If this happens on a Friday, one may even put on tefillin after accepting Shabbos. A brocha is not recited.

[שו"ע ל, ה, משנ"ב יז, שעה"צ יט, וביה"ל ד"ה ויש (וראה עוד שם); ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 12 ו־14]

Tefillin can be worn on weekdays throughout the day. On Shabbos, however, there is no mitzvah to wear tefillin. One who does so transgress the prohibition of bal tosif. Even if one does not intend to be yotzei the mitzvah, it is forbidden mid’rabonon to lay tefillin on Shabbos.

One may not lay tefillin in the morning until it is light enough to recognize a casual acquaintance at a distance of four amos. Until this time, there is still a concern that one may fall asleep in his tefillin.

One who is wearing his tefillin at sunset may continue wearing them until he is ready to go to sleep. After tzeis hakochavim, they should only be worn privately -- and one should not instruct others to follow this practice.

Why are tefillin not worn on Shabbos?

May tefillin be moved on Shabbos?

Are tefillin worn on Chol Hamoed?

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.