Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Do the hides have to be tanned by hand?

As we have learned, the entire process of tanning the hides for Sta”m must be done lishmah (for the sake of the mitzvah). It is sufficient to articulate one’s intention of lishmah at the beginning of the process; the intent will thus be carried through the entire production. Therefore, some poskim allow hides to be tanned by a machine if the process was started through a human whose intention was lishmah. Others are stringent, holding that the entire process should be performed by hand.

[משנ"ב לב, כה ו־ל, וביה"ל ט, ד"ה להרמב"ם; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 43 ו־50]

Should a kosher symbol be made for the hides?

If a non-Jew is tanning his own hides in the same area as a Jew who is tanning for Sta”m, the kosher hides must be marked so that they can be identified later. Preferably, the markings should not be forgeable, so that the non-Jew does not try to present his own hides as acceptable. B’dieved, even if the hides were marked with a simple symbol, there is room to be lenient. It can be assumed that the non-Jew will refrain from forging out of concern that the deception will be recognized.

[שו"ע לב, י, משנ"ב לא, וביה"ל ד"ה כעין וד"ה לזייף]

Which hides may be used for Sta”m?

The hides used for the klaf of Sta”m may only come from a kosher animal. A similar halacha applies to all sifrei kodesh which are written on an animal’s skin. It is not necessary for the hides to come from an animal which had a kosher shechitah, however. The hide of a fetus which was found inside its slaughtered mother is preferred. Since this animal never lived, it could not have been involved in any promiscuous acts. Due to their unpleasant smell, skins from a kosher fish should not be used.

[שו"ע לב, יב, וביה"ל ד"ה יהיה, וד"ה ואפילו; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 51]

Before soaking the hide in lime, it is first soaked in water. Soaking in water does not have to be done lishmah. If one soaked it in water lishmah but did not articulate the thought when soaking it in the lime solution, the poskim disagree on whether the first thought suffices to render the klaf kosher for the mitzvah.

Klaf which was produced for a Sefer Torah may also be used for tefillin and mezuzos. The high level of kedusha required by a Sefer Torah is certainly enough for tefillin and mezuzos, which have a lower level of sanctity.

The Rishonim disagree about whether a non-Jew may prepare the hides if a Jew instructs him to do it lishmah.

How should each parsha of the tefillin be tied?

Should the parsha be wrapped in an additional piece of parchment?

Which of the tefillin are supposed to be visible?

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.