Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

May the tefillin be taken off before the Torah is put back in its place?

On Mondays, Thursdays, fast days, and Rosh Chodesh, one should wait until the Sefer Torah is put back in its place before taking off his tefillin. Although tefillin can otherwise be taken off after saying U’va L’tzion (which is recited in some shuls before the Torah is put back), on days when there is laining the tefillin should remain on until the Torah is put away. This concept is alluded to in a pasuk which refers to a king passing in front of people while the sign of Hashem is still on their heads. The king refers to the Torah and the sign on the head is the tefillin.

[סעיף יג וס"ק נז]

Why are tefillin not worn during Musaf on Rosh Chodesh?

On Rosh Chodesh, the tefillin are taken off before davening Musaf. There are two reasons for this practice: 1) The Kedusha of Musaf in many shuls begins with keser yitnu (offering of the crown, so to speak, to Hashem). It is improper for another crown--the tefillin--to be on the head at that time. 2) Tefillin are not worn on Yom Tov. Since Yom Tov is an ois, it is not necessary to have another ois of tefillin. Although Rosh Chodesh is not a Yom Tov, mentioning the korbonos is akin to an ois and therefore the tefillin are removed.

[סעיף יג וס"ק סא; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 77]

When should the tefillin be removed on Rosh Chodesh?

On Rosh Chodesh, it is customary to remove the tefillin after Kaddish prior to starting Shemoneh Esrei. They should be removed quickly, to minimize the break between Kaddish and the beginning of Shemoneh Esrei. Some Achronim say that it is best to take them off at the end of U’va L’tzion when saying the words yehi ratzon… shenishmor chukecha. This wording used to be part of a brocha that some people had the custom of saying when removing their tefillin. Other people remove the straps from the finger when saying these words.

[ס"ק נט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 76-74]

If the straps become loose immediately upon fastening the shel yad, they should be refastened without a new brocha. If, however, the shel yad or shel rosh became loose after the shel rosh was put on, a new brocha is necessary when refastening it.

If one removes his tefillin to adjust the strap or knot and then returns it to its place, the Shulchan Aruch holds that a new brocha must be said. Rema maintains that a new brocha should not be said. If the straps were too loose to be tightened at the time of fastening, all opinions agree that a new brocha should not be said.

Shulchan Aruch quotes the custom of not removing the tefillin until after U’va L’tzion is said. Rema adds that according to Kabbalistic sources, they should only be removed after saying three Kaddishim and four Kedushas.

Where should the tefillin shel yad be placed?

If one touches his upper arm when putting on tefillin, must he wash his hands?

Can a person put on just a shel rosh?

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.