Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

What is the minimal length of the retzuos?

The retzuos of the tefillin shel rosh must be long enough to surround the head and run at least two tefachim downward on each side. L’chatchilah, the right retzuah should reach down to the navel and the left should reach the chest. Some say that the right should reach beyond the navel and the left should reach the navel. The retzuos of the shel yad must be long enough to tighten the bayis to the arm, wrap down the arm, and reach the middle finger. L’chatchilah, it should be long enough to do all the customary wrappings around the arm, palm and finger. The width of the retzuah should be approximately eleven millimeters.

[שו"ע כז, יא, ומשנ"ב מא, מב ו־מד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 50-49]

Which side of the retzuos should be visible?

At the point where the retzuos surround the head and the arm, the side which is painted black must be visible. If it flips to the unpainted side, one is obligated to flip it back to the black side. It is also praiseworthy to fast or offer a pidyon for tzedakah afterwards. The poskim disagree about whether one is yotzei if the retzuos were overturned. A similar halacha applies to the knots of the tefillin. Regarding the rest of the retzuos, although it is not necessary for the painted side to be showing, it is considered a beautification of the mitzvah.

[שו"ע כז, י-יא, ומשנ"ב לח-לט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 47]

Can a mirror be used to position the tefillin?

As we have learned, the proper place for the bayis of the shel rosh is above the hairline in the middle of the head. The knot must also be placed where the hair grows and must not slip down to the neck. L’chatchilah, it should be slightly above the indent towards the bottom of the skull. The kesher and the bayis must be directly in the center of the head. If not, the wearer is not yotzei. In earlier times, it was uncommon for men to use a mirror. Doing so was a transgression of the prohibition against engaging in feminine activities. Now that it has become common for men to look in mirrors, many poskim say that doing so is permitted. Therefore, the poskim hold that a person should use a mirror to aid himself in the positioning of his tefillin.

[שו"ע כז, י, משנ"ב לה-לו, וביה"ל ד"ה בעורף; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 42-41]

The Torah states that the tefillin shel rosh should be placed “between your eyes”. Chazal explain that the proper place for the tefillin is the area above the hairline over the space between the eyes. The entire bayis must be in this section. Even if only part of it is out of the area, one will not be yotzei the mitzvah.

Placing the tefillin on the hair means placing them at the roots of the hair, not the ends (wherever they extend). Even if a person is bald, the area can be defined by the place that his hair used to grow.

Regarding how high on the head the tefillin may be placed, there is a disagreement among the Rishonim. Some say that they can be placed anywhere on the curve of the head. Others say that they should not be placed higher than halfway up the front slope of the head. L’chatchilah, the second view should be followed.

What is the proper way to remove the tefillin?

What is the proper way to wrap the tefillin?

At which points should one touch his tefillin?

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.