Should a person wear his tefillin while walking in the street?


It is appropriate to walk to shul in the morning wrapped in tallis and tefillin unless one will be arriving before the appropriate time for tallis and tefillin. If he will be walking through an area populated by non-Jews or an unclean area, he should don his tallis and tefillin in the courtyard or lobby of the shul. If this is not feasible, he may put them on at home and cover them while walking through the streets. The poskim disagree about the permissibility of wearing tefillin while passing a modern-day garbage can.

[סעיף ב וס"ק ח; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 14-13]




May Kriyas Shema be said without wearing tefillin?


The Gemara says that one who recites Kriyas Shema without his tefillin is like one who testifies falsely. The Rishonim explain that when one says the verse that pertains to laying tefillin without wearing them, it is as if he is claiming to fulfill the mitzvah while failing to do so. Similarly, one should be wearing tzitzis when saying Kriyas Shema. If one will miss the proper time of saying Kriyas Shema by procuring these items, it should be said without them.

[סעיף ד וס"ק יד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 20 ו־22]


How does one achieve ahavas Hashem?

It is apparent from the above-mentioned halacha that when a person says Kriyas Shema, he should actively attempt to fulfill the commandments contained in it. Therefore, upon saying the verse of V’ahavta, one must arouse within himself feelings of love for Hakodosh Boruch Hu. One way to achieve this feeling is by focusing on His greatness in contrast with the futility of man. One should also focus on His infinite kindness and patience. If it is difficult to have this intent during davening, one may do so afterwards, preferably before eating breakfast.

[ס"ק יד; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 19]
  • It is forbidden to embroider words of pesukim onto a tallis. There are two reasons for this halacha: 1) People sometimes wear tzitzis in the bathroom. Bringing a garment with pesukim on it into the bathroom is degrading for the pesukim. 2) It is forbidden to write isolated pesukim outside the context of a complete sefer.

  • A person who can afford to purchase either a pair of tefillin or tzitzis should spend his limited resources on tefillin. Tefillin--which is a pure obligation--takes precedence over tzitzis, which is technically a discretionary mitzvah.

  • There is a rule of ain ma’avirin al hamitzvos. This means that it is forbidden to pass over a mitzvah opportunity that presents itself immediately in order to perform a different, less accessible mitzvah. This prohibition only applies if a person intends to fulfill both mitzvos at around the same time. 



  • What should a person think about when he wraps himself in tefillin?








  • How many brochos are recited over tefillin?








  • Can one say Yehei Shmei Rabbah after reciting a brocha in vain?
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.
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