Siman 27

The place for placing the tefillin shel yad is on the left arm, as it is written: "And it shall be for a sign upon your hand [yadchah]"—the weak [kehah] hand. That is to say: the one that is weak in strength. And furthermore, as it is written: "My hand [yadi] founded the earth, and My right hand spanned the heavens"—behold, "hand" refers to the left (Menachot 37a), for in every place where "hand" is written without qualification and it does not specify the right hand, it refers to the left (ibid.). And it is not valid on the entire hand, but rather on the bone between the elbow [cubito] which is called "ellenbogen," and the armpit which is the end of the entire arm connected to the body. And thus our sages, of blessed memory, expounded there: "Your hand"—this is the kiborit. That is to say: the place where the flesh is gathered, for on this bone there is much more flesh than on the bone from the palm of the hand until the elbow. And we learned this from the fact that for the head, the placement is on the height of the head, as will be explained—likewise, the one of the hand is on the height of the arm. And furthermore, as it is written: "And it shall be for a sign for you upon your hand"—for you as a sign and not for others as a sign. That is to say, in a place where others do not see it openly, and this is this place on the height of the arm, for on its lower part it is revealed to all. And furthermore, as it is written: "And you shall place these words of Mine upon your hearts [...], and you shall bind"—that the placing shall be opposite the heart. And therefore one must tilt the tefillah slightly toward the side of the body, in a manner that when he bends his arm downward, it will be opposite his heart. And this is all in the place of the height, for on its lower part it would not be opposite the heart.

And know that from the plain meaning of the language of the Shas and the poskim, it is explicitly implied that this entire bone between the kovedo and the armpit is valid for the placement of tefillin. And so it is clarified from the language of the Tur, who wrote: On the height of the flesh in the segment between the joint and the shoulder. Thus far his words. But our teacher, the Beit Yosef, in his great work, cited from the Semak that not all of this bone is valid, but rather the half that is toward the kovedo. And even this is not in its entire half, but only in the place of the bulge there. And based on this, he wrote in the Shulchan Aruch: On the bulging flesh of the bone that is between the kovedo and the armpit. Thus far his words. And he interprets the language of the Tur "on the height of the flesh in the segment," meaning: that on this bone there is a place where the flesh is high, and there is the place of their placement.

And so it is explained from the Rambam, chapter four, who wrote: The bulging flesh that is at the elbow…, see there. And this is what our teacher, the Rema, wrote, that one must place it at the head of the bone adjacent to the cubit, but not in the half of the bone adjacent to the armpit. Thus far his words. That is to say: specifically in its half at the place of the bulge, and not in its entire half (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And that which our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 7, that the bone adjacent to the armpit from its half until the cubit is the place for placing tefillin, thus far his words—his intention was not regarding its entire half, but rather he relied on what he wrote previously, that it is specifically in the bulging flesh. (See Magen Avraham ibid. And this is his intention to also resolve the words of the Beit Yosef, as the Pri Megadim wrote there. And the Machatzit HaShekel understood that his intention was only to resolve the words of the Semak, and regarding the Beit Yosef he remained with a difficulty, see there. And the primary view is like the Pri Megadim. And such is the custom of the world to place it not at the beginning of this bone, but rather slightly higher. And in that place itself there is room to place two pairs of tefillin, for this is explicit in the Gemara. And examine carefully and you will find it simple.)

However, one of our teachers, the later authorities, lengthily disagreed with all of this, and brings clear proofs that this entire bone between the kovedo and the armpit is valid for the placement of tefillin. And regarding what they brought as proof from Shimusha Rabba, who wrote "half the arm"—it is certainly so, for of the entire hand it is half (the Gra, subsection 5). And one must say according to this, that regarding what our sages, of blessed memory, called the kiburit, meaning the bunching of the flesh—it is certainly so, for in this entire bone there is much bunching of flesh compared to the bone that is after the palm of the hand until the kovedo, as is perceived by the senses. And for our teachers, the authors of the Shulchan Aruch, we will have to say that in that place itself there is a place where the flesh bunches more than in the rest of this joint, and that is a bit after the beginning of this joint. And such is the custom of the world. (And from Rashi there it is explicitly implied like the Gra, for he wrote: the height of the kiburit, which is near the shoulder. Thus far his words. And so it is implied from the language of the Gemara there, that this entire bone is called the "height that is in the hand," and it is entirely opposite the heart. And so it is implied from the language of Rabbeinu Tam in Tosafot and the Rosh, see there. And it seems in my humble opinion clear that one who has a wound in the place of the placement of tefillin according to the words of the Shulchan Aruch—can simply rely on this opinion and place it higher than the half of this bone. And so one should instruct. And be precise and you will find it easy. And so it is explicitly implied in the Or Zarua HaGadol, siman 576, like the Gra, see there.)

We find in Menachot (37b): "Yadkhah" with the letter hei—this refers to the left ("yad kehah"). Others say: "Yadkhah" (so it should be said)—to include one whose arm is amputated, for "yadkhah" implies a crushed and damaged hand (Rashi). It was taught in another baraita: If one has no arm—he is exempt from tefillin. Others say: "Yadkhah"—to include one whose arm is amputated, see there. And it is not understood: Why did our teachers omit this entire matter, for the Rif, the Rambam, the Semag, the Rosh, and the Tur did not mention any of this at all? And behold, they should have ruled the halacha like this Master or like that Master? And I have not found anyone who has addressed this.

And that which appears to me regarding the opinion of our teachers when we examine closely: What is the reasoning of the first Tanna who said: One who has no zeroa is exempt from tefillin? For he does not derive this from a verse, but rather states it from logical reasoning, and what logical reasoning is there in this? On the contrary, we say in Arachin (19b) that regarding Torah law, the entire kiborit is called "yad." And perforce it must be dealing with a case where the kiborit remains and only the zeroa is missing, for if not so, it would not be relevant to say "exempt" since he has nowhere to place them. Furthermore, the phrasing "has no zeroa" implies explicitly that the kiborit remains, and if so, what is the reason he is exempt? Behold, he has a "yad," and we read regarding him "and it shall be for a sign upon your hand." And from tefillin itself they inferred in the Gemara there that one places it on the kiborit, and the Torah said "upon your hand" — conclude from this that the kiborit is called "yad." And so it is proven from the verses regarding Shimshon, as it is written: "And the ropes that were upon his zeroa," and it concludes: "and his bonds melted from off his hands." And if so, it is difficult: From where does the first Tanna know that one who has no zeroa is exempt? And also for the Others it is difficult: Why do they require a derivation to include the amputee in the obligation, for from logical reasoning we would know this, since we call the kiborit "your hand"?

And it is necessary to state the reason: for certainly the essence of the hand is the palm of the hand, as it is explained throughout the entire Tanakh, "and he gave into his hand," "and he gave into her hand," "and he took from his hand," and with what does one take and give if not with the palm of the hand? Rather, it is called "hand" until the shoulder, for collectively they are called "hand." Therefore, in Arachin there, when the essence of the hand exists, it is called "hand" until the shoulder. And so too regarding Samson, when he had the uprooting of the hand—the arm was also called "hand." But when the essence of the hand is missing, meaning when the palm of the hand is severed, such that he cannot take with it or give with it—the name "hand" does not apply to it at all. Therefore, the Tanna Kamma holds: one who has no arm is exempt from tefillin, for we do not read regarding him "for a sign upon your hand." And it is not specifically one who has no arm, for the same law applies to one who has no palm. It only mentioned "has no arm," meaning: even though the kiburit remains, nevertheless, without the essence of the hand, the name "hand" does not apply to it. And the same law applies when the palm of the hand is severed. And this is the reason our teachers omitted all of this, because these Tannaim do not expound "yadkhah"—the weak hand, but rather to include the amputee. And the halacha is not like them, for Rav Ashi, who is later, decided previously that we expound "the weak hand." And since there is no verse for this, it is automatically known to all that when he has no hand—there is no obligation, just like one who has no sukkah—there is no need to say to him "you are exempt from sukkah" for it is understood automatically. And here too it is so. And the Baraita that said "one who has no arm is exempt from tefillin"—they did not need this at all. Rather, because others have an exposition that an amputee is obligated from the verse "yadkhah," it comes to teach us that it is not so. And the poskim, since they wrote this of "the weak hand," it is understood automatically that when he has no hand—he is exempt. And it is a simple matter.

But such is not the approach of our teachers, the authors of the Tosafot, who wrote regarding the baraita "one who has no arm is exempt": Others say "yadkhah" to include the amputee, for one master said one thing and one master said another, and they do not disagree. Thus far their words. That is to say: the first tanna said when he has no arm, meaning it was severed up to the kiboit—he is exempt. And others said to include the amputee, that is to say: the palm of the hand was severed up to the arm, and the arm remains. Therefore, such is the halakha. However, even from this there is no proof, as we will explain with the help of Heaven. Our teacher, the Rema, in section 1 wrote: An amputee who has no hand but only an arm—he shall place them without a berakha. Thus far his words. And he explained his reason in his book "Darkhei Moshe" because the Tosafot ruled for obligation, and the Or Zarua ruled for exemption; therefore he ruled thus. The Acharonim labored over the words of the Or Zarua as to why he exempts, and they wrote that he had a different version in the Gemara. And they were very pressed in his words (see Magen Avraham subsection 3 and other Acharonim). And this was caused for them because they did not have before them the large book of the Or Zarua. And now we have merited this and his reason has been revealed.

This is the wording of the Or Zarua (siman 577): "Yadkhah" – this is the left. Others say… It was taught in another baraita… And our teacher Elyakim explained regarding the baraita: the first is to include the one whose hand is amputated, who does not have a hand but has an arm… And in the second baraita… And with this wording my teacher, our teacher Simcha, explains that they disagree, and he ruled the halacha like the first tanna, that he is exempt. For since the first tanna expounds it as the left, if so, he exempts the one whose hand is amputated. Thus far his words. And according to this, his reasoning is clear: for he explains that the "others" are dealing with one who has an arm, and despite this, the first tanna exempts. And the halacha is like the first tanna. And according to this, I say that even from the Tosafot there is no proof. For granted that in the second baraita they do not disagree, and he is obligated if he has an arm, nevertheless, perhaps in the first baraita they explain like the Or Zarua and the halacha is like the first tanna. And behold, the Tosafot did not rule the halacha in this. And according to this, for the law it appears more likely that if his hand was severed, even though he has an arm, he is exempt. However, since it emerged from the mouth of our teacher, the Rema, it is difficult to transgress his words. (And all the words of the Magen Avraham were not clarified. For what he questioned against the Tosafot from the Sifrei, on the contrary, if the "others" is the Rabbi Yehuda of the Sifrei, certainly their words are rejected. For behold, the Rabbi Yehuda of the Sifrei also in our Gemara there says that the right is called "yad," and the Shas rejected this. And even if this is not the Rabbi Yehuda of our Shas, nevertheless, the words of the Rabbi Yehuda of the Sifrei are rejected by the power of our Shas, that the right is not called "yad." Also, what he questioned, that if he has an arm he should place it on the left, and he hinted to that of Arachin, we have already explained that it is not called "yad." And from Arachin it is not difficult at all, as we have written. Examine and you will find it simple.)

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 2: The correct custom is that the yod of the knot of the tefillin shel yad should be toward the heart, and the tefillin upon it toward the outside. And one must be careful that the yod of the knot does not move away from the tefillin. Thus far his words. That is to say: for we have no clear proof that the knot must be toward the heart. For that which our sages, of blessed memory, required placement opposite the heart, this refers to the tefillin themselves. Nevertheless, it is correct and appears that one must do so, since the yod is of the letters of "Shaddai," and it is a halacha le-Moshe mi-Sinai, it must be opposite the heart. And also that the knot should not move from the tefillin—there is no clear proof from the Gemara. For one could say that just as the dalet of the head is far from the tefillin themselves, so too the yod of the hand. However, so it appears, and according to the wisdom of Kabbalah it is so even as a requirement. Therefore, it is better that the wrappings on the hand should be wrapped from the hand outward as is the custom of the Sephardim, for in this way the knot will be tightened to the tefillin. For according to the custom of the Ashkenazim who wrap from outside the hand onto the hand—the knot will be distanced by this, as is understood.

He further wrote that the correct custom is to arrange that the ma'abarta through which the strap passes should be placed toward the shoulder, and the katzitzah toward the hand. Thus far his words. And so all of Israel are accustomed, even though there is no clear proof for this, as I have written. And because in his great book he cited from the Terumat HaDeshen that there are those who do not do so, he therefore cautioned regarding this. (And according to some commentators, one should align these laws with the Gemara in Menachot 35b, which said that the knot of the tefillin must be above and toward the inside. See in the Nimukei Yosef and in the Beit Yosef. Examine carefully and you will find it simple.)

One must place the tefillin directly upon the hand, and not upon any garment that is on the hand. Rashi in Megillah (24b) explained the reason: because we require "for you as a sign" – and not for others as a sign. According to this reason, this applies only to the shel yad. However, the Rosh explained the reason that just as regarding the priestly garments we derive in Zevachim (19a): "And he shall wear upon his flesh" – that there should be nothing intervening between him and his flesh; so too regarding tefillin, as it is written: "upon your hand" – there must be nothing intervening between it and his hand. And the same law applies to the shel rosh, as it is written: "between your eyes" – at the height of the head corresponding to between your eyes as will be explained, there must be nothing intervening. The Rashba in a responsum is in doubt regarding this, but there is no doubt in this matter that an intervention invalidates both in the shel yad and in the shel rosh according to the Rosh.

Therefore, I am astonished at one who wishes to be lenient regarding the shel yad when he has a wound on the muscle, and rags are placed over the wound, that he may place it upon them, on the grounds that in this case "and not for others as a sign" does not apply since he is wearing another garment over it (Magen Avraham, subsection 6). For this is according to the reasoning of Rashi, of blessed memory, and for this reason the Rashba was in doubt regarding the shel rosh. But for us, as we hold like the Rosh, that there shall be nothing intervening between the tefillin and his hand—it is certainly forbidden. It appears more correct to permit such a person to place it above the midpoint of the bone of the muscle, as I wrote at the end of section 4. And also regarding that which our teacher, the Rema, ruled, that it is specifically regarding the tefillin, but regarding the straps one need not be particular, thus far his words—the great authorities disagreed. And they hold that also regarding the straps that are on the hand and on the head, it is forbidden for there to be a chatzitzah (Levush and Taz, subsection 4, and Magen Avraham, subsection 5). And such is the custom, and one should not deviate.

Nevertheless, our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 5 that a person who is prone to rheum, meaning he has a headache and cannot uncover his head, and if he were required to place the tefillin shel rosh upon the head itself he would not place them at all—it is permitted for him to place the tefillin shel rosh upon a thin cap adjacent to the head. And he should cover them from those who see. And those who place them in this manner—he shall not recite a berakhah on the shel rosh, but shall only recite on the shel yad "le-haniach." Thus far his words. And this permission is built upon the words of the Rashba, who is in doubt regarding this as I have written. But according to the Rosh, there is no permission for this at all, and it requires further study. And perhaps since if he does not do so he will not place them at all—it is better to place them however possible. But it is difficult to open such a permission. And know that a dead louse—interposes. And likewise when there is dirt on the head—it interposes. And one must clean the place of the tefillin shel rosh, and it is proper to rub the place with a comb so that the place will be clean. And there are those who wish to be stringent even when the hair is very long. And I do not see any reason for this, for what limit will you give to the hair? And the hair of the head is considered like the bone of the head. And perhaps if he has a forelock where he brings around also the sides of the hair from another place to the place of placing tefillin—in this there is certainly an interposition, but not the natural hair growing in this place. And so is the simple custom, and one should not doubt this at all.

And know that even though regarding the shel yad our sages, of blessed memory, said "'for a sign to you' and not a sign to others" – the intent is not that one is obligated to cover the shel yad. For the intent is only regarding the location of "for a sign to you." And so it is explicitly stated in Menachot (37b). And so too the opposite: that the shel rosh must be seen by everyone, as it is written: "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you." And we expound: these are the tefillin of the head. The intent is not that it is forbidden to cover them, for it is permitted to cover them with a tallit or with another object, as the Torah was only particular regarding the location. Therefore, one who has a pain in the head – he may place the shel rosh and place some covering over it and over the head together. And so the great ones ruled.

A left-handed person, if he performs all his work with his left hand, places [tefillin] on his right hand, which is the left of all people, for regarding him this hand is the "weak" hand. And if he is ambidextrous, meaning that he performs with both of them with equal strength in a manner that there is no advantage in his left over his right, he places on the left like all people. But as long as there is an advantage in his left over his right, he places on his right, for it is the weak hand regarding him. And if he writes with his right hand but performs all his other actions with his left, or writes with his left and performs all his other actions with his right, some say that we follow his actions, and he places on the hand that is weaker in strength regarding him, for it is the weak hand regarding him. And some say that we follow the writing, because it is written: "And you shall bind [...] and you shall write," and the hand with which he writes is the right and he places on the other. And the primary rule is according to the first opinion (the Gra, subsection 17). For the derivation of "weak hand" is for the halacha, whereas the derivation of "and you shall bind [...] and you shall write" appears explicitly in the Gemara as not being for the halacha. (For Rav Ashi on page 37a holds of this [derivation] of "weak hand." Furthermore, in the Baraita, the first Tanna, Rabbi Yosei HaChorem, and Rabbi Natan disagree, and he [Rabbi Natan] derives "and you shall bind [...] and you shall write." And it says there that Rabbi Yosei HaChorem holds like Rabbi Natan, and they rejected the [view] of Rabbi Yosei HaChorem. Furthermore: certainly the halacha is like the first Tanna, and he does not hold of this [derivation] of Rabbi Natan.)

A left-handed person who donned on the left of all people—has not fulfilled his obligation. There are those who disagree, but it is not the primary view. And if the left-handed person needs to borrow tefillin from a non-left-handed person—he should flip the ma'avarta to the outside, and in this way the knot will come to be toward his body. For if he were to don them in their usual manner, the knot would be away from his body, and this matter is impossible in any way. But regarding the ma'avarta there is not such a strict requirement. And so too a non-left-handed person who borrows tefillin from a left-handed person should do so. And know that the plain meaning of "left-handed person" is when one is born so. But a person who accustomed himself to be left-handed, there is a dispute whether his law is like a left-handed person or not. (See Magen Avraham subsection 9, who brought two opinions from the Mordechai. And the opinion of our teacher, the Rema, in Darkei Moshe appears to be that he is a left-handed person. And all the more so if from Heaven a weakness was born to him in his right hand, for everyone admits that he is a left-handed person. And there is one who says that the same law applies when his hand was amputated. And it is not so, for what is the connection between this and that? And be precise and you will find it simple.)

Even though a person has a wound in the place of placing the tefillin – he shall place tefillin, for there is space on the muscle to place two tefillin. For the bone adjacent to the armpit from its midpoint until the cubit in the fleshy part – that is the place of the tefillin. And if the wound reaches until its midpoint – he can place them in the half that is toward the body, according to what we explained at the end of section 4. (And one should not wonder about what was said at the beginning of the chapter "One who finds tefillin": there is space on the head to place two tefillin, and yet there is more if it is valid on the entire bone? For it is certainly so, but it is said as a parallel to the head, as Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: there is space on the head…. – here too there is space on the arm, see there. And examine and you will find it easy.)

The length of the strap of the hand—enough so that it may encompass the arm, and he shall tie the knot from it, and it shall stretch to the middle finger, and he shall wrap from it upon his finger three wraps: two on the lower joint, and one on the middle joint (see Magen Avraham subsection 12 who wrote "on the upper," and it is not exact). And he shall tie, meaning: that he shall tuck the strap in a manner that it will remain firm. And the world is accustomed to also wrap seven wraps on the arm, corresponding to the seven words in the verse "You open Your hand...". Our teacher, the Rema, wrote in section 8 that one should not wrap the strap on the titura in order to strengthen it upon the arm. Thus far his words. Because the titura is holier than the strap, and how can he place a lighter holiness upon a weightier holiness? And such is the custom of the Ashkenazim. But the Sephardim wrap three wraps on the ma'abarta, and they make the form of a shin. And it is true that it is written so in the Kavanot and in Peri Etz Chaim of the Arizal, of blessed memory. But the greatest of his students disagrees with this. (For Rabbi Chaim Vital came in a dream to his son and told him not to do so, as the Sha'arei Teshuva wrote in subsection 15 in the name of several Sephardic greats. And he told him that what is written there so—it is not from the Arizal but from the colleagues. And several matters there are so, see there.) (And regarding what the Magen Avraham wrote in subsection 14 that at the time of placement he should place the strap upon it, so that it does not move until he places the of the head, see there—this is according to the custom that they placed the of the head before the wraps, and not according to our custom, as I wrote in siman 25 section 18, see there.)

The place for laying the tefillin shel rosh is from the beginning of the roots of the hair on the forehead until the end of the place where the brain of a child is soft. That is to say: it is soft when he is one year old (Rashi, Menachot 37a). And that which is written "between your eyes," we learned from "baldness," as it is written: "and you shall not make a baldness between your eyes for the dead." And "baldness" is not applicable literally between the eyes, for there is no hair there at all. Rather, it is the place of the roots of the hair. And the intention is that it be placed upon the brain corresponding to between the eyes. And one must warn the masses regarding this, as we have seen with our own eyes that many wear the shel rosh with half of it upon the forehead. And woe to that shame, for they have never fulfilled the mitzvah of tefillin in their lives, and they recite blessings in vain, and their punishment is great. And the cause for this is large tefillin and the looseness of the knots. And also many err by saying that the place where the hair ends—there is the place of the tefillin. And it is not so, but rather in the place of the growth of the roots of the hair. And I have seen several God-fearing men who go and inspect many people to see if the shel rosh is placed upon them properly, and if it is not proper, they correct it to be proper. Praiseworthy is their lot, and their reward is very great.

And the knot must be behind the head, high up on the nape, which is the end of the skull and is opposite the face. And one must be careful that the shel rosh is in the middle of the head, so that it is opposite between the eyes. Also, the knot should be in the middle of the nape, and should not tilt here or there. And it is necessary that the place of the knot appears like the form of a dalet on the outside, and not like those who make it like the form of two dalets. And one should be careful that the knot does not flip over. And so too with the shel yad, one must be careful that it does not flip over, and the black side of the straps should be on the outside, both in the shel yad and in the shel rosh. And the primary concern is in the place where they encompass the head and the arm. And in the Gemara we find that one of the Amoraim fasted over this, that his black strap once flipped to the inside. And they said that he fasted forty fasts over this (Moed Katan 25a).

One should let the straps of the head-tefillin hang down in front of him, and they should reach until the navel or slightly above it. Some have written that the right strap should reach until the navel and the left until the chest. From the law of the Gemara there is no measure for this, only that they should hang down slightly in front of him. The width of the strap of the hand-tefillin and of the head-tefillin is at least the length of a barleycorn, and without the tip. If the length or width of the straps is less than the measure, if he cannot find others—he dons them as they are until he finds others, for it is not legally a requirement but rather a beautification of the mitzvah. Whether it is permitted to sew the strap when it is torn will be explained in siman 33. It is good for the head-tefillin to be revealed and visible, but it is not a requirement, as I wrote in section 15. And a student before his teacher—it is not proper conduct to reveal his tefillin before his teacher. (And so it is implied at the beginning of the chapter "Ein Omdin" that Rava did not notice the tefillin of Abaye. And so too Rabbi Zera before Rabbi Yirmeyah, see there. Examine it and you will find it easy.) Our teacher, the Rema, wrote that regarding the hand-tefillin—one need not be particular whether they are revealed or covered. And so too regarding a student with his teacher, nowadays when we only don them during the time of Kriyat Shema and prayer, even a student before his teacher may reveal even the head-tefillin. And such is the custom, not to be careful. Thus far his words. For since at that time it is an obligation to don them—it is not considered arrogance before his teacher. It is only during the time of study, when it is not such an obligation, that there is a concern.