סימן י סעיף א
מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין הִיא גַם כֵּן מִצְוָה יְקָרָה מְאֹד, שֶׁכָּל הַתּוֹרָה הוּקְשָׁה לַתְּפִלִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת ה' בְּפִיךָ. וּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֵנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין, הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל פּוֹשְׁעֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל בְּגוּפָן. וּמִי שֶׁמֵנִּיחַ תְּפִלִּין פְּסוּלִין, לֹא בִלְבַד שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְקַיֵּם אֶת הַמִּצְוָה, אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה בְּרָכוֹת לְבַטָּלָה שֶׁהוּא עָוֹן גָּדוֹל. וְלָכֵן יְדַקְדֵּק לִקְנוֹת תְּפִלִּין מִסּוֹפֵר מֻמְחֶה וִירֵא שָׁמַיִם, וְכֵן רְצוּעוֹת יִקְנֶה מֵאִישׁ נֶאֱמָן שֶׁהוּא בָטוּחַ שֶׁנִּתְעַבְּדוּ לִשְׁמָהּ מֵעוֹרוֹת טְהוֹרוֹת. וּבַעֲוֹנוֹתֵינוּ הָרַבִּים, רַבָּה הַמַּכְשֵׁלָה בְּמַה שֶּׁקּוֹנִים תְּפִלִּין וּרְצוּעוֹת מִמָּאן דְּהוּא לְפִי שֶׁמּוֹכְרָם בְּזוֹל, וְהֵם פְּסוּלִים. וְכָל יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם יִתֵּן אֶל לִבּוֹ, אִם עַל מַלְבּוּשָׁיו וְכֵלָיו הוּא מְהַדֵּר שֶׁיְּהוּ כְתִקּוּנָן, מִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן בְּחֶפְצֵי ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, שֶׁלֹּא יְצַמְצֵם וְיָחוּס עַל הַכֶּסֶף אֶלָּא יְהַדֵּר לִקְנוֹת אוֹתָן בְּוְדַּאי כְּשֵׁרִים אַף שֶׁמְּחִירָם רָב, וְיַשְׁגִּיחַ עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְתֻקָּנִין וּשְׁחוֹרִים הַבָּתִּים וְהָרְצוּעוֹת. וְיֵשׁ לִמְשֹׁחַ הָרְצועוֹת תָּדִיר בְּשֻׁמָּן שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁחוֹרִים (וְלֹא יִמְשְׁחֵם בְּשֻׁמָּן דָּג הַנִּקְרָא פִישְׁטְרָאן כִּי הוּא מִדָּג טָמֵא). וְאִם נִתְקַלְקְלוּ הַתְּפִלִּין אֲפִלּוּ רַק בְּמִקְצָת אוֹ שֶׁנִּפְסְקוּ הַתְּפִירוֹת, יַעֲשֶׂה מִיָּד שְׁאֵלַת חָכָם אִם הֵם כְּשֵׁרִים וּבְיוֹתֵר יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק עַל הַקְּרָנוֹת וּבִפְרָט בְּשֶׁל רֹאשׁ שֶׁהוּא שָׁכִיחַ מְאֹד שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּחֲקוֹת וְנַעֲשׂוּ שָׁם נְקָבִים וְנִפְסְלוּ. וְכֵן שָׁכִיחַ מְאֹד שֶׁמֵּחֲמַת שֶׁנִּתְיַשְּׁנוּ הַתְּפִלִּין, נִפְרַד קְצָת מֵהָעוֹר הָעֶלְיוֹן שֶׁל רֹאשׁ וְנִפְסָל. וּצְרִיכִין לְהַשְׁגִּיחַ עַל כָּל זֶה בִּמְאֹד. וְכָל הַזָּהִיר בְּמִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין לִנְהֹג בָּהֶם קְדֻשָּׁה שֶׁלֹּא לְדַבֵּר בָּהֶם דִּבְרֵי הֲבָלִים וְשִׂיחַת חֻלִּין, מַאֲרִיךְ יָמִים ומֻבְטָח שֶׁהוּא בֶּן עוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, ה' עֲלֵיהֶם (שֶׁנּוֹשְׂאִין עֲלֵיהֶם שֵׁם ה' בִּתְפִלִּין) יִחְיוּ, וּלְכָל בָּהֶן חַיֵּי רוּחִי, וְתַחֲלִימֵנִי וְהַחֲיֵינִי. תְּפִלִּין הוּא לְשׁוֹן פְּלִילָה וְהוֹכָחָה (וְלָכֵן הַלָּמֶ"ד דְגוּשָׁה לְמַלֹּאת חֶסְרוֹן הַשְּׁנִיָּה), כִּי הַתְּפִלִּין הֵן עֵדוּת וְהוֹכָחָה שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שׁוֹרָה עָלֵינוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב, וְרָאוּ כָּל עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ כִּי שֵׁם ה' נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ', וְדָרְשׁוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה אֵלּוּ תְפִלִּין שֶׁבָּרֹאשׁ שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שִׁי"ן מֵהַשֵּׁם שַׁדַּי. וְלָכֵן אֵין לְכַסוֹת תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ לְגַמְרֵי עִם הַטַּלִּית.
The mitzvah of tefillin is also a very precious mitzvah, for the entire Torah is similar to tefillin, as it is said: "In order that the Torah of Hashem be in your mouth."1Exodus 13:9. This verse is stated in the context of the mitzvah of tefillin. And someone who does not put on tefillin, is reckoned among the transgressors of Israel who sin with their bodies, [i. e., tefillin are worn on the arm and head]. Similarly one who puts on invalid tefillin,2This halacha applies only to one who knowingly puts on invalid tefillin; but if he found that his tefillin became invalid after he purchased them, we assume that they were valid until the moment they were found to be defective and his mitzvah was fulfilled. not only fails to perform the mitzvah, but he also recites many berachos in vain, which is a grave sin. Therefore, you should be careful to purchase tefillin from an expert, and God-fearing scribe. Similarly, the tefillin straps should be purchased from a trustworthy person to be sure that the leather was processed for the sake of tefillin, from hides of a kosher animal. But among our many sins is the temptation to purchase tefillin and tefillin straps from anyone who sells them cheaply, [even though] their tefillin are invalid. Every God-fearing person should consider this: if he is concerned to select proper material for his clothing and utensils, then certainly he should not economize and worry about the cost when buying articles to serve God, blessed is His Name. You should therefore be careful to purchase [only] those tefillin that are definitely kosher, even though they cost more. You should take care that they are always in proper order, and that the batim3Lit. “batim” i.e., houses. These cases “house” the written parchments. You must not allow the black paint to be peeled from the batim or straps. and straps are always black. You should smear the straps with oil regularly to ensure their blackness, (but they should not be smeared with the oil of a fish called "fishtron" because this oil is derived from a non-kosher fish.) If the tefillin were damaged even slightly or if the stitches tore, you should immediately consult a rabbinic expert to determine their validity. You should be especially careful regarding the corners [of the batim] and specifically to the shel rosh4I.e., the tefillin worn on the head. because they frequently rub against objects which cause dents making them invalid. And also very frequently when tefillin become old, a separation appears in the upper hide of the shel rosh making it invalid. You should be greatly concerned about all of these matters. All who are careful [in the observance] of the mitzvah of tefillin and treat them with sanctity, not speaking of trivial or secular matters when wearing them, will have his days lengthened, and is assured of a share in the World to Come, as it is said: "Hashem is upon them (for they carry upon themselves the Name of Hashem in the tefillin) and they shall live; and in all these things will my spirit live, and You will give me health and give me life."5Isaiah 38,16. This refers to the expression of thanks that King Chizkiyahu gave to Hashem after he recovered from his illness. The word, tefillin, means judgement and admonition (and therefore the lamed has a dot in order to compensate for the second lamed which is missing) because the tefillin are testimony and proof that the Divine Presence dwells upon us, as is stated in Scripture: "All the peoples of the earth shall see that the Name of Hashem is called upon you etc."6Deuteronomy 28:10. Our Sages, of blessed memory, explain that this refers to the shel rosh upon which is formed the letters shin of Hashem's Name, Shadai. And therefore you should not cover the shel rosh completely with the tallis.7However, if the tallis does cover the tefillin it does not invalidate the mitzvah.
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן העולם הבא שנאמר הליכות עולם לו אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות (נדה ע"ג.)