Chapter 10 – Tefillin (Phylacteries)

10.1) Precepts regarding the tefillin (phylacteries) are important because the Torah is compared to the tefillin. The tefillin represents your willingness to subjugate your body in worship. Consequently, you must not put on defective tefillin.

10.2) Put on tefillin in the morning “as soon as you would be able to recognize a neighbor from four cubits [about six feet] away.” Tefillin are put on after talith (prayer shawl) since talith (fringes) are worn all the time and tefillin are worn only sometimes; constant articles are donned before occasional ones.

10.3) Wear tefillin on the left, next to the heart. According to Rabbis as well as tradition, the head tefillin is worn above the eyes even though Scripture specifies “between the eyes.”  Proper placement of the tefillin on the head is important. (See source for details, or consult a rabbi.)

10.4) Put on tefillin while standing. Tefillin must be taken out of its bag by hand, not shaken out or dumped out. Put on the hand first, and before tightening, say, “to put on the tefillin,” next tighten, making coils around the arm. Place the head piece on, and before tightening, say, “concerning the commandment of tefillin.”  Then tighten and say the blessing: “Blessed be His glorious kingdom from everlasting to everlasting.”  Whether to say these words out loud or not is controversial.

10.5) Put away or ignore the head piece of tefillin so you can first attend to the hand tefillin, as it is written “and thou shalt bind for a sign upon thy HAND and they shall be as frontlets between thy EYES.”

10.6) Nothing should be between your skin and the tefillin; neither the head piece nor the hand piece. Even long, over-grown hair is considered an obstruction to proper placement of the head tefillin.

10.7) Do not allow the knot of the hand tefillin to shift. The knot should always be facing your heart. The bridge in the strap must be inserted and must face upward, with the capsule facing downward. For left-handed people, refer to the details given for the right-hand tefillin.

10.8) Under no circumstances are you permitted to allow interruption or distraction when you are donning the tefillin, during or between putting on the hand and head tefillin.

10.9) If, in error, someone interrupts you, you should touch the tefillin on your hand and repeat the benedictions.

10.10) When you put on the tefillin (phylacteries), reflect on the Holy One, unity, the exodus, and G-d’s miracles to become mindful of the Creator, and restrain sinful pleasures.

10.11) If you have only the head piece or only the hand piece, put it on and say the benediction for that piece.

10.12) If you are left-handed, put the tefillin on your right hand, using the same procedure as for a right-handed person, but perform the process backwards.

10.13) The width of the straps of the head piece and the hand piece should be no longer than the length of barley, and should reach down to a man’s navel, or a bit above.

10.14) Make sure the black side of the straps face outward. If the straps become inverted, you must redeem yourself by fasting or giving charity. If the tefillin falls to the ground outside its bag, you must fast.

10.15) If you remove the tefillin to go to the bathroom, you must repeat the benediction upon putting them on again.

10.16) When wearing the tefillin, be attentive and do not eat or sleep. You may partake of a snack though.

10.17) Touch the tefillin when you think of them to not be distracted from them.

10.18) The tefillin for the head is more sacred than that for the hand, so do not use a strap from the hand piece for the head piece. You may use a strap from the head piece for the hand piece though. Do not use the tefillin bag for a secular purpose.

10.19) Do not take off the tefillin until after reciting, “may it be Thy will, O Lord, that we keep Thy statutes.”

10.20) Remove the tefillin while standing, immediately after you are through praying. Do not take off the hand piece before taking off the head piece.

10.21) Place the tefillin in the bag in such a way as to ensure that the following day the hand piece is removed before the head piece.

10.22) If you arrive at synagogue without tefillin, after the congregation has started praying, wait until the end of the service to borrow one and then pray. Do not put the tefillin on at night.

10.23) Do not wear the tefillin if you will become soiled due to diarrhea or an illness.

10.24) If you have a minor son who is capable of taking proper care of his tefillin, provide him with one.

10.25) Follow the custom of the community you are in when wearing the tefillin (phylacteries) on Intermediate Days of a festival.

10.26) Examine your tefillin to make sure it is clean.