Jackson Reed
Tefillin, also referred to as phylacteries, are a set of small black leather boxes containing biblical verses that are worn by observant Jews during weekday morning prayers. The boxes are placed on the head and arm, with the head tefillin placed at the hairline and the arm tefillin on the bicep of the weaker arm (usually the left arm for right-handed people). The custom is to begin wearing tefillin one month before a boy's bar mitzvah, and they are typically worn during the morning, with some sources stating they should not be worn after sunset. However, if it is not possible to wear them in the morning, they may be put on later in the day but preferably before sunset.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When to put on Tefillin | During the day, preferably in the morning. However, if that is not possible, they can be put on later in the day but not after sunset. |
| Who wears Tefillin | Right-handed people wear them on their left arm, and left-handed people wear them on their right arm. |
| Where to put Tefillin | One Tefillin goes on the arm, and the other on the head. |
| How to put on Tefillin | The arm Tefillin is placed on the bicep, and the head Tefillin is placed at the hairline. The straps are then tightened, and blessings are recited. |
| How to remove Tefillin | The removal process is the reverse of putting them on—first unwrapping from the hand, then taking off the head Tefillin, and finally removing the arm Tefillin. |
| When not to put on Tefillin | On Rosh Chodesh, Chol HaMoed, and Tisha B'Av. There is also a divergence of custom regarding Hol HaMoed (the intermediate days of Pesah and Sukkot). |
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What You'll Learn
- Tefillin should be put on during the day, but not after sunset
- The procedure for putting on Tefillin: the hand, then the head
- The blessing Lehan
- They should be removed after the morning service, or after the prayer U'Vah Le'Tzion
- They are worn on minor holidays, but not on Shabbat
Tefillin should be put on during the day, but not after sunset
The Mitzvah of Tefillin dictates that they should be worn during the day, but not after sunset. The procedure for putting on Tefillin begins with standing. The "Hand" Tefillin is placed upon the bicep of the left arm for right-handed people and the right arm for left-handed people, adjusted so as to rest against the heart. The leather loop through which the strap is drawn should be above the box. The head Tefillin is then placed at the hairline, with the strap wrapped around the upper knuckle of the middle finger once and twice on the lower knuckle, forming the letters "dalet" and "yod". Verses from the Book of Hosea are recited as the strap is wrapped.
Tefillin should be worn during the entire prayer service, and it is customary to remove them only after the conclusion of the morning service. If one is unable to wear Tefillin for the entire service, they should at least put them on for Shem'a Yisrael, as not doing so is considered "bearing false testimony". If one is unable to put on Tefillin in the morning, they may still be worn later in the day, preferably before sunset.
Tefillin are worn on minor holidays, such as Chanukah, and on days such as 17 Tammuz. There are some divergences in custom regarding when to wear Tefillin, such as during Hol HaMoed (the intermediate days of Pesah and Sukkot). In Eretz Yisrael, the custom is to not wear Tefillin during Hol HaMoed, while outside of Israel, Ashkenazim (Lithuanians and German Jews) do wear Tefillin during this time.
To remember to put on Tefillin in the morning, one can keep them with items used during the day, such as clothes or keys.
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The procedure for putting on Tefillin: the hand, then the head
Tefillin are a pair of black leather boxes containing Hebrew parchment scrolls. A set includes two tefillin—one for the head and one for the arm. The arm tefillin is placed on the upper non-dominant arm, with the strap wrapped around the forelimb, hand, and middle finger. The head tefillin is placed between the eyes at the boundary of the forehead and hair.
First, take out the arm tefillin from the plastic case. Place your arm through the loop formed by the knotted strap. Position the black box on your bicep, just below the halfway point between the shoulder and the elbow, across from your heart. If you are right-handed, place the box on your left arm, and if you are left-handed, place it on your right arm.
Next, recite the blessing. You can say it in Hebrew or any other language you understand:
> Baruch atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu melech ha’olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu l’haniach tefillin.
> Blessed are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who sanctified us with God’s commandments and commanded us to place the tefillin.
Now, wrap the strap around your upper arm in the opposite direction it came from to keep the knot tight. You can wrap it once for the bare minimum or an additional time for a full revolution. Then, wrap the strap around your forearm seven times.
After that, wrap the remainder of the strap around your middle finger three times: once around the base, once above the first joint, and once more around the base. Then, wrap the remaining strap around your palm and tuck in the end.
Finally, get out the head tefillin. Remove it from its plastic case. Place the box on your head, centering it in the middle, directly above the point between your eyes. The daled-shaped knot should rest on the base of your skull. Bring the straps around to the front with the shiny black side facing out.
At the end of the prayers, the tefillin is removed in the reverse order: first the head, then the hand.
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The blessing Lehaniach Tefillin is recited before tightening the straps
Tefillin are worn during the day, and it is customary to remove them after the conclusion of the entire morning service. The first tefillin goes on the arm, and the second on the head, with the front placed at the hairline. The arm tefillin is placed on the left arm for right-handed people and the right arm for left-handed people. The box is positioned on the lower half of the bicep, with the leather loop through which the strap is drawn above the box.
Before tightening the strap, the blessing Lehaniach Tefillin is recited. This blessing is also said before securing the head tefillin in place. The blessing is not repeated if no interval is made between the arm and head tefillin. However, if an interval is made, both the blessing of Lehaniach and Al Mitzvas are recited. In some communities, like Sephardy, only the blessing "Lehaniach Tefillin" is recited, covering both the arm and head tefillin if donned consecutively.
If the knot of the tefillin breaks before the mitzvah is completed (e.g., before the strap is fully tightened), and the person did not lose focus, they do not need to recite a new blessing. If the knot breaks after the mitzvah is completed, a new blessing may be needed. If the tefillin slip out of place, some authorities hold that a blessing is required, while others maintain that no new blessing is necessary.
It is important to note that speaking between putting on the arm and head tefillin is forbidden, as it may disrupt the mitzvah and require an additional blessing. This includes responding to Amen, Yehei Shemei Rabbah, or Kedushah. If one does speak, they may need to recite additional blessings, depending on their community's practice.
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They should be removed after the morning service, or after the prayer U'Vah Le'Tzion
Tefillin are traditionally worn during the day, and there are specific customs regarding when they should be put on and taken off. While it is customary to put on tefillin in the morning, it is also acceptable to put them on later in the day, as long as it is before sunset.
The procedure for putting on tefillin starts with the left hand, where the "hand" tefillin is placed on the bicep, with the box resting against the heart. The strap is then tightened, and the blessing Lehaniach Tefillin is recited. The head tefillin is then placed at the hairline, with the blessing recited before tightening.
Regarding the removal of tefillin, it is customary to take them off after the morning service. They should not be removed until after the prayer UVah LeTzion. If one is unable to wear tefillin for the entire prayer service, it is recommended to at least put them on for Shem’a Yisrael, as not doing so is considered "bearing false testimony".
On Rosh Chodesh, the tefillin are removed before musaph, and on chol hamoed, they are removed before Hallel if worn. Additionally, during Hol HaMoed, there is a divergence of custom, with Ashkenazim putting on tefillin and Hasidim and Sepharadim refraining from doing so.
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They are worn on minor holidays, but not on Shabbat
Tefillin are boxes containing biblical verses that are worn on the arm and head during morning prayer. They are worn during the day, and not at night, as the mitzvah of tefillin is specifically to wear them during daylight hours. If it is impossible to wear them in the morning, they may be put on later in the day, but not after sunset.
Tefillin are not worn on Shabbat, which is considered a sign, just as the festivals are considered signs, and the tefillin itself is referred to as a sign. However, they are worn on minor holidays, such as Chanukah, and on days such as 17 Tammuz.
On Rosh Chodesh, the Tefillin are taken off before musaph. During Hol HaMoed (the intermediate days of Pesah and Sukkot), there is a divergence of custom. In Eretz Yisrael today, the custom is not to put on Tefillin on Hol HaMoed. Outside of the Land of Israel, Ashkenazim (Lithuanians and German Jews) put on Tefillin on Hol HaMoed; Hasidimand Sepharadim do not.
The procedure for putting on Tefillin is as follows: the person should be standing. They take out the "Hand" Tefillin first and place it upon the biceps of the non-dominant arm, adjusted so as to rest against the heart. The box is placed on the lower half of the bicep. The strap is then wrapped around the upper knuckle of the middle finger, once, and twice on the lower knuckle, with the second wrap extending across three fingers. Before tightening the strap, the blessing Lehaniach Tefillin is recited. The head tefillin is then placed at the hairline, and another blessing is recited before tightening it.
Tefillin are removed after the conclusion of the entire morning service, and at the very least, after the prayer U'Vah Le'Tzion.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on when you have breakfast. Tefillin are worn during the day, usually during morning prayers. They can be worn at any time during daylight hours, but not at night.
Tefillin are small boxes containing biblical passages from the Book of Hosea that are traditionally wrapped around one's head and arm.
The first box is placed on the left arm (or right arm if you're left-handed) at the lower half of the bicep. The head tefillin is placed at the hairline, with the front centred between the eyes. The straps are then wrapped around the arm seven times, with the second wrap extending across three fingers, forming the letters of one of God's names, Shaddai.
The tefillin are removed after the conclusion of the morning service, but not before the prayer U'Vah Le'Tzion.
If you forget to put on tefillin in the morning, you can still wear them later in the day, preferably before or during mincha (afternoon prayer), or after mincha but before sunset.
