From the virtual desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Q Where is the exact place to put the tefillin shel rosh? It appears that many men put them too low in front, and no one says anything! A There is nothing new under the sun. Rav Kook wrote a pamphlet called "Chavosh P'er" to strengthen the fulfillment of the mitzva of tefillin. His main complaint was that men wear the tefillin shel rosh too low on their heads, and urged community leaders to rectify the matter. The lowest part of the tefillin may go no lower than where the roots of the hairline grow from (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 27:9). If the front is suspended, one draws an imaginary line to where it would touch. The gemara (Menachot 37a) learns (as opposed to the Tzedukim) that the Torah, although instructing "bein einecha," refers to the part of the head that can be shaved, not the forehead. There is a machloket rishonim whether the upper part of the tefillin (where they are fastened) can be placed anywhere on the top of the head or only on the front half. The gemara (ibid.) talks about putting tefillin on, or up to and including, the place of a baby's soft spot (see Beit Yosef, OC 27 and Biur Halacha on 27:9). The most stringent opinion is that the tefillin must fit in the first 4 finger-widths (or slightly more) of the head, starting from the hairline (see Kaf Hachayim 27:41). This is based on the gemara that there is room on the head to place two pairs of tefillin (Eruvin 95b), assuming a minimum of two finger-widths for tefillin (see Mishna Berura 32:189). Poskim agree that it is more crucial that the tefillin not be even slightly too low than not to be where it is arguably too high (Chavosh P'er, 2; Biur Halacha, ibid.). Why do so many men put their tefillin too low or too close for comfort? When large tefillin are fastened (by their higher part) so that they feel secure on the head, the bottom will be quite low. (While it is easier to make big tefillin that are mehudar, ones that are too big can cause problems of improper placement.) What usually happens is that people are fitted when they get new tefillin or retzuot, expecting that they are set for life. But the retzuot stretch over time and the tefillin get lower. Few people know how to adjust the knot to compensate and many don't know that this is periodically necessary. They assume all is well and that the tefillin look low because of a receding hairline. (We do follow the original hairline, but many exaggerate how low it was). It is important to correct people whose tefillin slip down and certainly those whose retzuot are so loose that they may not have fulfilled the mitzva in years and make a beracha l'vatala daily (see Rav Kook's appeal). However, one must be very careful how he corrects others (see Rashi, Vayikra 19:17). It's best if the rabbi periodically urges men to ask him to check and/or adjust. If this isn't done, an individual may have little choice but to gently approach those who need help. For some, it pays to leave an anonymous note. One can ask others if they want their kesher adjusted (preferable to, "Your tefillin are on wrong"). To make the shel rosh loop smaller takes just a little dexterity. One loosens the knot and slides the strap, but doesn't undo the knot. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha
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for Israel Reason: To publicize the miracle. Since not everyone is able
to fulfill the mitzva the way our Sages originally decreed by placing the
Chanuka lights outside the door of his house. The Sages hence instituted the
custom to also light Chanuka lights in shul. Finally, her husband came to R’ Yechezkel and begged him to make an exception to his rule against writing kemeiyot. R’ Yechezkel agreed and entered his private chambers where he took a piece of blank parchment, rolled it up in cloth, and brought it out to the waiting husband. “Tell your wife she is to wear this on a chain around her neck for thirty days,” he told the husband. “After thirty days, she is to take off the kemeiyah and unwrap it. If the writing on the parchment has vanished, she may rest assured that she has been cured.” The woman did as instructed, and when she unwrapped the
parchment thirty days later, she found it was blank. She soon made a full
recovery. As we have mentioned in a previous article, the Ramban analyzes the psychological effects of Hakravat Korbanot on the Ba'al Hakorban (the person offering the sacrifice) on the individual level. The SHADAL, on the other hand, examines the influence of the one central Beit HaBechirah - the Chosen House - as the place of sacrifice for K'lal Yisrael on a national level. The following thoughts of the SHADAL are culled from his commentary on Vayikra 1:1. "The Torah commanded us that not everyone should build a Bamah, a private altar for himself, instead the entire people should bring their offerings to one special Divinely Chosen Place. And this restriction was not - G-d forbid - merely to limit the Korbanot as much as possible (as per the Rambam). On the contrary! This ruling was promulgated for the welfare of the nation, to help improve the personal qualities of the people and for the preservation of the true faith." "When all the people ascend together to one central Sanctuary, all Israel gathers in one place and their hearts are united in brotherhood - an eternal band of brothers. This unity prevents every tribe and every family from going off on its own path. If every Israelite built his own private Bamah, everyone would begin to think that only his own particular Korban was acceptable to G-d. As a result, he would cease to concern himself with the welfare of the rest of the people. However the Torah teaches that there should be recompense for the entire people together because "all Israel is responsible for each other." "However, if the Divine Service of the Korbanot is permitted in only one place, it is much more difficult to corrupt because the entire nation would have to agree to it. Korbanot Tzibbur, the Divinely ordained T’midim and Mussafim on behalf of the whole nation, are for all Israel to sanctify themselves collectively. In this way the Korbanot Tzibbur firmly implant in the hearts of the people the recognition that G-d "dwells" among them and that He is their King." The sages interpreted the Biblical pasuk, "All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full", as referring to the mass movement of Israelites to Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash during the time of the Shalosh Regalim - the three pilgrimage festivals; Sukkot, Pesach and Shavu'ot. "All the rivers run into the sea" - all Israelites gather in one place when they go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem three times a year, "yet the sea is not full." - yet Jerusalem is never completely full." Philo, the Jewish- Hellenist philosopher of Alexandria, described this phenomenon, unique in the ancient world. "Tens of thousands of people from thousands of cities flow to the Beit HaMikdash every holiday, from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south." There are references in the Tana'itic literature, the writings of Josephus, and other records from the period mentioning Olei Regel ascending to Jerusalem not only from Eretz Yisrael but from all parts of the then known world. The sages even relaxed the purity laws somewhat to enable the thousands of Olei Regel from Chutz La'aretz to participate more fully in the celebrations. Josephus mentions how the Jews of Bavel would first bring their half shekels - "which everyone, by the custom of our country offers to G-d" to Nehardea and Netzivin (where in the future great Talmudic academies would arise). Josephus continues, "And then at the proper time, they were sent to Jerusalem and many tens of thousands of men undertook to transport of these donations." The Mishna notes that the half-shekel contributions of Babylonian Jewry arrived not long before Sukkot. These "tens of thousand of men" who annually escorted the shipment of half shekels from Chutz La'aretz yearly, were clearly also Olei Regel. Once in Jerusalem the multitudes of Olei Regel were quartered in tents; they stayed in courtyards, they camped on people's roofs and many Jewish communities abroad maintained synagogue - hostels in Jerusalem for the use of pilgrims from their own area. And the many Olei Regel who were accommodated with local families were in for a pleasant surprise; the Jerusalemites offered free hospitality! No price gouging! What good will that must have engendered! The feeling was that Yerushalyim belonged not only to its inhabitants but to K'lal Yisrael! There is no question that the influx of vast numbers of Jews coming into Jerusalem from all over the world to observe together the Mitzvot connected with the Regalim in the ONE Beit HaMikdash was an enriching spiritual experience and greatly strengthened the feeling of national unity and mutual responsibility. Perkei Avot tells us that one of the "Ten miracles which were wrought for our fathers (in the days) of the Temple" was that, "No one said to their fellow, 'This place is too narrow - too crowded - for me to stay in Jerusalem.'" Imagine the incredible crowds of people pushing, shoving and jostling each other in the narrow alleyways. Picture the tight quarters, insufficient sanitation facilities, jam-packed markets and long lines of sweaty people, earthenware jugs or leather bags in hand, waiting to draw water from wells. Imagine the quiet but very patient multitudes standing in the sun with their Korbanot in the packed Beit HaMikdash. Apparently the Olei Regel were so caught up in the Chavayah
of being in Yerushalyim and experiencing the Kedusha of the Beit HaBechirah
- the Chosen House - that it simply did not occur to anyone to complain.
That was the real miracle. May we soon be privileged to have the same
Chavayah. The Gemara says that Eisav did not rebel during Avraham's lifetime (which was cut short by 5 years - 175 and not the 180 that Yizchak reached so that Avraham would not see Eisav's wickedness). Targum Yonatan says that Eisav killed Nimrod (and took his special garment - some say it was the leather garment made by G-d for Adam & Chava). The Midrash says that Eisav encouraged his grandson Amalek to take revenge against the children of Yaakov, since he did not succeed in vanquishing Yaakov. The Zohar says that there was never a person who so honored his father as did Eisav to Yitzchak. This earned him domination in this world. Targum Yonatan adds that Eisav's honoring of Yizchak is what caused Yaakov to fear him, especially since he (Yaakov) spent so many years away from his father. The Zohar says that Eisav's tears at losing the bracha
caused Bnei Yisrael to go into Galut. However, this episode is more than a passing adventure. It symbolizes the underlying historical process that the Jewish people have experienced through- out the eons of time. It represents the battle of two basic cosmic forces that have vied with each other since the emergence of civilization. It is indicative of the irreconcilable ideological clash between Israel and Edom. In the account of the creation of Adam, Rashi noted that it was no accident that Man was created from both "the dust of the earth" and the "breath of G-d." For Man is a microcosm of these battling forces. For some, base passions prevail; for others, the positive spiritual powers within predominate. Ruddy Esav, whose hands were sullied with blood, was evil incar- nate, guile personified. Ya'akov, in con- trast, represented goodness, purity in thought and deed. Even before birth, the battle for supremacy began; the unborn twins agitated inside Rebecca's womb. Then, at birth, Ya'akov clasped Esav's foot as he emerged from his mother, as if in protest at Esav's immedi- ate ascendancy. The happy end is that "the elder shall serve the younger" (Breishit 25:23). The Talmud, however, reminds us that when one power falls the other will rise (Megilla 6a). Clearly, this essential historical truth must give us timely food for thought. Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center [The Parshat To'l'dot Homepage]
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