Tzitzit & Tefillin · Orach Chaim 32

Writing Tefillin

34 questions · 60 opinions

4 opinions across 2 eras

3 opinions across 2 eras

2 opinions across 2 eras

3 opinions across 2 eras

3 opinions across 2 eras

2 opinions across 2 eras

2 opinions across 2 eras

Writing Tefillin

Must the four Torah passages for tefillin be written in the order they appear in the Torah, and is tefillin written out of order invalid?

Should the arm-tefillin passages be written before the head-tefillin passages, or does it not matter?

Must the head-tefillin's four passages each be written on a separate parchment, while the arm-tefillin's four passages are written on a single parchment?

Must tefillin be written with black ink, and does writing even one letter in another color or in gold invalidate the tefillin?

Must each letter in tefillin be completely surrounded by parchment and not touch another letter?

Must tefillin be written with the right hand, and are tefillin written with the left hand invalid?

How many lines must be scored (ruled) when writing tefillin, and may lead be used for scoring?

On which side of the klaf (parchment) must tefillin be written, and what are the requirements for the type of parchment?

Must the parchment be processed (tanned) with the specific intent (lishmah) of making it for tefillin, and what is the requirement for verbal declaration?

Is parchment processed by a non-Jew (with a Jew's instruction and/or supervision) valid for tefillin?

From what animal hides may tefillin parchment be made, and may fish skin be used?

If a hole developed in a letter after writing (specifically in the interior of a heh or mem), is the tefillin still valid?

If the inner (left) leg of a heh is perforated after writing, how much must remain for the tefillin to be valid?

If the right leg of a heh is perforated after writing, how much of the leg must remain for the tefillin to be valid?

If a letter was cut or broken (nifsakah), when is it valid and when invalid, and does covering adjacent letters affect the test?

Is 'chak tochot' (carving out) prohibited for correcting letters in tefillin, and what corrections are forbidden for this reason?

How is a closed mem (mem stuma that became closed) corrected, and how is a reish that was written as a dalet corrected?

If two letters became connected (touched each other), can they be separated by scraping, and is this valid?

Must the scribe verbally declare intent (lishmah) before writing tefillin and before writing each Divine Name?

If a letter is missing from the tefillin passages, can it be added after the fact?

May the scribe write on a previously scraped or erased area, including where a Divine Name was?

If a letter was written with a structural flaw from the start and the scribe continued writing, can he return and fix it?

What spacing requirements apply between words, lines, and letters in tefillin, and what space must be left at the top and bottom of the parchment?

Must the lines of tefillin be equal (justified), and is writing three letters outside the line invalidating?

Must all letters of a Divine Name appear within the column (within the parchment borders), and what happens if any letter extends outside?

What is the required structure of open and closed passages (parshiyot petuchot and setumot) in tefillin, and what is the status of tefillin where all four passages are made open?

From what material must the tefillin housing (batim) be made, and must it be processed lishmah?

Must the tefillin housing be perfectly square, and does squareness become invalid if the housing loses its square shape over time?

What are the requirements for the shin (letter) embossed on the tefillin housing, and does switching the three-headed and four-headed shin sides invalidate?

What material must be used to sew the tefillin, and what is the required number of stitches?

What knot shape is required for the head-tefillin and arm-tefillin straps, and in what order must they be made?

What wrapping material must be used for the rolled tefillin passages before inserting them into the housing?

If the tefillin housing is covered with gold or the hide of a non-kosher animal, are the tefillin valid?

Must the scribe proofread each passage carefully after writing it, and also before placing it in its housing?

Must the four Torah passages for tefillin be written in the order they appear in the Torah, and is tefillin written out of order invalid?

Should the arm-tefillin passages be written before the head-tefillin passages, or does it not matter?

Must the head-tefillin's four passages each be written on a separate parchment, while the arm-tefillin's four passages are written on a single parchment?

Must tefillin be written with black ink, and does writing even one letter in another color or in gold invalidate the tefillin?

Must each letter in tefillin be completely surrounded by parchment and not touch another letter?

Must tefillin be written with the right hand, and are tefillin written with the left hand invalid?

How many lines must be scored (ruled) when writing tefillin, and may lead be used for scoring?

On which side of the klaf (parchment) must tefillin be written, and what are the requirements for the type of parchment?

Must the parchment be processed (tanned) with the specific intent (lishmah) of making it for tefillin, and what is the requirement for verbal declaration?

Is parchment processed by a non-Jew (with a Jew's instruction and/or supervision) valid for tefillin?

From what animal hides may tefillin parchment be made, and may fish skin be used?

If a hole developed in a letter after writing (specifically in the interior of a heh or mem), is the tefillin still valid?

If the inner (left) leg of a heh is perforated after writing, how much must remain for the tefillin to be valid?

If the right leg of a heh is perforated after writing, how much of the leg must remain for the tefillin to be valid?

If a letter was cut or broken (nifsakah), when is it valid and when invalid, and does covering adjacent letters affect the test?

Is 'chak tochot' (carving out) prohibited for correcting letters in tefillin, and what corrections are forbidden for this reason?

How is a closed mem (mem stuma that became closed) corrected, and how is a reish that was written as a dalet corrected?

If two letters became connected (touched each other), can they be separated by scraping, and is this valid?

Must the scribe verbally declare intent (lishmah) before writing tefillin and before writing each Divine Name?

If a letter is missing from the tefillin passages, can it be added after the fact?

May the scribe write on a previously scraped or erased area, including where a Divine Name was?

If a letter was written with a structural flaw from the start and the scribe continued writing, can he return and fix it?

What spacing requirements apply between words, lines, and letters in tefillin, and what space must be left at the top and bottom of the parchment?

Must the lines of tefillin be equal (justified), and is writing three letters outside the line invalidating?

Must all letters of a Divine Name appear within the column (within the parchment borders), and what happens if any letter extends outside?

What is the required structure of open and closed passages (parshiyot petuchot and setumot) in tefillin, and what is the status of tefillin where all four passages are made open?

From what material must the tefillin housing (batim) be made, and must it be processed lishmah?

Must the tefillin housing be perfectly square, and does squareness become invalid if the housing loses its square shape over time?

What are the requirements for the shin (letter) embossed on the tefillin housing, and does switching the three-headed and four-headed shin sides invalidate?

What material must be used to sew the tefillin, and what is the required number of stitches?

What knot shape is required for the head-tefillin and arm-tefillin straps, and in what order must they be made?

What wrapping material must be used for the rolled tefillin passages before inserting them into the housing?

If the tefillin housing is covered with gold or the hide of a non-kosher animal, are the tefillin valid?

Must the scribe proofread each passage carefully after writing it, and also before placing it in its housing?