From the Rav’s Desk: Dangling the straps of the Tefillin Shel Rosh versus tucking them into belt or gartel

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  1. Question: [Tuesday, 12th Kisleiv, 5783]

I was wearing my Tefillin with my front straps of the Shel Rosh tucked into my Gartel and someone came over to me and said that it is not our custom in Chabad to do so. Is this accurate, and if so then what do you do about the straps dangling on the floor, which is why I tuck them in.

 

Answer:

The custom of the world follows the custom and ruling of the Arizal to indeed tuck the straps into the belt or Gartel in order to prevent it from touching the floor. The Rebbe makes mention of this custom in numerous areas. Nonetheless, in practice this was not the Rebbe’s custom, nor the widespread custom witnessed by Chassidim, seemingly following those who pushback against doing so by Tzitzis. However, if you choose to do so you may especially if you cannot avoid the straps from touching the floor otherwise.

Sources: See regarding dangling the straps of the Tefillin Shel Rosh in front of the person: Admur 27:20; Michaber 27:11; See regarding being careful that the straps do not drag on the floor: Peri Eitz Chaim Shaar Hatefillin 10; Shaar Hakavanos Inyan Tefillin Derush 5; Shulchan Aruch Arizal Tefillin 15; Mishnas Chassidim Miseches Hanachas Tefillin 3:49;  Matzas Shemurim  p. 327; Sefer Hamamrim Melukat 2:92, 5703 p. 43, 5710 p. 209, brought in Shulchan Menachem 1:63 and Sefer Haminhagim p. 5 and Likkutei Sichos 21:357; See regarding the custom to tuck the straps into their belt in order to prevent it from touching the floor: Arizal and all Poskim ibid in previous footnote that it is proper to do so, brought in Sefer Hamamrim Melukat 2:92, brought in Shulchan Menachem 1:63; See Birkeiy Yosef 21:5; Shaareiy Teshuvah 21:4 regarding Tzitzis; See regarding Chabad custom: Nisivim Besidei Hashlichus 1:167 that the custom of Anash is not this way.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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