A place for English speaking sofrim (scribes), magihim (examiners), rabbis and vendors of Stam (Torah, Tefillin and Mezuzah scrolls) from around the world to communicate, share ideas, ask questions and offer support and advice.
Pasul tefillin that are now opened and used for chinuch - what's their status on Shabbos? Can they be used for chinuch on Shabbos if they're set aside for this?
As R. Eli mentions above, Halakha does not classify Tefillin as "Muktse." Rather, they are identified under the special category of "Keli She'melachto Le'issur" – utensils whose primary use involves activity forbidden on Shabbat. The law regarding such a "utensil" is that one may move it either to use the space it currently occupies, or to use the item itself for a permissible purpose. As such, a Rabbi who teaches a class on Shabbat about Tefillin, may show the students Tefillin as part of his instruction.
* See Halikhot Olam, Helek 3, page 196 from R. Ovadya Yosef * Also see Menuchat Ahava, Helek 1, page 263 from R. Moshe Levy
Both the Shulchan Aruch Harav and the Mishnah Brurah use similar terminology when describing the importance of the shin being "pointy" on the bottom and all three branches of the letter shin meeting at a point or "chad" at the bottom of the letter. There is a strong foundation in Halacha for this and for the bottom of the shin to be flat like a moshav (base) is considered questionable (Pri Megadim) and definitely not Kosher Lechatchillah. It is worse if the moshav is very wide, but it is still questionable if it is lechatchillah if there is a thick noticeable base rather than a chad. Even for Sephardim, who lechatchillah make an angular base, it is still important that the base is indeed on a (significant) angle. If the base is flat, even if all three branches of the shin come out of the base connected , as in the top picture, it is problematic. It is worse in the bottom picture below where the right head/ branch comes out of the right part of the base and the m
We all know that there is no ancient source that requires ink to be מן המותר בפיך . Possibly, as said here before, because in the olden days ink was always מן המותר בפיך and the question was never raised. It was probably self-evident. Nowadays, no decent Rav will approve an ink which is not מן המותר בפיך . Who was the first one to raise this question? Was it raised because of animal ingredients or because of non-kosher wine?
Possul tefillin are not muktzah. So touching them is OK. But putting them on? Maaras ayin possibly? I have never seen this discussed.
ReplyDeleteAs R. Eli mentions above, Halakha does not classify Tefillin as "Muktse." Rather, they are identified under the special category of "Keli She'melachto Le'issur" – utensils whose primary use involves activity forbidden on Shabbat. The law regarding such a "utensil" is that one may move it either to use the space it currently occupies, or to use the item itself for a permissible purpose. As such, a Rabbi who teaches a class on Shabbat about Tefillin, may show the students Tefillin as part of his instruction.
ReplyDelete* See Halikhot Olam, Helek 3, page 196 from R. Ovadya Yosef
* Also see Menuchat Ahava, Helek 1, page 263 from R. Moshe Levy
I came to the blog to ask literally this exact shaila (and one other, but still). Yasher Koach!
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