Greetings and blessings!
Is one obligated, according to the strict law, to put on Rabbeinu Tam tefillin, or is this merely an extra stringency?
And if it is an obligation according to the law, why is it not customary to put them on from the age of bar mitzvah?
Yasher koach for all your work!
Thank you
Greetings and blessings,
The Rishonim disagreed regarding the order of the passages in the tefillin. According to Rashi, their order is: Kadesh, Vehayah Ki Yeviacha, Shema, Vehayah Im Shamoa. However, according to Rabbeinu Tam, their order is: Kadesh, Vehayah Ki Yeviacha, Shema.
This disagreement is highly fundamental, since according to Rashi, Rabbeinu Tam tefillin are invalid, whereas according to Rabbeinu Tam, Rashi tefillin are invalid.
With regard to halachah, the Shulchan Aruch writes that the custom follows Rashi’s opinion. Therefore, most of the Jewish people put on only Rashi tefillin, and this is the primary halachah. However, the Shulchan Aruch writes that a G-d-fearing person should fulfill both opinions and put on both Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin; this is considered a stringency in order to avoid all doubt. Therefore, although according to the strict law it is sufficient to put on Rashi tefillin alone, a G-d-fearing person should be stringent and put on Rabbeinu Tam tefillin as well.
However, this practice of putting on both Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin is not entrusted to every person, but rather to those who are meticulous in mitzvah observance and stringent in their fulfillment, and who also know how to preserve the sanctity of their thoughts and the sanctity of the tefillin. Therefore, the custom of Sephardim from Eastern communities is not to put on Rabbeinu Tam tefillin until after marriage, rather than from the age of bar mitzvah.
Indeed, there are communities that put on Rabbeinu Tam tefillin already from the age of bar mitzvah, such as Breslov, Chabad, and other Chassidic groups. Each person should follow the custom of his forefathers and the guidance of his rabbis in this matter.
With blessings,
Rabbi David Ohayon
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain inaccuracies and should not be considered a definitive reference.
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