Removing Tefillin Early

Question: On Mondays and Thursdays our shul finishes later, and I need to leave early to get to work. Is it appropriate to remove my tefillin after leining?

Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 44b; Nida 51b) teaches that the Rabbis in Eretz Yisrael would recite a beracha upon removing their tefillin: ‘asher kideshanu.. lishmor chukav’. Tosafos (Berachos 44b; Nida 51b) explains that these Rabbis would wear their tefillin throughout the day and remove them only at night, when they were no longer permitted to be worn.

The Beis Yosef (OC 25:1) notes a minhag of removing one’s tefillin when reciting the words ‘yehi ratzon shenishmor chukecha’ in uva letzion. Nevertheless, he dismisses this practice, maintaining that it is illogical to create a remez for a view that we do not follow (see Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:45).

The Shulchan Aruch (OC 25:13) rules that the minhag is to keep one’s tefillin on until the end of uva letzion. On days when the Torah is read, they should not be removed until after the sefer Torah has been returned to the aron. The Rema clarifies that the Shulchan Aruch is referring to shuls in which the Torah is returned only after uva letzion. According to kabbala, however, one should keep the tefillin on until after the kaddish that follows uva letzion (see Aruch Hashulchan OC 25:28).

The Magen Avraham (25:13), Mishna Berura (25:55), and Kaf Hachaim (OC 25:88), citing the Arizal, write that one should ideally keep tefillin on until after the second paragraph of aleinu. The Mishna Berura (25:56; Shaar Hatziyun 25:72) adds that if one is reciting kaddish yasom after aleinu, it would be inappropriate to remove the tefillin beforehand, as this may detract from proper kavana when responding ‘amen, yehei shemei rabba’.

In conclusion, tefillin should ideally be worn until at least the end of uva letzion, and preferably until after the kaddish that follows, or even until after aleinu.

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