Tefillin at Night

Question: We bought tefillin from Eretz Yisrael for our son who is becoming bar-mitzva. May we go to our local sofer at nighttime to try them on and adjust them?

Answer: The Gemara (Eruvin 96a; Menachos 36a) teaches that one should not put on tefillin at nighttime. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 30:2) explains that this is due to the concern that one may inadvertently fall asleep while wearing them. The Kaf Hachaim (OC 30:7) adds that the Arizal was particularly careful to remove them at night for kabbalistic reasons.

R’ Shamai Gross (Shevet Hakehasi 6:15) permits trying on tefillin at night for practice. He cites the Shulchan Aruch (OC 30:3), which allows wearing tefillin at night in certain travel situations where there is no concern of dozing off. Accordingly, wearing them briefly at night when not for the mitzva itself poses no difficulty, and even according to the Kaf Hachaim, trying them on at night is acceptable.

R’ Moshe Stern in Baer Moshe (8:47:1) emphasises that there is no prohibition on performing preparatory acts for mitzvos at night. Activities such as laying sechach on a sukka, tying a lulav, fixing a shofar, or tying tefillin are all considered preparatory and may be done after dark.

Similarly, R’ Ephraim Greenblatt (Rivevos Ephraim 2:27:2) cites R’ Nesanel Fried (Pnei Mevin OC 14), who explains that tying the knots of the tefillin, as well as the tzitzis strings, constitutes preparation for the mitzva, which is only fully completed when the garment is actually worn. In the same way that a sukka must be prepared before Sukkos itself, the timing of these preparatory acts is irrelevant.

In conclusion, one may try on and adjust tefillin at nighttime.

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