Tefillin for Left-Handed

Question: I'm left-handed and accidentally picked up my brother’s tefillin. Do I need to remove the retzua from the shel yad and reinsert it the other way so that the kesher faces inwards?

Answer: The Terumas Hadeshen (49) writes that there were once two accepted customs regarding the regarding the orientation of the tefillin shel yad. The communities of Rhineland positioned the maavarta, the passage through which the retzua passes, towards the shoulder, with the bayis towards the hand. The communities of Austria followed the opposite practice.

The Beis Yosef (OC 27:1) notes that, in his time, the universal custom had become that of the Rhineland communities. He therefore rules in the Shulchan Aruch (OC 27:3) that the maavarta should be towards the shoulder and the bayis towards the hand.

The Chayei Adam (1:14:13) writes that if a left-handed person is wearing the tefillin shel yad of a right-handed person, he should ideally remove the strap and reinsert it from the other side so that the yud is positioned closer to the heart.

Nevertheless, the Mishna Berura (Biur Halacha 27:3) cites the Shevus Yaakov (1:3) and Artzos Hachaim (27:15) that where a left-handed person uses a right-handed pair of tefillin, it is preferable to reverse the positioning of the shel yad so that the ketzitza is towards the shoulder and the maavarta towards the hand. He adds that this is better than adjusting the retzua itself in order to bring the yud closer to the heart, as suggested by the Chayei Adam, since removing and reinserting the strap may leave the yud improperly oriented towards the bayis. Accordingly, he sides with the view that the change should be made in the positioning of the tefillin rather than in the retzua, and where this is not possible one should still wear the tefillin as they are without concern.

In conclusion, a left-handed person borrowing tefillin from a right-handed person should ideally turn the shel yad so that the kesher faces towards his body.

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