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Using a Sefer

Question: I am learning in yeshiva and want to reserve a particular shtender for myself. Am I allowed to leave a sefer open on the shtender to indicate that the place is taken? Answer: Sefer Chassidim gives practical examples of the respect due to sefarim . He writes (902) that one should not place another book above the line he is copying, so that he does not lose his place. Later (904), he writes that one may not use a sefer to protect oneself from the sun, but one may use it to protect another sefer , allowing one to continue learning. The Taz (YD 282:19) writes that one may not take a sefer and place it underneath another sefer in order to raise it to a more comfortable height. Since the same purpose could be achieved with a piece of wood or another ordinary object, using a sefer in this way is considered disrespectful. If the lower sefer was already there, however, one may place another sefer on top of it. The Magen Avraham (154:6), however, disagrees, and permits p...
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Tzitzis on Show

Question: My Rebbe in school strongly encourages us to wear our tzitzis out, but my brother says that this is not the Sefardi minhag. What should I do? Answer: The Ibn Ezra (Bamidbar 15:39) explains that the Torah’s instruction to “see the tzitzis and remember all the mitzvos ” teaches that the tzitzis should be visible, writing that “it is a mitzva for it to be seen”. Similarly, the Levush (OC 8:10) explains that since the purpose of tzitzis is to remind us of the mitzvos , one who wears a tallis katan underneath his clothing should ensure that the tzitzis remain visible. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 8:11) writes that the ideal way to fulfil the mitzva of tallis katan is to wear it over one’s clothes, “so that he will always see it and remember the mitzvos ”. The Shelah (Chullin, Tzitzis 17), however, records that although he wore his tallis katan underneath his clothing because of those who mocked the mitzva , he left the two front strings outside so that he could see them....
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A Left-Handed Sofer

Question: I need to order tefillin for our son, who will become bar mitzva next year. Is it preferable to have the parshiyos written by a right-handed sofer , or by a left-handed sofer whose handwriting is of a higher standard? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 32:5) rules that a sofer should write with his right hand, while a left-handed sofer should write with his left hand, since for him this is equivalent to the right hand of a right-handed person. The Magen Avraham (32:5), citing the Rema Mipano (38), records a case of a sofer in Egypt who wrote tefillin by holding the quill in his mouth. His tefillin were declared passul , even when no others were available. The Mishna Berura (32:5) explains that writing in this manner is not considered normal writing. There is, however, a machlokes concerning a left-handed sofer . The Shaarei Teshuva (27:11) cites the Mahari Tzemach, who writes that, for Kabbalistic reasons, a left-handed sofer should write tefillin with his righ...
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Tefillin Before Repeating Amida

Question: I omitted yaaleh veyavo in Shacharis on Rosh Chodesh and only realised my mistake after removing my tefillin and davening mussaf. Am I required to put my tefillin back on before repeating the shemoneh esrei ? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 14b) teaches that one should wear tefillin whilst reciting Shema and davening the amida . Tosafos (Berachos 26b) cites a machlokes amongst the rishonim regarding one who omitted yaaleh veyavo . Some maintain that his shemoneh esrei is regarded as though it was never davened , whilst others hold that he fulfilled his basic obligation of tefilla , but must repeat the amida because he omitted yaaleh veyavo . The Mishna Berura (422:4) rules that, because there is a doubt whether he is required to repeat Shacharis, he should repeat the amida on condition that it be a tefillas nedava if no repetition is actually required. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Chazon Ovadia, Chanuka p281) explains that this same machlokes also affects whether one...
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Knot Touching the Bayis

Question: When I bought my tefillin the kesher touched the bayis but it no longer does. Does it need to be secured with a string so it stays in place? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 27:2) writes that the kesher in the shape of the letter yud of the shel yad should face inwards towards the heart, and one should be careful that it remains in contact with the bayis . The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 27:10) notes that there is no explicit Talmudic source requiring that the yud of the kesher face the heart or remain in constant contact with the bayis , as the Gemara only requires that the tefillin shel yad itself be positioned opposite the heart. Nevertheless, he writes that these practices are firmly rooted in Kabbala. He therefore observes that those who wrap the retzua away from the body, in accordance with Sephardic custom, are less likely to draw the kesher away from the bayis . The Mishna Berura (27:10) citing the Zohar (Pinchas 232b), notes a strong emphasis that the yud re...
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Tefillin After Interruption

Question: I removed my tefillin in the middle of Shacharis to respond to a Hatzala emergency call. When I returned, I joined the following minyan to continue davening . Should I have repeated the berachos before putting my tefillin back on? Answer: The Gemara (Sukka 46a) records a machlokes whether one who puts tefillin on again later that day recites a new beracha , or whether the original morning beracha remains effective for the entire day. Rambam (Tefillin 4:7) rules that even if one removes and replaces his tefillin one hundred times in a day, he recites a new beracha each time. Accordingly, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 25:12) rules that one should repeat the berachos whenever he puts tefillin on again. However, the Rema rules that the accepted Ashkenazi practice is not to repeat the beracha when the tefillin were removed with the intention of replacing them immediately. The Aruch Hashulchan (OC 651:14) explains that unlike lulav , which is a one-time mitzva , tefi...
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Thursday Tisha B’Av

Question: As Tisha B’Av falls on Thursday this year, are the restrictions of the Nine Days lifted before chatzos on Friday? Answer: The Gemara (Taanis 29a) records that although the Beis Hamikdash was set alight towards the end of the ninth of Av, it continued burning throughout the tenth. Nevertheless, the fast remains on the ninth because the beginning of the calamity is considered the defining moment. The Yerushalmi (Taanis 4:6) records that some Amoraim fasted on both the ninth and tenth of Av. Based on this, the Tur (OC 558:1) records the minhag not to eat meat or drink wine on the tenth of Av. Accordingly, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 558:1) prohibits meat and wine throughout the tenth, while the Rema limits this until chatzos . The Maharshal (92) extends the restriction to bathing, haircuts and laundry, and the Mishna Berura (558:3) records this as the accepted Ashkenazi practice. R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yechave Daas 5:41) rules that Sefardim follow the Shulchan Aruch and restrict only...
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