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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman כ״ח · Removing the tefilin (דיני חליצת התפילין)
דיני חליצת התפילין — touching the tefilin at all times so as not to divert one's mind (היסח הדעת), removing the של ראש first, and the sages' custom of kissing the tefilin (חבוב מצוה)
סימן כ״ח · ג׳ סעיפים
דיני חליצת התפילין
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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A short siman that accompanies the worshipper from putting on to removing the tefilin. First, a duty of every moment: to touch the tefilin (משמוש) so as never to divert the mind from them (היסח הדעת). Then it settles the order of removal, the posture (standing) and the storing of the bag; finally the custom of kissing the tefilin. Vocalized Hebrew text, clear English translation and explanations on touching and the awareness of the mitsva, on the order of removal (the של ראש first, standing, the bag) and on the custom of kissing the tefilin, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: Removing the tefilin — touching them at all times (היסח הדעת), removing the של ראש first and standing, storing the bag, and kissing the tefilin
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן כ״ח · ג׳ סעיפים
Compiled by: Rav Yossef Haim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com
The previous simanim taught us how to put on the tefilin — the arm first, then the head. This siman extends the act through time and up to the removal. First, as long as one wears them: one touches the tefilin (למשמש) at every hour, not out of restlessness, but so as not to divert one's mind from them (שלא יסיח דעתו מהם) — for the tefilin demand a continual awareness of the קדושה. During the Shema this awareness takes a precise gesture: at « וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ » one touches the של יד, at « וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ » one touches the של ראש. Then the removal: one takes off the של ראש first (for « as long as they are between your eyes, let them be two »), and standing; one stores them in the bag, the של יד on top, to meet it first at the next putting on. Finally, love of the mitsva is spoken in a gesture: the sages' custom is to kiss the tefilin, at the putting on as at the removal (חבוב מצוה).
📑 Study outline
A. למשמש בתפילין — touching the tefilin at all times so as not to divert one's mind (היסח הדעת); during the Shema: the של יד at « וקשרתם », the של ראש at « והיו » (seif 1)
B. סדר החליצה — removing the של ראש first (« כל זמן שבין עיניך יהיו שתים ») and standing; storing it in the bag, the של יד on top (seif 2)
C. לנשק התפילין — the sages' custom of kissing the tefilin at the putting on and at the removal (חבוב מצוה) (seif 3)
+ Practical cases and comprehension questions
A. Touching the tefilin — not diverting one's mind (seif 1)
Original text (seif 1)
[א] דִּינֵי חֲלִיצַת הַתְּפִלִּין. וּבוֹ ג׳ סְעִיפִים. חַיָּב אָדָם לְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בַּתְּפִלִּין בְּכָל שָׁעָה, שֶׁלֹּא יַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מֵהֶם ; וִימַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּשֶׁל יָד תְּחִלָּה. וּכְשֶׁיֹּאמַר « וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ » יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּשֶׁל יָד, וּכְשֶׁיֹּאמַר « וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ » יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּשֶׁל רֹאשׁ.
[1] The laws of removing the tefilin. It contains ג׳ סעיפים (three paragraphs). A person is obligated to touch (למשמש) his tefilin at all times, so as not to divert his mind from them (שלא יסיח דעתו מהם); and he touches the של יד first. And when he says « וקשרתם לאות על ידך » (« you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand »), he touches the של יד; and when he says « והיו לטוטפות בין עיניך » (« they shall be an ornament between your eyes »), he touches the של ראש.
הֶסֵּחַ הַדַּעַת / מִשְׁמוּשׁ (hésséaḥ ha-daat / michmouch) — "diverting the mind" / "touching" — the tefilin require a continual awareness: one must not divert one's mind from them (היסח הדעת בתפילין — Menaḥot 36b, Yoma 7b). The משמוש — touching the tefilin with the hand — is the concrete act that sustains this awareness: the contact reminds one that one is wearing them and prevents the mind from drifting. It is therefore not restlessness but an act of vigilance directed toward the קדושה and the fear of Heaven.
What this seif says:
- At all times: one is obligated to touch one's tefilin at every hour (בכל שעה), so as not to divert one's mind from them (שלא יסיח דעתו מהם); one touches the של יד first.
- During the Shema, a precise gesture: at « וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ » one touches the של יד; at « וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ » one touches the של ראש.
- The purpose: the awareness of the mitsva — to avoid היסח הדעת and keep the mind bound to the holiness of the tefilin.
Seif 1 in one sentence: one touches one's tefilin at all times so as not to divert one's mind from them — the של יד first; and during the Shema, one touches the של יד at « וקשרתם » and the של ראש at « והיו ».
B. The order of removal — the של ראש first, standing, and the bag (seif 2)
Original text (seif 2)
[ב] תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ חוֹלֵץ תְּחִלָּה, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב « וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ » — כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּין עֵינֶיךָ יִהְיוּ שְׁתַּיִם. צָרִיךְ לַחֲלֹץ תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ מְעֻמָּד. יַנִּיחַ בַּתִּיק שֶׁל רֹאשׁ וְעָלָיו שֶׁל יָד, כְּדֵי שֶׁכְּשֶׁיָּבֹא לַהֲנִיחָם יִפְגַּע בְּשֶׁל יָד תְּחִלָּה.
[2] The head tefilin (של ראש), one removes first, for it is written « והיו לטוטפות בין עיניך » — as long as they are between your eyes, let them be two (שתים). One must remove the head tefilin while standing (מעומד). He will place it in the bag, the של ראש at the bottom and the של יד on top, so that when he comes to put them on, he meets the של יד first.
כָּל זְמַן שֶׁבֵּין עֵינֶיךָ יִהְיוּ שְׁתַּיִם — "as long as they are between your eyes, let them be two" — the verse « וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ » teaches that as long as the של ראש is in place "between the eyes," the two tefilin must be worn together. If one removed the של יד first, the של ראש would remain "between the eyes" alone — against "let them be two." One therefore removes the של ראש first. Mirroring the order of the putting on (siman 25: the של יד first), the removal follows the reverse order.
What this seif says:
- The של ראש first: one removes the head tefilin first — « כל זמן שבין עיניך יהיו שתים »: as long as the head is crowned, both must be present.
- Standing: one removes the של ראש מעומד (standing).
- Storing the bag: in the bag, the של ראש at the bottom and the של יד on top, to meet the של יד first at the next putting on (so as not to "pass over" the של יד — the same concern for order as in siman 25).
To remember: one removes the של ראש first (« שתים » — both together as long as the head is crowned) and standing; one stores the bag של יד on top, to meet it first and preserve, at the putting on, the order "the arm before the head."
C. Kissing the tefilin — חבוב מצוה (seif 3)
Original text (seif 3)
[ג] מִנְהַג הַחֲכָמִים לְנַשֵּׁק הַתְּפִלִּין בִּשְׁעַת הַנָּחָתָן וּבִשְׁעַת חֲלִיצָתָן.
[3] The custom of the sages is to kiss the tefilin at the time of putting them on (הנחתן) and at the time of removing them (חליצתן).
חִבּוּב מִצְוָה (ḥibbouv mitsva) — "love of the mitsva" — beyond obligation, there is a movement of the heart: to cherish the mitsva and show it through a gesture. Kissing the tefilin — at the putting on and at the removal — expresses this attachment, like the custom of kissing the tsitsit (siman 24) or the mezuzah. It is not a strict obligation but a custom of the sages that raises the fulfillment to an act of love.
What this seif says:
- A custom of the sages: it is customary (מנהג החכמים) to kiss the tefilin.
- Two moments: at the putting on (בשעת הנחתן) and at the removal (בשעת חליצתן).
- The meaning: love of the mitsva (חבוב מצוה) — one expresses through the body one's attachment to the commandment.
To remember: the sages' custom is to kiss the tefilin at the putting on and at the removal — a gesture of חבוב מצוה, love of the mitsva, after the manner of kissing the tsitsit (siman 24).
Practical cases
Case 1 — Touching the tefilin, and the gesture of the Shema
Situation: one wears the tefilin during prayer and wishes to keep the awareness of the mitsva without diverting one's mind.
Conduct: one touches one's tefilin from time to time (seif 1) so as not to fall into היסח הדעת — the contact revives the awareness of the holiness one bears. During the Shema the gesture becomes precise: at « וקשרתם לאות על ידך » one touches the של יד, at « והיו לטוטפות בין עיניך » one touches the של ראש. For the finer manner of doing so through the prayer, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
Case 2 — Removing the tefilin and storing the bag
Situation: the prayer finished, one wishes to remove the tefilin and store them in the bag properly.
Conduct: one removes the של ראש first (seif 2) — for « כל זמן שבין עיניך יהיו שתים », both go together as long as the head is crowned —, and standing. One then stores in the bag the של ראש at the bottom and the של יד on top, to meet the של יד first at the next putting on (to preserve the order "the arm before the head," siman 25). For the exact order of winding the straps, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
Case 3 — Kissing the tefilin (חבוב מצוה)
Situation: one wishes to fulfill the mitsva not only out of obligation, but with love of the commandment.
Conduct: per the sages' custom (seif 3), one kisses the tefilin — at the putting on as at the removal — as a sign of חבוב מצוה, love of the mitsva, after the manner of kissing the tsitsit (siman 24). It is not a strict obligation but a beautiful minhag; to anchor it in one's daily conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- Why must one touch one's tefilin at all times (seif 1)? What is היסח הדעת?
- During the Shema, which tefilin does one touch at « וקשרתם לאות על ידך », and which at « והיו לטוטפות בין עיניך »?
- Which of the two tefilin does one remove first, and what verse justifies it (seif 2)?
- In what posture does one remove the של ראש, and how does one store the bag (which on top, and why)?
- What is the sages' custom of seif 3, and at which moments does it apply? To which siman does this gesture refer (tsitsit)?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — משמוש והיסח הדעת (מנחות ל״ו, יומא ז׳) and the link to the קדושה; the touching during the Shema (« וקשרתם … והיו »); סדר החליצה : של ראש תחילה — the drasha « כל זמן שבין עיניך יהיו שתים » and מעומד; סדר הכיס : יד למעלה so as not to meet the של ראש first; and kissing the tefilin (חבוב מצוה)
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 👑 Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): the shitah of the Shulchan Aroukh HaRav — משמוש והיסח הדעת, the order of removal (של ראש first, מעומד), the order of the bag (של יד on top) and kissing the tefilin
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה
Talmid Chacham · Teacher of shiurim in halakha and Chassidut
סימן כ״ח · ג׳ סעיפים · Level 1 — Introduction
♥ Support DAAT