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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman ל״ד · The order of the parashiot and the tefilin of Rabbeinou Tam (סדר הנחת הפרשיות)
סדר הנחת הפרשיות בתפילין ותפילין דרבינו תם — in what order the four parashiot are placed in the בתים (Rachi and Rambam, מנהג העולם), why the ירא שמים wears two pairs רש״י / ר״ת, for whom this practice is reserved, and why the two pairs go in two distinct cases
סימן ל״ד · ד׳ סעיפים
סדר הנחת הפרשיות בתפילין ותפילין דרבינו תם
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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In what order do the four parashiot enter the בתים of the head-tefilin? This siman settles the סדר הנחת הפרשיות — the agreement of Rachi and the Rambam (which is the מנהג העולם) and the machloket with Rabbeinou Tam on the last two parashiot; then the practice of the ירא שמים who, to fulfill both views, wears two pairs of tefilin (רש״י and ר״ת) with a precise כוונה; why this public conduct is reserved to the חסיד מפורסם (lest it be יוהרא); and why one keeps the two pairs in two distinct cases. Vocalized Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanations of the four seifim, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: The order of the parashiot and the tefilin of Rabbeinou Tam — the order of the 4 parashiot (Rachi/Rambam), the two pairs of the ירא שמים, the reserve for the חסיד מפורסם, and the two distinct cases
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ל״ד · ארבעה סעיפים
Compiled by: Rav Yossef Haim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com
The previous simanim taught us how the tefilin are written, made and maintained (see simanim 32 and 33). There remains the question of the inner arrangement: in what order are the four parashiot set inside the בתים of the head? The Shulchan Aroukh gives the order on which Rachi and the Rambam agree — this is the מנהג העולם — and brings the position of Rabbeinou Tam, who reverses the last two parashiot. From this machloket is born the practice of the ירא שמים: to wear two pairs of tefilin, that of רש״י and that of ר״ת, with a כוונה that obligates only through the pair that is according to the halakha. But this conduct, done in public, is legitimate only for the חסיד מפורסם — for anyone else it would be יוהרא. We study here at the level of principle; for personal conduct — whether or not to wear ר״ת — one refers to the family custom and to the ruling of the Rav.
📑 Study outline
A. The order of the parashiot in the בתים — Rachi and Rambam (מנהג העולם); the viewpoint of the reader; ר״ת reverses the last two (seif 1)
B. The ירא שמים and the two pairs — two zougot רש״י / ר״ת, the כוונה, how and with which berakha (seif 2)
C. Reserved to the חסיד מפורסם — otherwise it is יוהרא (seif 3)
D. Two distinct cases — one of the pairs is חול, with a sign so as not to confuse them (seif 4)
+ Practical cases and comprehension questions
A. The order of the parashiot in the בתים — Rachi and Rambam (seif 1)
Original text (seif 1)
[א] סֵדֶר הַנָּחָתָן בַּבָּתִּים לְרַשִׁ״י וְהָרַמְבַּ״ם: קֹדֶשׁ מִשְּׂמֹאל הַמַּנִּיחַ בַּבַּיִת הַחִיצוֹן, וְאַחֲרָיו כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ בַּבַּיִת שֵׁנִי, וּשְׁמַע בַּבַּיִת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ בַּבַּיִת הָרְבִיעִי שֶׁהוּא בַּיִת הַחִיצוֹן לִימִינוֹ. וּלְר״ת בַּבַּיִת הַג׳ וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, וּבַבַּיִת הַד׳ שֶׁהוּא הַחִיצוֹן שְׁמַע. וּמִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם כְּרַשִׁ״י וְהָרַמְבַּ״ם.
[1] The order of their placement in the בתים according to Rachi and the Rambam: קדש on the left of the one who dons them (המניח), in the outer compartment; after it כי יביאך in the second compartment; שמע in the third; and והיה אם שמוע in the fourth, which is the outer compartment on his right. And according to Rabbeinou Tam: in the 3rd compartment והיה אם שמוע, and in the 4th, which is the outer one, שמע. And the custom of the world follows Rachi and the Rambam.
בָּתִּים — “the compartments” — the head-tefilin has four בתים (compartments), each receiving one of the four parashiot: קדש, כי יביאך, שמע and והיה אם שמוע. The seif fixes in which compartment each parasha goes. Rachi and the Rambam agree on this order, and it is the one that everyone follows (מנהג העולם).
מִשְּׂמֹאל הַמַּנִּיחַ · לִימִינוֹ — “on the left of the one who dons” · “on his right” — the Mehaber describes the order from the viewpoint of the one who wears them (המניח): קדש on his left (the outer compartment), then כי יביאך, שמע, and finally והיה אם שמוע on his right (the other outer compartment). In practice, to keep one’s bearings, one looks at the tefilin from the viewpoint of the reader standing opposite the wearer: what is on the wearer’s left is then on the reader’s right. This reference to the reader who faces holds for all, even for a left-handed person (אטר).
What this seif says:
- According to Rachi and the Rambam: קדש (outer, wearer’s left) → כי יביאך → שמע → והיה אם שמוע (outer, right).
- Viewpoint: described from the wearer (המניח); one orients by the reader who faces, even for a left-handed person (אטר).
- According to ר״ת: the first two the same, but the last two reversed — 3rd והיה אם שמוע, 4th שמע.
- מנהג העולם: everyone follows Rachi and the Rambam.
The seif in one sentence: the order of the four parashiot in the בתים follows Rachi and the Rambam (קדש, כי יביאך, שמע, והיה אם שמוע), and this is the מנהג העולם; Rabbeinou Tam reverses only the last two.
B. The ירא שמים and the two pairs רש״י / ר״ת (seif 2)
Original text (seif 2)
[ב] יְרֵא שָׁמַיִם יֵצֵא יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְיַעֲשֶׂה שְׁתֵּי זוּגוֹת תְּפִלִּין וְיַנִּיחַ שְׁנֵיהֶם, וִיכַוֵּן בַּהֲנָחָתָן: בְּאוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם אַלִּיבָּא דְהִלְכְתָא אֲנִי יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתִי, וְהַשְּׁאָר הֵם כִּרְצוּעוֹת בְּעָלְמָא. כִּי מָקוֹם יֵשׁ בָּרֹאשׁ לְהַנִּיחַ שְׁנֵי תְּפִלִּין וְכֵן בַּזְּרוֹעַ. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְכַוֵּן הַמָּקוֹם וּלְהַנִּיחַ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד, יַנִּיחַ כְּדִבְרֵי הָאֶחָד שֶׁל יָד וְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ (וִיסַלְּקֵם מִיָּד) וְיַנִּיחַ הָאֲחֵרִים עַל סְמָךְ בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאִם לֹא יוּכַל לְהַנִּיחַ בְּבַת אַחַת, יַנִּיחַ שֶׁל רַשִׁ״י וִיבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְיִהְיוּ עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת ק״ש וּתְפִלָּה, וְאַחַר הַתְּפִלָּה יַנִּיחַ שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ תָּם בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה וְיִקְרָא בָּהֶם שְׁמַע וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ.
[2] One who fears Heaven (ירא שמים) fulfills both views: he makes two pairs of tefilin and puts on both, having in mind, as he dons them: “through those that are according to the halakha (אליבא דהלכתא) I fulfill my obligation, and the rest are but like ordinary straps.” For there is room on the head to place two tefilin, and likewise on the arm. And if he does not know how to aim the spot and place both together, he puts on one — the arm one and the head one (and removes them at once) — and places the others on the strength of the first berakha. And some say: if he cannot put them on at the same time, he puts on those of Rachi and recites the berakha over them, and they remain on him during the Chema (ק״ש) and the prayer; then, after the prayer, he puts on those of Rabbeinou Tam without a berakha and reads with them שמע and והיה אם שמוע.
שְׁתֵּי זוּגוֹת · אַלִּיבָּא דְהִלְכְתָא — “two pairs” · “according to the halakha” — since there is a machloket about the order of the parashiot (Rachi against ר״ת), the ירא שמים wishes to “satisfy both views”: he wears two pairs (זוגות) of tefilin. As only one of them is אליבא דהלכתא (in accord with the settled law), he has a כוונה: to fulfill his duty through the pair that accords with the law, “the rest being but straps” (כרצועות בעלמא) — so as not to add to the mitsva what is not part of it.
How to put them on — together or one after the other — ideally one puts on both together (there is room on the head and on the arm). One who does not know how to aim the two spots puts on the first pair, removes it at once, then places the other on the strength of the first berakha. And according to another view (וי״א), one puts on those of רש״י first with a berakha, keeps them during ק״ש and the prayer, then after the prayer puts on those of ר״ת without a berakha, reading with them שמע and והיה אם שמוע.
What this seif says:
- Two pairs: the ירא שמים puts on רש״י and ר״ת to fulfill both views.
- The כוונה: to fulfill one’s duty through the pair that is אליבא דהלכתא; the rest are “but straps.”
- Together: there is room for two on the head and on the arm; if not, one puts them on in turn on the strength of the first berakha.
- וי״א: רש״י with a berakha during ק״ש and the tefila, then ר״ת without a berakha after the prayer.
The seif in one sentence: the ירא שמים wears two pairs of tefilin (רש״י and ר״ת) with the intention of fulfilling his duty through the one that is אליבא דהלכתא; either both together, or — according to וי״א — רש״י with a berakha during ק״ש and the prayer, then ר״ת without a berakha afterward.
C. Reserved to the חסיד מפורסם — the question of יוהרא (seif 3)
Original text (seif 3)
[ג] לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה כֵן אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁמֻּחְזָק וּמְפֻרְסָם בַּחֲסִידוּת.
[3] One should act thus (wearing the two pairs) only if one is established (מוחזק) and renowned (מפורסם) for one’s piety (חסידות).
מֻחְזָק וּמְפֻרְסָם בַּחֲסִידוּת · יוֹהֲרָא — “established and renowned for piety” · “spiritual arrogance” — wearing two pairs of tefilin is a visible conduct that sets its bearer apart. The Mehaber therefore reserves it to one who is מוחזק ומפורסם בחסידות — settled and known as a man of piety. For anyone else, to display oneself thus in public would be יוהרא: a claim to holiness above one’s standing, which does not honor the mitsva.
What this seif says:
- A public conduct: putting on the two pairs is seen and sets one apart.
- Reserved: to one who is מוחזק ומפורסם בחסידות — established and renowned for piety.
- Otherwise: for anyone else it would be יוהרא (spiritual arrogance).
The seif in one sentence: wearing the two pairs in public is legitimate only for the חסיד מפורסם; for anyone else it would be יוהרא.
D. Two distinct cases for the two pairs (seif 4)
Original text (seif 4)
[ד] לֹא יַנִּיחַ שְׁנֵי הַזּוּגוֹת בְּכִיס אֶחָד, שֶׁהָאֶחָד מֵהֶם הוּא חֹל וְאָסוּר לְהַנִּיחוֹ בְּכִיס תְּפִלִּין, אֶלָּא יַעֲשֶׂה שְׁנֵי כִיסִין וְסִימָן לְכָל כִּיס שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן שֶׁל זֶה בָּזֶה.
[4] He should not put the two pairs in a single case (כיס), for one of them is “profane” (חול) and it is forbidden to place it in the case of the (true) tefilin. Rather he makes two cases, with a sign (סימן) on each case, so as not to put one in the other.
הָאֶחָד הוּא חֹל · כִּיס תְּפִלִּין — “one is profane” · “the case of the tefilin” — since only one of the two pairs is אליבא דהלכתא, the other — at that moment — has no status of tefilin: it is חול (profane). And the case (כיס) that has held true tefilin is תשמישי קדושה (an accessory of holiness): one does not place a profane object in it. So one prepares two cases, each with a סימן (a distinguishing mark), so as never to confuse רש״י and ר״ת nor mix the pairs.
What this seif says:
- Not one case: one does not put the two pairs in a single כיס.
- Why: one of the pairs is חול, forbidden in the case of the (true) tefilin.
- Two cases: with a סימן on each, so as not to put one in the other.
The seif in one sentence: one does not keep the two pairs together — since one is חול — but in two distinct cases, each marked with a סימן so as not to confuse them.
Practical cases
Case 1 — Why almost everyone wears only רש״י
Situation: one sees some people wear two pairs of tefilin, but the vast majority wear only one. Which one, and why?
Conduct: the מנהג העולם is to wear the tefilin of רש״י alone, for the halakha is decided according to Rachi and the Rambam (seif 1). Only one who wishes to “fulfill both views” adds the pair of ר״ת (seif 2) — and this, as we shall see, is not the conduct of everyone. To know what concerns you, follow your family custom and the ruling of the Rav.
Case 2 — A young man, or a בעל תשובה: must he wear ר״ת?
Situation: a young man, or a בעל תשובה, wonders whether he “must” begin to wear the tefilin of ר״ת.
Conduct: this is not a decision one makes on one’s own. Wearing ר״ת in public belongs to a conduct of חסידות reserved to the חסיד מפורסם (seif 3); to take it on without a framework could touch on יוהרא. The rule is simple: one follows the custom of one’s family and community (many families, Sephardi and Hasidic, wear ר״ת, others do not), and one asks the Rav. To follow the received custom has nothing of יוהרא in it.
Case 3 — Storing one’s tefilin: two pairs, two cases
Situation: someone wears the two pairs. How should he store them?
Conduct: never in a single case. Since one of the pairs is חול (profane), one prepares two distinct כיסין, each bearing a clear סימן (for example “רש״י” and “ר״ת”), so as never to mix the pairs nor place the profane one in the case of the true tefilin (seif 4). For the finer conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What is the order of the four parashiot according to Rachi and the Rambam? How does ר״ת differ (seif 1)?
- Why does one speak of the reader’s viewpoint rather than the wearer’s, and what about a left-handed person (אטר)?
- Why does the ירא שמים wear two pairs, and what כוונה does he have as he dons them (seif 2)?
- In which two ways does one put on the two pairs, and where does the berakha fall (seif 2)?
- To whom is the practice of the two pairs reserved, and what is יוהרא (seif 3)?
- Why two distinct cases, and what does it mean that one of the pairs is חול (seif 4)?
Going further
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