Question: Where I live, I see Chabad Shluchim offering Jewish passerby the opportunity to put on tefillin; is this of any value if they are otherwise non-observant? Additionally, is doing so in a street – a public thoroughfare proper – kavod for the tefillin?
Menachem
Via email
Synopsis: We previously cited the Mechaber, who explains the mitzvah of tefillin as to be worn the entire day, but due to the constraints of the human condition whereby one might not be able to always be in the state of cleanliness of one’s person – guf naki – in our time we only wear them as we pray [the Shacharit Prayer]. We enumerated the blessings and reward as relates to this mitzvah as Poshe’a b’gufo – one who sins with his body. We also noted the importance to the performance of the mitzvah to purchase tefillin from a G-d-fearing scribe who writes beautiful tefillin that are to last for many years.
We then noted Esav’s marriage to the daughter of his uncle Yishmael as a single momentary opportunity to repent his many sins, including his marriage to the evil Canaanite wives. Unfortunately, he and his new wife, Mochalas, did not take advantage of that opportunity and continued in their evil ways. Nevertheless, our Sages derive from this that a chatan and kallah fast on the day of their wedding, as they are forgiven all their prior sins. We also noted that such is repentance in the eyes of Hashem that if even for but a solitary moment, as the prophet Yonah is commanded [and he acts reluctantly] to save the gentile city of Nineveh from destruction. Surprisingly they heed his call and repent their evil ways. We further cited the incident of R’ Idi who would spend six months in travel – three months each way – just to spend one day in the academy. We also cited as regards the matter of punishment that one day in a year is considered as an entire year.
We followed that with the story of Keti’ah b. Shalom who was able to secure his eternal reward with one single action, to which Rabbi Yehuda Ha’Nasi proclaimed: “One may acquire eternity in one moment, while another may acquire it only after many years. Citing Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, we noted as well the special recognition Hashem accords Caleb for his momentarily silencing the fears caused by the evil report of his fellow spies as to what they saw in the Land of Canaan. Even though his doing so assuaged their fears for but a moment, such was view on High with great admiration. That followed the halacha that we save a person on the Sabbath [and the festivals] even if such effort only renders a momentary measure of life – chayyei sha’ah.
We then cited an address of the Gaon Rabbi Eleazar Menachem Man Shach, zt”l, at a Yarchei Kallah at the Ponevezh Yeshiva (Sefer Meireish Amanah, 18 Menachem Av 4738/1978). Rav Shach referred to two different tales of young people who faced their deaths with one last act of Kiddush Hashem – sanctifying Hashem’s name. Rav Shach noted that not only did they die al Kiddush Hashem but that they “lived”[that last moment] al Kiddush Hashem. We then cited that were the Jewish people to observe just two [most probably consecutive] Sabbaths, that Hashem would immediately redeem them, we find even furthering the Jerusalem Talmud, that even for the single solitary observance of one Sabbath they will be redeemed. Next, we discussed that tefillin as well as the Sabbath and Festivals are referred to as os, a sign [that proclaims our recognition and allegiance to Hashem as the Creator of the world and His having delivered us from the bondage of Egypt]. As such, on the Sabbath and the festivals we do not don the tefillin. We then told of the wonderful campaign for the observance of Shabbat, the Shmirat Shabbat Marches along Kings Highway in Brooklyn in which my rosh yeshiva, HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum not only endorsed but actively participated and effected more Shabbat observance as a result. Then our discussion turned to a letter we received from a Chabad shaliach who articulated Chassidic teaching al pi Kabbalah that every mitzvah performed creates significant light in the world. Each time someone dons tefillin he adds to that light.
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Answer: As to what venue or situation would or would not constitute proper kavod to the tefillin, we initially cited the Mechaber (Orach Chayyim 37:2) that pertaining to ones own personal body there must be a high level of cleanliness if and when one dons the tefillin. Initially, the mitzvah was that they were worn all day: “Their mitzvah is to have them [the tefillin, shel yad and shel rosh] upon him all day; however, since one must have a clean body – guf naki, that he not break wind while he wears them and that he not become distracted from them [i.e. the fact that he is wearing such sacred objects] and since not every person has the ability to take such care while he wears them, it has become our custom not to wear them all day.
The Mechaber is obviously reflecting Tosafot (Rosh Hashana 17a, sv ‘Karkafta d’lo meinach tefillin’), who state that if one fears he will not be able to maintain personal cleanliness he is then not obligated to wear them. The Gemara’s discussion reflects those who specifically refuse to wear them, such people are referred to as poshea b’gufan – defilers with their bodies.
Tosafot is quick to point out that where one, due to circumstances beyond his control cannot maintain that proper state of cleanliness, if he studies Torah, that is considered as if he wore tefillin. But we are referring to one who has previously worn tefillin; it is just at this juncture that he encounters a difficulty that proscribes his wearing tefillin.
Now, as to wearing tefillin in the street – may one do so? The Gemara (Shabbos 118b) cites R. Sheshet, who proclaimed: “My reward as I have fulfilled the mitzvah of tefillin.” Now, surely every good Jew who wears tefillin fulfills the mitzvah, thus what is his boast?
Rashi (sv. “d’kaymes mitzvat tefillin”) explains that he did not walk beyond four amot without tefillin. It is obvious then that he wore tefillin all day and even in the street. [It is understood that he did take them off when had to use the privy.]
Now, a number of years ago a Jew of great accomplishment, both in the secular world and as a ba’al teshuvah where he exerted great influence in the kiruv/outreach movement, approached my rosh yeshiva, HaGaon Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum, zt”l, with the following dilemma. His own father was not observant, and he wished for him to have his portion in Olam Habah. Was there any way he could assure this?
The rosh yeshiva offered him the following advice (and I am sure he had given such advice other times as well): “Have him put on tefillin as the Gemara (op. cit. Rosh Hashana 17a) cites the verse (Zechariah 13:9) “And I shall bring a third part through the fire [of Gehennah].”
The Gemara asks, who are these who deserve such punishment? The Gemara answers: They are the posh’ei Yisrael – the wrongdoers of Israel who sin with their bodies. What is meant by posh’ei Yisrael who sin with their bodies? The Gemara answers: They are those karkafta d’lo meinach Tefillin – those craniums that did not don tefillin.
According to the rosh yeshiva, if he puts on tefillin (even once in his lifetime), that will suffice to spare him that fate.
Thus, we see the uniqueness of tefillin – that just for even once putting them on it is a mitzvah that saves one from heavy punishment. It is the os – the sign of tefillin not unlike the os – the sign of Shabbat, that proclaim both Hashem as the Creator and as Yisrael and the Torah being His sole reason for creation.
Indeed, we laud those Chabad shluchim who seek out the Jew whose soul is in need of that spark that serves both him as well the world to which they add illumination.
