No Cell Phones Please!
‘A Kerchief That One Designated For Storing Tefillin’
(Berachos 23)
R. Chisda on our daf cites the following halacha: If someone designates a kerchief for storing tefillin and then does in fact store his tefillin there, he may not store his money there too. However, if he designated a kerchief without actually storing his tefillin in it, or stored his tefillin in a kerchief without designating it for that purpose, he may also store his money there.
The Mechaber (Orach Chayim 42:3) codifies this halacha, and the Rema adds that this rule also applies to other tashmishei kedushah. For example, it is only forbidden to write on a piece of klaf if it has already been both designated and used for tefillin, a mezuzah, or Sefer Torah – whatever the case may be.
Tallis Bag
The Magen Avraham (ad loc. s.v. “ve’da d’chol zeh…”) notes that talleisim are not considered sanctified items but tashmishei mitzvah. Therefore, this rule about “designating and using” does not apply to them. Thus, we may store keys, reading glasses, and cell phones, for example, in a tallis bag.
A Designation How To
How does one formally designate a tefillin bag as a tashmish kedushah? The Mishnah Berurah (ad loc. sk 10, 24) writes that one may 1) verbally designate it; 2) manufacture it [or improve upon an existing bag] for the sake of tefillin; 3) actually place tefillin in it with the intent to permanently use it for storing tefillin; or 4) repeatedly use it for one’s tefillin.
The Aruch Hashulchan (ad loc. sk 4) argues that “repeatedly use” means three days. After that, the bag assumes the status of tashmishei kedushah. However, if one openly stipulates that he does not intend to use this bag for tefillin on a regular basis, then the bag does not acquire the status of tashmishei kedushah even after three days.
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