Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 39

Siman 39

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א תְּפִלִּין שֶׁכְּתָבָן עֶבֶד, אוֹ אִשָּׁה, אוֹ קָטָן, אֲפִלּוּ הִגִּיעַ לְחִנּוּךְ, אוֹ גּוֹי, אוֹ כּוּתִי, אוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל מוּמָר, אוֹ מוֹסֵר, פְּסוּלִים, מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִּיב וּקְשַׁרְתָּם וּכְתַבְתָּם. כָּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ בִּקְשִׁירָה, אוֹ אֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין בָּהּ, אֵינוֹ בִּכְתִיבָה.
1 תפילין that were written by a slave, or a woman, or a minor - even if he reached [the age of] training [in mitzvot], (or a non-Jew), or a Samaritan, or a transgressor/apostate who served idols, or an informer are invalid because [of what] is written " And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand… and you shall write them on the doorposts of your house" (Deuteronomy 6:8–9): [which is expounded to mean] - All that are not [commanded] in binding or do not believe in it, are not [suitable] for writing.
ב כָּל שֶׁפָּסוּל לְכָתְבָן, פָּסוּל בְּכָל תִּקּוּן עֲשִׂיָּתָן.
2 All that are invalid to write them, are invalid in all [aspects of] making/fixing them.
ג גֵּר שֶׁחָזַר לְדָתוֹ מֵחֲמַת יִרְאָה, כָּשֵׁר לִכְתֹּב תְּפִלִּין.
3 A [Jewish] convert that returned to his [previous] religion because of fear is valid to write תפילין.
ד תְּפִלִּין שֶׁכְּתָבָם אַפִּיקוֹרוֹס יִשָּׂרְפוּ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים יִגָּנְזוּ.
4 תפילין that were written by a heretic should be burned, and some say they should be interred.
ה נִמְצְאוּ בְּיַד אַפִּיקוֹרוֹס, וְאֵין יָדוּעַ מִי כְּתָבָן, יִגָּנְזוּ.
5 [תפילין] found in the possession of a heretic and it's not known who wrote them should be interred....
ו נִמְצְאוּ בְּיַד גּוֹי, וְאֵין יָדוּעַ מִי כְּתָבָם, כְּשֵׁרִים.
6 [תפילין] found in the possession of a gentile and it's not known who wrote them are valid.
ז אֵין לוֹקְחִין תְּפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת וּסְפָרִים מִן הַגּוֹיִם יוֹתֵר מִכְּדֵי דְּמֵיהֶן הַרְבֵּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַרְגִּיל לְגָנְבָן וּלְגָזְלָן.
7 We do not purchase מזוזות, תפילין, or [Torah] scrolls from a gentile for much more than their actual monetary value in order to not habituate them from stealing and robbing [sacred Jewish ritual objects in order to sell them for large sums of money].
ח אֵין נִקָּחִין, אֶלָּא מִן הַמֻּמְחֶה שֶׁבָּקִי בַּחֲסֵרוֹת וִיתֵרוֹת.
8 One should only purchase [תפילין] from an expert who is skilled at [fixing] missing letters and extra letters.
ט לָקַח מִמִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֻמְחֶה, צָרִיךְ לְבָדְקָן. לָקַח מִמֶּנּוּ מֵאָה קְצִיצוֹת, בּוֹדֵק מֵהֶם שְׁלֹשָׁה קְצִיצוֹת, שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁל רֹאשׁ וְאַחַת שֶׁל יָד, אוֹ שְׁתַּיִם שֶׁל יָד וְאַחַת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ. אִם מְצָאָן כְּשֵׁרִים, הֻחְזַק זֶה הָאִישׁ, וַהֲרֵי כֻּלָּם כְּשֵׁרִים, וְאֵין הַשְּׁאָר צָרִיךְ בְּדִיקָה. וְאִם לְקָחָן צְבָתִים צְבָתִים, חֶזְקָתָן מֵאֲנָשִׁים הַרְבֵּה הֵם לְקוּחִים, לְפִיכָךְ בּוֹדֵק מִכָּל צְבָת ב' שֶׁל רֹאשׁ וְאַחַת שֶׁל יָד, אוֹ ב' שֶׁל יָד וְאַחַת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ. הַמּוֹכֵר תְּפִלִּין וְאָמַר שֶׁהָיוּ שֶׁל אָדָם גָּדוֹל, נֶאֱמָן, וְאֵינָם צְרִיכִים בְּדִיקָה:
9 If one purchased [תפילין] from someone that is not an expert, they need to check them. If he purchased from him a hundred parchment slips, he [should] check three slips: two from the head [תפילין] and one from the hand [תפילין], or two from the hand [תפילין] and one from the head [תפילין]. If he found them to be valid, then this man (ie. the one he purchased from) is presumed [to be trustworthy] and all [hundred] of them are valid... and the rest don't need to be checked. And if he purchased them in bundles, they are presumed to have been purchased [by the seller] from several different people. Therefore, he must check from each bundle: two from the head [תפילין] and one from the hand [תפילין], or two from the hand [תפילין] and one from the head [תפילין]. One who sells תפילין and says that they belonged to a great man is believed and they don't need to be checked.
י תְּפִלִּין שֶׁהֻחְזְקוּ בְּכַשְׁרוּת אֵינָם צְרִיכִים בְּדִיקָה לְעוֹלָם, וְאִם אֵינוֹ מְנִיחָן אֶלָּא לִפְרָקִים, צְרִיכִים בְּדִיקָה פַּעֲמַיִם בְּשָׁבוּעַ: הַגָּה: וְאִם אֵין לוֹ מִי שֶׁיּוּכַל לִבְדֹּק וְלַחֲזֹר וּלְתָפְרָן יְנִיחֵם כָּךְ בְּלֹא בְּדִיקָה (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם אָרְחוֹת חַיִּים):
10 תפילין which have a presumption of being valid don't need to be checked ever. And if he only wears them occasionally, then they need to be checked twice in seven years. Rema: And if he doesn't have someone that's able to check them for him and then to stitch them up again after should just wear them as they are without checking (Beit Yosef in the name of Orchot Chaim).
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