33.1: (1) If the leather of 2 ‘battim’ (2) of the shel rosh (3) adjacent to each other got spoilt, if the tefillin (4) are old they are invalid but if they are (5) new they are kosher as long as the leather of the base of the battim (6) still exists. {Rama the battim are also required to be intact its just that they are slightly torn. Some say the opposite – old ones are kosher and new ones are invalid. It would appear to me to be strict (7) and make both invalid.} These are categorised as new – if you would pull them with the straps (8) iand the bayis would split and open they are new and if not they are old. If 2 non-adjacent battim got spoilt (9) numbers 1 and 3 are kosher even if they are old but if (10) 3 battim got spoilt (11) under all circumstances they are invalid.

Jonathan Chody [email protected]

Siman 33 (cont.)

33.5: If the strap of the tfillin tore, (25) some permit (26) to sew it (27) from the inner side, and some say that the part of the strap which encircles the head, and in hand-tfillin a length sufficient to coil around the arm to bind the hand-tfillin to the arm and to extend to (28) the middle finger and coil it around the finger three times and tie it, this part of the strap has no remedy [if it tears] neither by tying or knotting nor by sewing, but all the additional length, which is for coiling the strap several times around the arm in the hand-tfillin, and in head-tfillin the additional length which hangs down from the knot. sewing and tying/knotting do not invalidate it. And under pressing circumstances, one may rely on (29) those who permit [sewing, the first opinion mentioned] in order not to refrain completely from the mitzvah of tfillin.