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Friday, November 19, 2010

Two Pairs of Tefillin - Bal Tosif?

The Shulchan Aruch (שו"ע או"ח סי' ל"ד ס"ב) rules that a "yarei shamayim" should wear both pairs of Tefillin - Rashi and Rabeinu Tam. The method the Shulchan Aruch prescribes is to put them both on at the same time - "for there is enough room on the head for two pairs of Tefillin." The question is: isn't this "Bal Tosif"?
The basic explanation offered is that being that the differing opinions consider the counter opinions as completely "invalid," it follows that the person is really only wearing one pair of Tefillin. To explain: Were you to ask Rashi "does this man bear two pairs of Tefillin?" his answer would be no, as he holds that the "other" pair (the "Rabbeinu Tam pair") is not Tefillin at all! The same vice versa.
However, there were those who feared that being that Rashi's opinion is universally accepted, donning Rabbein Tam's Tefillin would look arrogant ("look how pious I am!"). Additionally, there are those who couldn't fit both pairs on the same arm. Because of this, the widespread custom became to don the Rabbeinu Tam pair privately after the Rashi pair.
שו"ת מהרי"ל סי' קל"ז
ועי' מג"א סי' ל"ד ס"ק ג

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