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Closed Knot for Tefillin Shel Rosh

Where does it come from the minhag to make the kesher in the back of the Tefillin Shel Rosh like a “square” (like some people do it.) Is this an acceptable minhag? Was there anyone that was cholek on this minhag?

Answer:

There are two main customs for the tefilin knot, one for the knot to be in the form of a dalet, and the other in the form of a square, closed mem. Both are accepted and valid.

Some write that the knot must be in the form of a dalet, which is therefore part of the name Shakkai. However, see Tzitz Eliezer 9:9 who concludes that the closed, square knot is also fine.

The Rambam actually writes that the knot should be square, in the shape of a dalet. This appears to be a contradiction, and some explain that the straps coming out of the knot form the dalet, and the knot itself is square.

Best wishes.

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3 Comments

  1. The mekor is the zohar which says that the kesher should be 2 daleds. The square is one straight daled & one upside down daled (you have to use some parts twice). Some people mistakenly call it a mem but it is HLM that it must be a daled

  2. Right, Rambam says:
    a) the knot must be square
    b) the knot must look like Dal (not Daleth!).
    (Dal is Phoenician letter. It is closed form like Greek Delta)

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