May a Sefardi use Chabad/Ashkenazi Tefillin?

 

Question:

As a Shliach who deals primarily with sefardim, I often hear that sefardim can strictly only use sefardic tefillin. I’ve also heard once that Chabad or Arizal is ok for them. Is there any basis for this? Just this Shabbos when talking to someone about putting on Tefillin the discussion came up again so I need clarity to be able to advise properly.

 

Answer:

According to the major Sefardi Poskim of our generation (Horav Ovadya and Horav B”tz Abba Shaul), a Sefardi can use and make a Brocha on Chabad tefillin (no matter which Ksav).

 

Here are [some of] the details:

There are two issues for a Sefardi using Ashkenazi tefillin:

1. The Ksav is different. In this matter it accepted by the Poskim (including Horav Ovadya in Yabia Omer Vol. II Y”D siman 20 and Horav B”tz Abba Shaul in shu”t Ohr Letziyon Vol. II ch 3 ois 7) that Halachically both forms of writing are acceptable for both traditions. This is also offered as the explanation for why the Beis Yossef describes the Ashkenazi Ksav and not the Sefardi Ksav. {The Chida’s opinion is unclear, as there are several contradictions in his various sefarim, but the above is the accepted Sefardi Psak}

2. There is a separate issue regarding the spacing between the parshiyos. Most Ashkenazi Tefillin use the spacing of the Ta”z, whereas contemporary Sefardi Poskim are of the opinion that this is not kosher according to the Beis Yosef and they use the Rambam’s spacing. For the above reason contemporary Sefardi Poskim say that a Sefardi should not make a Brocha on Ashkenazi Tefillin.

However, the Alter Rebbe also disagrees with the Ta”z’s spacing and Paskens that one must use the Rambam’s spacing. For this reason Chabad tefillin (regardless of whether written in Ksav Ar”i or Alter Rebbe’s Ksav) follow the same spacing as Sefard, thus avoiding this second problem as well. As a matter-of-fact Rb”tz Abba Shaul specifically states in the above noted Ohr Letziyon that a Sefardi should not say a Brocha on Askenazi tefillin unless it is Chabad tefillin.

 

P.S. As an aside, the Alter Rebbe’s ksav is perhaps the only remaining Ashkenazi Ksav which writes the letter Nun the same way as the Sefardim.

 

Sources:

ראה: נודע ביהודה יו”ד קמא סי’ פ’ ויו”ד תניינא סי’ קע”א, יביע אומר ח”ב יו”ד סי’ כ’, יחוה דעת ח”ד סי’ ג’, שו”ת אור לציון ח”ב פרק ג’ אות ז’, יבי”א ח”ט או”ח סי’ ק”ח אות כ”ד, החיד”א בברכי יוסף או”ח סי’ ל”ו ס”ק ב’ וביוסף אומץ סי’ י”א אות ב’ ולדוד אמת סס”י י”ג, שו”ת שדה הארץ ח”ג יו”ד סי’ י”ח, שו”ת ישיב משה (שתרוג) ח”א סי’ שמ”א וח”ב סי’ ל”ג, ועוד.

וראה: שו”ע אדה”ז סי’ ל”ב סעי’ נ”ב ושו”ת אדה”ז (בסוף השו”ע) סי’ א’, שו”ת צ”צ ביו”ד סי’ ר”ה ובאו”ח סי’ י”ח סעי’ ו’.

 

 

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