עברית
Halachot and Customs
Why Are Tefillin Removed Before the Mussaf Prayer on Rosh Chodesh?
Question
Why are tefillin taken off before the Mussaf prayer on Rosh Chodesh and not worn during Mussaf? Thank you.
Answer
Shalom and Chodesh tov,
There are two reasons for this: 1. During the Mussaf prayer, we recite the sanctity known as "Keter" (Crown). It is therefore not appropriate to have the "crown" of the tefillin upon one's head at this time (Rema, Orach Chaim, end of Siman 25; Mishnah Berurah, S.K. 61).
2. Just as tefillin are not worn on Yom Tov because Yom Tov itself serves as a sign, so too on Rosh Chodesh, one should remove tefillin at the time of Mussaf when the additional prayers for the day are mentioned. This mention also serves as a kind of sign (Mishnah Berurah, Siman 123, S.K. 1).
Blessings, Hillel Meirs
