Prayer and Blessings
Does one need to remove the box covering the arm tefillin?
Question
Hello, honored rabbi.
The arm tefillin has a sort of protective square box over it. Does it need to be removed when putting on the tefillin, or may it be left on?
Thank you very much.
Answer
Hello,
When reciting the blessing and putting on the arm tefillin, one should be careful to remove the box covering the tefillin, so that the arm tefillin are exposed. Since this is for the honor of the mitzvah and out of love for it, certainly they should be as they are in their form, without any covering. Only after putting on the tefillin is one permitted to rely on leniency and place the covering on, so that the square of the tefillah will not be damaged because of the pressure of the sleeve on it.
Sources: Responsa Yabia Omer, vol. 8 (Orach Chaim, siman 4) and Yalkut Yosef (siman 25, seif 84).
With blessings,
Hillel Meirs
