For as long as we know, Yidden have always carried their tallis and tefillin under their arm, the way something precious, like a child, is carried. Sacks of food or other items get tossed over the shoulder. Only in recent years has it become popular to carry tallis and tefillin with a strap over the shoulder.
By Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier – The Beis Medrash
My great-grandfather, Reb Yisroel Noach, a”h, told the following story.[1]
The venerable chossid, Reb Hillel Paritcher, was once walking home from shul carrying his tallis and tefillin zekkel (bag). Noticing the elderly chossid trudging along in the muddy streets, a young chossid approached him and offered to carry the zekkel for him. Reb Hillel declined and explained.
On Yom Kippur (a subject of this week’s sedra) the Kohen Gadol would toivel in the mikveh five times in preparation for the special avodos of the day. The highest avodah of the day was when he brought the ketores into the Kodesh haKodoshim. Before he went back in to remove the keilim after the ketores had finished burning, he first went to the mikveh again. From here we see that even “cleaning up” after a mitzvah is holy!
Even carrying my tallis and tefillin to and from shul is part of the mitzvah, he concluded. How can I give this opportunity away?
Similarly, the leftovers of a mitzvah are so precious that we are told not to give leftover challah from lechem mishneh to a goy or an animal.[2] (It follows, of course, that, when possible, making challah ourselves instead of buying it gives us another opportunity to serve Hashem.)
We live in an era where so many things that used to require personal exertion no longer do. We can get food, clothing, and even a ride by swiping our finger over a smooth screen. Contactless delivery is a celebrated innovation.
None of this is a problem, except when contactless makes things meaningless.
In our sedra we also learn about the mitzvah of kissui hadam. The entire mitzvah consists of the simple act of covering the blood of a shechted bird or chayah with earth. Yet, the Rambam concludes the laws of shechitah with the following ruling:
“When a person covers the blood, he should not cover it with his feet, but instead with his hands, a knife, or a utensil, so that he will not treat it with disdain and regard the mitzvos with scorn. For the honor is not simply for the mitzvos themselves. Instead, [the honor is] due He, blessed be He, who commanded us to observe them and [thus] saved us from groping in darkness and thus granted us a lamp to straighten crooked paths and a light to illumine the upright ways. And so it states: ‘Your words are a lamp to my feet and a light for my ways.’”
For as long as we know, Yidden have always carried their tallis and tefillin under their arm, the way something precious, like a child, is carried. Sacks of food or other items get tossed over the shoulder. Only in recent years has it become popular to carry tallis and tefillin with a strap over the shoulder. When carrying items of a mitzvah in such a way we risk dulling our sensitivity to the mitzvah and to all it represents.
The Rambam rules that handling something with care, even if we do not feel the preciousness of the item, will actually breed feelings of care.
Mitzvos and all their components connect us with Hashem. The more contact the better!
[1] Likutei Sippurim, Perlow, pg. 421.
[2] Taz, Orach Chaim 167, and Divrei Dovid to parshas Bo 12:34.
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Mothers carry their babies with baby carriers. We wear our Tallis bags with shoulder straps so we don’t loose it. Let’s help our boys and men love the Mitzvah of Tallis and Tefillin by allowing them to wear it.
I would posit that seeing as the tefillin bags are constructed with these straps specifically for carrying the tefillin, and especially considering the prices being charged for them!, this is derech kavod for the tefillin. It’s not like they’re being placed in a disposable shopping bag and slung over the shoulders.
Reb Volf Greenglass, the Mashpia in Montreal, whenever he would see someone carry their Talis bag hanging like a bag, he would comment (and even go over and take it) that a Talis bag is not a shopping bag, a Talis bag should carried under the arm, as it has been done traditionally by Jews forever.
I’m not expressing an opinion, the new style bags have become a big business, but it’s good to know.
When I was a young Bar Mitzvah boy my father always made sure to point out that we hold the tefilin bag, as for the strap he would tell me it’s okay for the weight to be on the shoulder/strap but it should still “hang” in front and with a hand under it holding it a little.
ב”ה
Worth noting:
1) the Aron kodesh was carried on the shouldersb
2) the Frierdicker Rebbe writes about the young Baal Shem Tov in the forest seeing a tzaddik nistar (Adam Baal Shem?) putting Tefillin in a sack and the sack over his shoulder.
Very nice point. I appreciate the article! Thank you.
One thing that wasn’t mentioned is that for sure it should not hang below your waist
While the sentiment behind carrying tallis and tefillin with care is beautiful and certainly meaningful, it’s worth noting that for many, many generations, Yidden—and people in general—carried their most important belongings in sacks slung over their shoulders. This method wasn’t a sign of disregard, but rather a practical way to transport items safely and comfortably, without placing unnecessary strain on the person carrying them.
What truly matters is the kavod we show these mitzvah objects in our actions and mindset—whether held under the arm or carried on the shoulder, the respect and awareness we bring to the mitzvah is what counts most.
The Efod hung from both shoulders of the Kohen Gadol.
Just saying.