Any Lubavitch child today, upon becoming bar mitzvah, begins wrapping an additional pair of tefillin without a second thought. Yet not too long ago, the custom of wearing Rabbeinu Tam tefillin was far from common, even among Anash. This Purim marks fifty years since the Rebbe’s campaign for every individual to begin wearing Rabbeinu Tam.

For centuries, the correct order of the parshiyos in tefillin has been debated. While halacha follows Rashi, the question was never fully resolved, and both opinions have strong support. Kabbalistic sources, including the Arizal, teach that both should ideally be worn.

In practice, the Alter Rebbe writes that halacha follows Rashi, but he emphasizes the importance of Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin: “Anyone who feels any fear of Heaven in his heart should put on Rabbeinu Tam’s Tefillin.”

Chassidim generally wore Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin as well, but usually only after marriage, a stage associated with a higher level of holiness. In a letter to the Rebbe shortly before his marriage (Kislev 5689), Harav Levi Yitzchak writes, “Begin putting on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin, for the rest of your life IY”H.”

In the early years of the nesius, wearing Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin was generally reserved for a certain age and sometimes subject to conditions. Since it requires a higher standard of purity, people would ask the Rebbe whether they should begin wearing them.

If the questioners were already getting married, the Rebbe would strongly encourage them to start. For bochurim, usually around eighteen, the Rebbe sometimes gave immediate approval, but other times set conditions: “…If you are careful in tevilas ezra and study Chassidus every day…” (Igros Kodesh vol. 8 p. 36.) and sometimes, the Rebbe withheld approval: “Regarding your question about putting on Rabbeinu Tam – for now you should be careful to be mindful while wearing Rashi’s tefillin.” (Igros Kodesh vol. 7 p. 31)

In one letter regarding donning it after marriage, the Rebbe writes: “I was shocked by what you wrote about Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin – because, today, Chassidei Chabad have accepted it upon themselves as an obligation after marriage.” (Igros Kodesh vol. 30, p. 229)

As time went on, most received approval at eighteen. In a long handwritten footnote, the Rebbe writes that the Zohar seems to pasken quite clearly that Rabbeinu Tam is an obligation, and adds, “It’s a big question why the prevailing custom – even among anash – is to begin putting on Rabbeinu Tam’s long after the bar mitzvah, usually after marriage.”

At the Purim farbrengen of 5736 – fifty years ago – the Rebbe made a historic announcement: everyone should begin putting on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin from the bar mitzvah. (Only years later, at the farbrengen of Shabbos Va’eschanan 5749, did the Rebbe add that they should be put on from the hanachas tefillin.)

The Rebbe explained that this was in response to “the question of many” who had asked whether they should put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin. The Rebbe declared, “It is my definitive opinion that it is now the time to put on two pairs of tefillin… This is the answer to those who have asked in the past, and those who will ask in the future – everyone who wishes to do so should put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin.”

The Rebbe quoted the Arizal – “a posek accepted by both Chassidim and the so-called misnagdim” – who writes that Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin is an obligation, “although for several reasons this wasn’t revealed and publicized.”

The Rebbe emphasized that this instruction should not remain in 770 only: “…This should be transmitted to everyone who is listening through the machshirim [‘the machines,’ i.e., the hookup], and they will certainly pass it along to everyone else… One doesn’t have to wait until he is eighteen or until his wedding.”

At that farbrengen and in later farbrengens, the Rebbe explained why the time had come for every individual to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin.

“Since we are living in the footsteps of Moshiach, putting on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin – associated in Kabbalah with a level connected to Moshiach – is no longer merely a minhag observed by mekubalim at a higher spiritual level, but an obligation for every individual.”

The Rebbe added that since we are in the darkest moments of galus, when the plans of Haman are stronger than ever, tefillin is what protects us. As the Torah says, “And all the nations of the earth shall see that the name of Hashem is proclaimed over you and they shall stand in fear of you.” By wearing Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin in addition to Rashi’s, this protection is strengthened.

Furthermore, the Rebbe explained that today’s generation is steeped in secular studies and ideas, which block the mind from serving Hashem. Therefore, greater avoda with our intellect is required, and this is accomplished through tefillin.

The Rebbe’s campaign to wear Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin was not limited to Lubavitcher chassidim. The Rebbe would sometimes address roshei yeshivos and other leaders, urging them to encourage their students and followers to adopt the practice.

In fact, the Rebbe personally assisted the famed posek Rabbi Moshe Feinstein in obtaining his own pair of Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin, personally instructing a sofer to write them exactly to Rabbi Feinstein’s specifications, who was very grateful to the Rebbe.

On the other hand, the Rebbe addressed those who were hesitant to encourage others to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin:

“I once asked a rosh yeshiva why he doesn’t encourage his students to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s. He told me, ‘If I do so, the students will respond: …What happened all of a sudden that you’re saying we should put on Rabbeinu Tam’s?’ And the main thing is – the smirk that they’ll say it with… He’s afraid to tell them to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s because of the crinkle they’ll make with their nose!”

The Rebbe emphasized that it is especially crucial for people whose roles demand yiras Shamayim, such as a rav, mashgiach, or mashpia.

“Some people might be humble and claim that they don’t have the necessary yiras Shamayim,” the Rebbe said at the farbrengen of Shabbos Pekudei 5741, “but if your vocation necessitates yiras Shamayim, how can you not put on Rabbeinu Tam’s?! This applies equally to Chassidim and non-Chassidim.”

The Rebbe also explained why past generations of rabbonim often did not wear Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin: “Rabbonim couldn’t afford to purchase a second pair of tefillin, and they therefore toiled to find a heter to absolve themselves.”

Today, however, the Rebbe pointed out, there is no excuse: “Instead of buying a modern car – a car from last year made with expensive metals – buy a mid-range, nice car, and with the hundred dollars you saved, buy a pair of Rabbeinu Tam’s lehavdil!”

Not everyone was thrilled with the Rebbe’s campaign. Some argued that they would continue to follow the custom of their parents, who didn’t wear Rabbeinu Tam’s.

“Minhag avoseinu biyadeinu, they say,” the Rebbe said at the same farbrengen. “He didn’t see his father wearing Rabbeinu Tam’s, nor his grandfather, and not even his great-grandfather! But avoseinu didn’t own a car! Avoseinu didn’t read the paper! Avoseinu didn’t run around taking pictures and putting those pictures into multiple newspapers! But when it comes to putting on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin, he suddenly screams minhag avoseinu biyadeinu!”

At another farbrengen the following year (Shabbos Miketz 5742), the Rebbe commented about those who were reluctant to put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin: “Your grandfather had a full beard; your grandfather had steady times for learning; and he didn’t even imagine looking at non-tzniusdike things… but suddenly here you scream minhag avoseinu biyadeinu!”

In a letter to someone who had fallen ill after buying Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin, the Rebbe wrote: “Certainly you are aware I have requested many times that now, in the times before Moshiach, every single person (from bar mitzvah on) should put on Rabbeinu Tam’s tefillin. (Many Sefardim have been doing this for many generations.)”

Much thanks to A Chassidishe Derher, whose article helped inform this piece.