Last Sunday, the Elizabeth community had the opportunity to check a myriad of Tefillin issues, Free of Charge to each participant. Adath Israel of the JEC, under the leadership of Rabbi Yehonasan Schwartz, were the hosts of the internationally acclaimed Tefillin Awareness Project, also known as Hanacha K’Halacha. Rabbi Elazar Mayer Teitz participated at this wonderful occasion. Yeshiva Be’er Yitzchok, with its Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Avrohom Shulman and Rabbi Yisroel Mayer Glustein were excited to join the special program as well.

Beautifully draped tables are manned by expert Sofrim, who check and correct the following issues. Placement of Batim, Re’buah (squareness), Retzuous (straps), Tefiros (stitching), Kesharim (knots) and more. Each of above mentioned items are “Halacha L’Moshe M’Sinai,” and since men wear their Tefillin approximately 300 times annually, they surely want to be sure that everything about their Tefillin is 100% correct according to Halacha. The director of the program pointed out that many other mitzvos like Succah, Shofar, Esrog and Matzah on Pesach are Biblical mitzvos performed once annually.

This program follows 275 previous, in all communities nationwide, including Toronto. Endorsed by leading Roshei Yeshiva like HaRav Shmuel Kamenetsky shlita and HaRav Yisroel Belsky shlita, the sponsored program continues to forge ahead, helping the Klal perform this very crucial mitzvah in the best possible way. Yeshiva Ketana of Queens and The Cheder will be hosting the program in the next week. To learn more about this incredible chesed project, please email [email protected] or call 718-377-6735.

By Avrohom Schacter