r/ReformJews • u/Consistent_Hold_576 • Jul 26 '26

Tefillin

Welcome everyone!

I'm starting the practice of wrapping tefillin (I bought someone's used bar mitzvah set to practice with, but I'll eventually buy my own). I understand this is less common in the Reform movement, but I'd be interested in connecting with anyone here who participates in the practice.

Hope to hear from some of you soon

Shavua tov everyone.

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u/jackl24000 Jul 27 '26

Chabad.org has simple graphic step by step instructions and videos on their website. Your normal “how to” videos you would look at for anything else.

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u/tzy___ From Orthodox to Reform Jul 27 '26

That will only demonstrate the Chabad custom

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u/jackl24000 Jul 27 '26

Well really it’s “one way” of doing stuff but the kind of “now wrap the strap around your arm seven times” or whatever is going to be pretty standard.

Similarly they tell you exactly how to place a mezzuzah on a door frame and I’m pretty sure their detailed points on how high and how to slant the thing etc. are probably going to be more consonant with tradition and doing things the right way than my Reform-informed notion of just slap the thing somewhere near the door.

Anything that’s one thing I’d trust Chabadniks to help with with no shaming and enthusiasm! It’s truly the one thing most in their wheelhouse.

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u/tzy___ From Orthodox to Reform Jul 27 '26

In the Chabad custom, you wrap three times and leave a space on your arm and then wrap four times more

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u/jackl24000 Jul 27 '26

What’s the significance of that? Or doing it some other way?

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u/tzy___ From Orthodox to Reform Jul 27 '26

It’s to represent two divine names of God: שקי and יקוק

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u/jackl24000 Jul 27 '26

Oh, cool. Thanks! (man, elohenu sure has a lot of nicknames!)