Last week I posted some thoughts in response to a public lecture given by Rabbi Reuvain Mendlowitz regarding Ksav Chabad (the Alter Rebbe's ksav). I felt he did not represent the issue fairly, and since I had received questions about it from a number of people I felt it made sense to write a general response. After I posted my response on this forum, Rabbi Mendlowitz reached out to me by email and we ended up having a respectful and productive email exchange regarding the relevant issues surrounding Ksav Chabad. His position is a lot clearer to me now, and I think he also took certain things on board that I clarified with him. The purpose of the Stam Forum (at least back in it's heyday before all the whats app groups took over) was to connect sofrim from around the world, to promote achdus and build bridges, as well as to offer support and advice. In that spirit, I felt I should write a follow up post, to clarify some of the issues and misconception...
maybe a simple presentation: the correct way putting on tefilin - where exactly on the arm and head, how and when to recite the bracha/s, the cavana and meaning of tfilin opposite one's heart and mind as explained in SA OC 25:5
ReplyDeleteTo piggy back on R Moshe: you can point out to then all of the "cool" symbolisms: the 3 headed vs. 4 headed Shin - Avos and Imahos. The twelve stiches - Shevatim. Saaros - kapara on chet ho'eigel. Another interesting fact which many people don't know: the tfillin don't need to be a square. Rather, they need to be square at any given point. Or the fact that me'ikkar hadin the battim don't need to be black.
DeleteI find that these "unknowns" are very intriguing to folks.
Thanks for the ideas.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how much time you have or if you have a budget but a recent activity that worked very well was buying the pieces of pshutim mehudarim tefillin and having the kids assemble and glue them together.
ReplyDeletecost was about $7 per set of batim plus glue and spray paint.
it keeps them busy for about 40 minutes
works well with teenage boys