In today’s day and age, virtually every kosher product available to the consumer comes with a hechsher. By hechsher, I mean an official and recognised rabbinical body or agency that certifies the kashrus of a product, be it a food item or a religious article. Hechsherim play a vital role in providing consumer confidence, and something branded by a reputable kashrus agency will be considered more legitimate than a similar product that does not. The agency has rigid policies and protocols in place to ensure correct standards are met, and they are independent of the manufacturer so that there is no conflict of interest. As we have discussed on this forum previously, there is a distinct lack of official hechsherim on Sta”m products - Tefillin, Mezuzos and Sifrei Torah. Even the Vaad Mishmeres Sta”m, the oldest and most well- known rabbinic agency in the Sta”m world does not certify products. They test and ordain sofrim and magihim (examiners), offer a computer checking service (sp...
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ReplyDeleteAnd according to minhag haolam? (i.e. average Ashkenazi customer)?
ReplyDeleteAnd is a magiha obligated to check for this in a random tefillin examination by poking and prodding and potentially ruiniung ribuah???
(Not saying it shouldnt be done - I do it plenty. But is it obligatory? Late Rabbi Zirkind for instance said not, in a personal phone call with one of the major poskim in Chabad who called him in my presence. The Posek's opinion was not to as well).
M"B holds that glue in bottom third is advisable if it will hold ribua better.
ReplyDeleteTZanz is very Mach mir but he also hold tat if it spreads then the אויר is not מצטרף.
ReplyDeleteThe rov prudos batim marketed by the various batim makers under hechser are sold as mehudar.
ReplyDeleteAnyone checking tefillin must be familiar with the signs of false charitzim and check when there's a chashash.However, to check in general is risky as the ribua can be affected. Also, if one intends to do so he needs to inform the customer of the risk and also that the nice paint finish will be affected.