Ask The Rabbi
December 24, 1993, Issue #4
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This edition contains:
1.	Why we don't wear tefillin all day long.
2.	Explanation of accessing the Ohr Somayach List Archives on the
	Jerusalem1 Gopher.
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A reader in New York writes:

>Dear Rabbi,
>
>I recently read in a renowned Jewish weekly, an explanation for
>why Tefillin are not worn all-day nowadays, even though the Mitzva of 
>wearing them is all day long. I read in the press that people began to 
>wear Tefillin so that they would be considered honest and trustworthy in 
>peoples' eyes. Some would take advantage of this trust to steal, cheat  
>and swindle. If this is so, why aren't other external signs of piety >also 
minimized in order to protect the innocent?
>
>			Truly yours

* * * * * *

Dear "Truly yours",

Your question is excellent.  You always have to be careful about what your 
read, even if it appears in well-known, respected newspapers.

The real reason that Tefillin are not worn all day today is for a different 
reason altogether!  It is because a person's body and mind must be "clean" 
(halachically speaking) while the Tefillin are on the person. See the 
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim, 37:2 and the commentaries there where this 
reason is clearly stated, and the necessary parameters are described.  This 
requirement of "cleanliness" is extremely difficult to fulfill, and 
therefore Tefillin should not be worn all day (with rare individual 
exceptions).

The source and story quoted in your newspaper do not constitute a 
halachically binding reason for not fulfilling the Mitzva throughout the 
day.  Rather, they teach us that one should be careful not to be convinced 
of a person's honesty and righteousness solely based on the fact that the 
person wears Tefillin (see Tosafot, Tractate Shabbat 49a, "K'Elisha...").  
This would indeed seem to equally apply to other external signs of piety, 
such as a headcovering, modest clothing, Mezuza-kissing, and the like.  
Trust is a factor of a person's inner nature which can best be measured 
according to the person's character traits.
 
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