Q&A: The Raavad and Shimusha Rabba
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
The Raavad and Shimusha Rabba
Question
Does putting on tefillin according to the view of the Raavad and Shimusha Rabba require a high spiritual level, or can anyone do it?
Answer
Nothing requires any particular spiritual level. Jewish law is addressed to all human beings.
Rabbi Yitzhak Ben Yosef from the Yeshiva website writes as follows: Many people put on Rashi and Rabbenu Tam tefillin, but are not worthy of doing so, because they are not careful in commandments between a person and God and between a person and his fellow.
As I understand it, one needs to maintain purity of thought for the 10 minutes of putting them on, plus the passage “Sanctify to Me.” It is possible to maintain purity of thought. And perhaps this also applies regarding these two types of tefillin. What about what was written, that someone who puts on Rabbenu Tam tefillin sins through arrogance? It was also written that it is good to put on Rabbenu Tam at least once in a lifetime.