Since the Gaonic times (between the sixth and eleventh century) there has been a variety of opinions regarding how the four passages from the Bible that are placed in Tefillin should be arranged. This is the basis of the reason that a number of Jewish people will don two pairs of Tefillin.
In the Tefillin box placed on the arm the Biblical passages are written on one parchment scroll and in the Tefillin box that is placed on the head each passage is placed in it's own compartment. The passages are from Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. All four passages speak of the obligation to wear Tefillin.
The Talmud says that the first two of the aforementioned passages should be placed to the right of the individual, opposite the wearer of Tefillin whereas the other two should be placed to the left. It continues, saying that if the passages are placed in the wrong order this invalidates the Tefillin!
The problem arises in the way that this Talmudic passage is interpreted. There are those who claim that "to the left" starts from the centre of the Tefillin and extends to the left. This is the opinion of Rashi. Rashi's grandson, the Rabbeinu Tam disagreed and claims that "to the left" means starting from the very left side of the Tefillin and extending inwards.
The Shulchan Aruch takes the side of Rashi yet states that "all G-d fearing individuals" should have two pairs- on representing each opinion and should don both every day. Many Hassidim do so because according to the mystical teachings it is very important to do so because each set represents a different holy energy.
Interestingly, in Qumran, the place at which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, Tefillin were found that followed both schools of thought which just shows that this Halakhic debate goes back to ancient times.
Another interesting tidbit is that it is possible to differentiate between Tefillin that go according to Rashi's opinion and Tefillin that go according to Rabbeinu Tam's opinion. How so? There are protruding calves' hairs on both kinds of Tefillin which stick out of the Tefillin that are bound to the head. On Rashi Tefillin these hairs protrude on the line between the first and second sections whereas on Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin these hairs protrude on the line between the second and third sections.
In the Tefillin box placed on the arm the Biblical passages are written on one parchment scroll and in the Tefillin box that is placed on the head each passage is placed in it's own compartment. The passages are from Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. All four passages speak of the obligation to wear Tefillin.
The Talmud says that the first two of the aforementioned passages should be placed to the right of the individual, opposite the wearer of Tefillin whereas the other two should be placed to the left. It continues, saying that if the passages are placed in the wrong order this invalidates the Tefillin!
The problem arises in the way that this Talmudic passage is interpreted. There are those who claim that "to the left" starts from the centre of the Tefillin and extends to the left. This is the opinion of Rashi. Rashi's grandson, the Rabbeinu Tam disagreed and claims that "to the left" means starting from the very left side of the Tefillin and extending inwards.
The Shulchan Aruch takes the side of Rashi yet states that "all G-d fearing individuals" should have two pairs- on representing each opinion and should don both every day. Many Hassidim do so because according to the mystical teachings it is very important to do so because each set represents a different holy energy.
Interestingly, in Qumran, the place at which the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, Tefillin were found that followed both schools of thought which just shows that this Halakhic debate goes back to ancient times.
Another interesting tidbit is that it is possible to differentiate between Tefillin that go according to Rashi's opinion and Tefillin that go according to Rabbeinu Tam's opinion. How so? There are protruding calves' hairs on both kinds of Tefillin which stick out of the Tefillin that are bound to the head. On Rashi Tefillin these hairs protrude on the line between the first and second sections whereas on Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin these hairs protrude on the line between the second and third sections.
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