The Shulchan Aruch writes that the custom is to not remove their Tefillin until after the Kedusha of Uva Letzion. The Beis Yosef, references an opinion that one should take off the Tefillin when saying the words הי רצון מלפניך שנשמור חוקיך ובמצותיך.
The reason for this practise is because of the practise of the community in Eretz Yisroel in the times of the Gemara who would recite a Bracha when removing their Tefillin that says אקב"ו לשמור חוקיו. Whilst we do not follow this opinion as Halacha, we can allude to the Bracha by removing when saying the similar words in Uva Letzion.
The Magen Avraham writes that because one has to be careful to maintain a “clean body” while wearing Tefillin, there are those who remove their Tefillin at the earliest opportunity. The Ram”o adds that according to Kabbalah, one should not remove their Tefillin until one has recited (heard) 3 Kedushos and 4 Kaddeishim while wearing Tefillin. This would mean that one only removes their Tefillin after the Kaddish Yasom recited after Aleinu.
The Acharonim write that there is a mistake in the Ram”o which should read that one removes their Tefillin after 3 Kadeishim and 4 Kedushos. The 4 Kedushos are Barchu, the Kedusha in the blessings before Shema, the Kedusha in the Amidah and the Kedusha of Uva Letzion. The 3 Kadeishim would be the half Kaddish before Barchu, the half Kaddish after the repetition of the Amidah and the Kaddish Shalem after Uva Letzion.
The Alter Rebbe writes that the Kabbalistic practice is to wait until after 3 Kaddeishim which would be the Kaddish after Uva Letzion. But he references the Ram”o as saying that one removes the Tefillin after Kaddish Yasom. Others record that the Kabbalistic practice is to hear 4 Kaddeishim but this includes the Kaddish before Hodu, which would also end after the Kaddish after Uva Letzion.
This calculation is based on Nusach Ashkenaz where Shir Shel Yom and the Kaddish afterwards is recited at the end of Davening. According to Nusach Sefard and Nusach Ari, Shir Shel Yom is recited after Uva Letzion, followed by Kaddish Yasom. Accordingly, the 4 Kaddeishim will conclude after the Kaddish following Shir Shel Yom – not after the Kaddish after Aleinu.
It is clear in all of these calculations, the Kaddish Sefer Torah has been returned to the Aron Kodesh. The Beis Yosef writes that this order is alluded to in the verse “and their king passed before them and Hashem at their head.” The king refers to the Sefer Torah and “Hashem on their head” alludes to Tefillin.
If one needs to remove their Tefillin Shel Rosh, they should turn away from the Sefer Torah or cover themselves with their Tallis. Even if one turns aside, they should not remove their Tefillin during Krias Hatorah as one is supposed to listen to the leining with full attention.
Even though a Kaddish is recited after Krias Hatorah, the Halacha does not count this as one of the Kaddeishim that one should hear before taking off their Tefillin. The Rebbe suggests that this is because the Kaddish after Krias Hatorah is not said as part of the Seder Hatefillah, but rather for the Krias Hatorah. The Kabbalistic practice refers to Kaddeishim of the Tefillah.
In the next edition we will discuss the customs of removing Tefillin on Rosh Chodesh. Recited before Pesukei Dezimra is not counted towards the 4 Kaddeishim. The Rebbe writes that it is not clear why this is so.
Quoting the Pri Megadim, the Mishna Berura writes that it is preferable to wait until after the Kaddish Yasom after Aleinu. The Ariza”l would remove his Tefillin after Al Kein Nekaveh. In a letter, the Rebbe writes that the most appropriate custom is to wait until after Ach Tzaddikim as recorded in Hayom Yom.
The Aruch Hashulchan records a custom of those who would remove the windings of the Tefillin Shel Yad from their finger and forearm when reciting the words יהי רצון מלפניך שנשמור חוקיך ובמצותיך in Uva Letzion to fulfil (in part) the custom recorded above. The Tefillin Shel Rosh would be removed after the Kaddeishim.
Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin
The Minchas Elozor writes that for those who wear Tefillin after Rabbeinu Tam after Tefillin of Rashi, the Kaddeishim and Kedushos said while wearing Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin can be counted. Based on this, many have the custom of removing the Tefillin of Rashi after the silent Shemoneh Esrei and then putting on Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin until the end of Davening.
The Pri Megadim writes against “the new practise of those who take off the Tefillin of Rashi after the Kedusha of Shemoneh Esrei”. He writes that this violates the Halacha in Orach Chaim 25:13. This implies that he requires all of the Kaddeishim to be heard while wearing Tefillin of Rashi.
He also writes that one is not allowed to occupy themselves with anything else during Chazoras Hashatz as they will be unable to have proper Kavanah to listen to the Brachos. He writes that he is not interested in their justifications!
The Acharonim warn that a person should likewise not take off their Tefillin during Kaddish because one has to listen to Kaddish with great Kavanah, as it is even holier than the Kedusha.
In Hayom Yom, the Rebbe writes that the Tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam are only put on after the conclusion of Davening. The Minchas Elozor writes that he personally followed this practice.
When there is Krias Hatorah
Even according to the Shulchan Aruch that one can remove their Tefillin after Uva Letzion, on a day of Krias Hatorah, one should wait until the Sefer Torah has been returned to the Aron Kodesh.
