Page 94 - RMBA Upper School Haggadah 2018

Before we le Israel we asked our Rabbi how many days we should celebrate the Chagim. He
told us that since we are sent by State of Israel and, please God, we intend to return to Israel,
therefore we can celebrate the Chagim like in Israel, meaning only one day. This is the decision
of Rav Dovid Stav and Rabbi Shlomo Goren.
I conclude that in my point of view, it is another good reason (and I have many more) to live in
Israel permanently.
Wearing Tefillin On Chol HaMoed - Ariel Diner (8th Grade)
Pu ng on Tefillin symbolizes a close rela onship between us and Hashem. We wrap the Tefillin
seven mes on our wrist. You also wrap them on your hand in a way to make it spell
Shin-Daled-Yud which means Hashem.
Why do some have a well known custom of not wearing Tefillin on during Chol Hamoed? In
Chapter 31, Pasuk 13 of Sefer Shemot it says, “Only keep My Sabbaths! For it is a sign between
Me and you for your genera ons.” This pasuk means that there is already a connec on between
you and Hashem so it is irrelevant to don Tefillin on Shabbat.
Is Chol HaMoed on the same level as Shabbat? Like Shabbat, we don’t do busy work. We add
many different prayers to davening and we read the Torah. These ac ons indicate that Chol
Hamoed is at the same level as Shabbat, which means Tefillin is not required.
However, there are aspects of Chol HaMoed that resemble a regular work week, such as being
allowed to cook, drive, and use electronics, etc... In that respect, some authori es hold that
Tefillin should be worn on Chol HaMoed as well. The Vilna Gaon rules that Tefiilin should be
worn, but a bracha should not be recited.
At the end of the day many people do not put Tefillin on during Chol HaMoed. Some people do
but only put it on up to Hallel. Whether or not your family custom is to put on Tefillin on Chol
HaMoed, you should try to be connected to Hashem during this especially holy me of the year.
Wearing Tefillin on Chol HaMoed - Ohad Tessler (9th Grade)
Tefillin is essen ally supposed to be worn every ‫יום חול‬, but all of a sudden on Chol HaMoed, we
are not supposed to. The Mishna says “one may not write a contract during Chol HaMoed.
Rabbi Yehuda says that one may write Tefillin and Mezuzahs for oneself (on Chol HaMoed).”
There is a prohibi on on Chol HaMoed to do any sort of Melacha. One of the major ones is to
write. Rashi explains that when Rabbi Yehuda permits wri ng Tefillin and Mezuzahs for oneself,
it is permi ed in order to use Tefillin on Chol HaMoed itself. Conversely, the Mishna is
permi ng wri ng Tefillin or Mezuzahs in order to sell them. Thus, it is apparent that Rashi holds
that one must wear Tefillin during Chol HaMoed and that is what the Mishna is teaching. The
Shulchan Aruch explains that one is exempt from Tefillin on Chol HaMoed because like Shabbos
and Yom Tov, Chol HaMoed has an “‫ ”עשה‬element to it.

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