Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2019 July 15

= July 15 =

Blackening of Tefillin straps
I would be grateful if a user could please let me know whether it is permitted to use a fruit which is Orlah as one of the ingredients when making the blackening material for Tefillin straps. Thank you. Simonschaim (talk) 04:18, 15 July 2019 (UTC)
 * If you read Orlah it states that dyes or dyed products are also included in the prohibition. "it is permitted" depends on whether you follow these rules. If you do then the dyed product is not permitted in Israel. Outside Israel it may or may not be allowed depending on the rules you choose. Anyway, trees under 3 years old will probably not be useful as they are quite small. The scripture about Tefillin indicates that the words of God should be in and on you. It does not mention anything about the material or the colour of the material. So for your purpose you could go by tradition and ask your teacher, or show some imagination and do something different, eg microSD card. For myself I think that we should be sealed by the Holy Spirit, and have the word of God in heart and on hand (which means scripture in the smart phone). Graeme Bartlett (talk) 08:07, 15 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Odd question. "Permitted" implies lchatchila, which at first view it seems cannot be the case. And the chances of anyone doing this bdieved (and realising it) are beyond miniscule. Which only really leaves the option that you already know that this is covered by an obscure aspect of halacha (probably a machloket rishonim anyway) which begs the question of why you'd bother asking such a question on a generalist website in the first place. Whether this question is practical or theoretical, take Graeme's advice and ask your rov. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 12:43, 15 July 2019 (UTC)