Tefillin and Mezuzah Checking

Mezuzah Tefillin Computer Checking

How often do I need to have my Mezuzos and Tefillin checked?

In Shulchan Aruch, it says: Mezuzos need to be checked twice every seven years and Tefillin which are used daily, as long as the Batim look Kosher from the outside you can assume that the inside/Parshios are fine, for Tefillin have a chazaka that if they were put in Kosher they will remain Kosher forever.

Q. Why is this?
Why does the Mezuzah need to be checked at least twice every seven years but the Tefillin don’t?

A. Years ago they didn’t have sturdy plastic waterproof Mezuzah covers like we have today. As a matter of fact, one of my teachers who is from Casablanca Morocco once mentioned to me that when he was a child he remembered the Mezuzos in his home were hung on the doorways with only a piece of cloth hanging over to protect them.

So maybe that would be a good reason why the Mezuzos have to be checked more often than Tefillin for the Batim of the Tefillin are sturdy and therefore very protective, so if anything were to get ruined the Batim would be the first to go while the parchment inside would be fine for example if the Tefillin were in the heat for an extended period of time, the Batim would warp indicating a problem requiring a checking of the actual Parshios, but if the Batim are fine one can assume the Parshios are fine as well.

The truth is lets flip the Halacha around, who says this implies that the Tefillin need to be checked less often than Mezuzos? It can quite possibly mean that they need to be checked even more often  because the Batim are not just a cover for the Parshios like a plastic cover is to a Mezuzah they are an essential part of the Mitzvah there are many detailed halachos in regards to the Batim they need to be exactly square and black and so on….

As well it is very possible to have wear and tear on the Batim even in a short period of time. For example during the summer it is very common to sweat while wearing the Tefillin which can cause the Tefillin to warp, or  forgetting your Tefillin in the car in the heat of the day, these are things that cannot happen to Mezuzos. As well  the fact that we take our Tefillin with us where ever we go sometimes they get banged around unintentionally.

The truth is both Mezuzos and Tefillin, if you suspect something is amiss, like if water splashed on them or they were placed in a sunny spot… they need to be checked as soon as possible.
Unknown to many the Kitzur Shulcan Aruch Says that optimally Tefillin and Mezuzos should be checked on a yearly basis During the Month of Elul. I recently checked a pair of Tefillin and found that one of the Parshios had been mistakenly inserted upside down which is invalid according to many opinions. Luckily this person gets his Tefillin checked yearly, if not he could have gone years without fulfilling the Mitzvah.  As well during the course of a year it is possible that letters have faded or cracked.

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are the most important days in the Jewish persons life and everyone wants to be inscribed and sealed for a good year.  How is this accomplished? Chazal tell us do Teshuva and Hashem will forgive you. That is why the month of Elul (the month preceding Rosh Hashana) in known as the month of repentance/Teshuva.
Chazal also promise us that if we fulfill the Mitzvos of Tefillin and Mezuzos properly we will not come to sin, obviously it’s not that simple, you need your own effort too, however once our Mezuzos and Tefillin are examined and ascertained to be Kosher there is extra Strength from Hashem to help us in our Avodah. That is why the first step in Teshuvah is to have your Tefillin and Mezuzos examined.

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In addition to a Sofers examination, we strongly recommended you to have computer checking done as well.

Although examiners do the best they can, humans can make mistakes that the computer can catch. However, it is not a substitute for the manual examination, for although the computer can successfully catch missing and substituted letters, it can not determine whether letters with a problematic shape are Kosher or not, or do the actual repairs if necessary. This can only be accomplished through a meticulous manual examination by a qualified Sofer.
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The cost for a computer examination is minimal and a one time expense. If you have never had your Teffilin or Mezuzos computer checked, it is advisable to do so the next time you have them examined.