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Hanacha K’halacha: Tefillin Awareness Project’s Largest Event Ever

Hanacha K’halacha: Tefillin Awareness Project’s Largest Event Ever

At 5:00 AM on a recent Sunday morning, R’Avrohom (Bumie) Schachter made his way to the massive Khal Shaarei Zion of Bobov Beis Medrash located at 15th Avenue and 48th Street in Boro Park.  As the founder of the Tefillin Awareness Project, also known as Hanacha K’halacha, he has visited an estimated 800 shuls over the past 15 years with a team of expert sofrim, raising awareness about the sacred mitzvah of tefillin.  But nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming number of people who took advantage of this program at the Bobov shul that morning.  Well over fifteen hundred bochurim, yungeleit, and balabatim of all ages had their tefillin checked throughout the morning, making it the biggest tefillin event ever.  

R’Avrohom is a man on a mission.  He founded the Tefillin Awareness Project in Adar of 2007 in an effort to ensure that people are performing the mitzvah according to halacha.  Over the years, he and a group of qualified and experienced sofrim visited shuls and yeshivas after shacharis minyanim on designated mornings to check and adjust the tefillin of the mispalelim.  They adjust the placement of the shel rosh, shel yad, both kesharim, the blackness, width and condition of the retzuos (straps), the tefiros (stitching), rebu’ah and more.  The service is free of charge for those who participate.  

Since its inception the program has visited hundreds of shuls across the tri-state area as well as in distant locations such as Cincinnati, Toronto, and Florida.  There’s even been a memorable event at the Yarchei Kallah in Yerushalayim.  Wherever he goes, people are grateful for the opportunity to learn whether their tefillin are halachically kosher and are being worn correctly.  

Many are shocked to discover that they have not been doing the mitzvah properly over the years.

At the Bobov event in particular, R’Avrohom says that among the crowd there were some who learned of serious issues with their tefillin that needed to be corrected.  

R’Avrohom is not surprised.  He says he’s seen it all.  “Don’t take it for granted that your tefillin are in tip-top shape,” he said.  “We found problems even by boys who are just post-Bar Mitzvah.  Sometimes the retzuos were off color.  Other times the tefillin needed major repairs.  These were ehrliche people who are trying to do the right thing.  Unfortunately, they were unaware of the details of the halachos.  Fortunately, we were able to help them.”

The Bobov event was especially inspiring.  “It was beautiful,” says R’Avrohom.  “Our team of ten sofrim started working at 6:30 AM and didn’t finish until 1:30 PM.  We had sofrim stationed at every section of the shul and people waited patiently for their turn.  All together, we serviced people after twenty one separate minyanim including the Rebbe’s minyan which included over five hundred mispallelim.  It was very special.”

Among the crowd there were many esteemed talmidei chachomim.  Yet even they can sometimes be unaware of some of the intricacies of the halachos.  That’s why it’s so important to have tefillin checked by an expert in the field who deals with tefillin issues on a regular basis.  They can recognize problems that may otherwise be overlooked.  

R’Avrohom says his sofrim have discovered issues in the tefillin of young bochurim as well as elderly Holocaust survivors who have been wearing tefillin for decades.  “It can happen to anybody,” he says.  

Towards the end of Sunday’s program at Bobov, R’Avrohom wished to take the opportunity to seek a bracha from the Rebbe.  

When the Rebbe, heard about the tremendous success of the program, he was delighted.  And when it came time to give a bracha to R’Avrohom, he simply said, “I should give this man a bracha?  He should be giving me a bracha!”  

For more information about TAP or to learn about dedication opportunities, call 646 776 2220 or email [email protected].


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