Kaddish between putting on the hand tefillin and the head tefillin
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Question
What should I do when I hear Kaddish between putting on the hand tefillin and the head tefillin?
Answer
It is forbidden to interrupt between putting on the hand tefillin and the head tefillin for two reasons. The first reason is that the verse states, "And they shall be for you as a sign on your hand and as a remembrance between your eyes," implying they should be adjacent to each other. The second reason is that it causes an unnecessary blessing. Even for a mitzvah such as Kaddish or Kedusha, one should not interrupt. One should listen from another and intend to fulfill. It is proper to signal to his friend to intend to fulfill for him.
If he interrupted, for those who customarily bless only "to put on," he should bless again "to put on" for the head. For those who customarily bless on the hand "to put on," and on the head "for the mitzvah," he should bless both blessings on the head.
If he interrupted, for those who customarily bless only "to put on," he should bless again "to put on" for the head. For those who customarily bless on the hand "to put on," and on the head "for the mitzvah," he should bless both blessings on the head.
Source
Talmud, Menachot, page 36a: "It was taught: If one spoke between the tefillin, it is a sin in his hand, and he returns from the ranks of war."
This is also ruled in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 25, Paragraph 9: "It is forbidden to interrupt with speech between the hand tefillin and the head tefillin. If he interrupted, he blesses on the head: for the mitzvah of tefillin. Rema: and for us who customarily bless two blessings, even if he did not interrupt, he must bless again on the head to put on and for the mitzvah."
Shulchan Aruch also writes in Paragraph 10: "If he spoke for the needs of the tefillin, he does not return and bless. If he heard Kaddish or Kedusha between the hand tefillin and the head tefillin, he should not interrupt to respond with them but should remain silent, listen, and intend to what they say."
The opinion of our teacher, the Rabbi, is that it is proper for his friend to intend to fulfill for him, as we find regarding one who is in the middle of the Amidah prayer and cannot hear the Kedusha from the shaliach tzibur, that he should intend to hear from his friend, and it is preferable that his friend intends to fulfill for him.
This is also ruled in Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Siman 25, Paragraph 9: "It is forbidden to interrupt with speech between the hand tefillin and the head tefillin. If he interrupted, he blesses on the head: for the mitzvah of tefillin. Rema: and for us who customarily bless two blessings, even if he did not interrupt, he must bless again on the head to put on and for the mitzvah."
Shulchan Aruch also writes in Paragraph 10: "If he spoke for the needs of the tefillin, he does not return and bless. If he heard Kaddish or Kedusha between the hand tefillin and the head tefillin, he should not interrupt to respond with them but should remain silent, listen, and intend to what they say."
The opinion of our teacher, the Rabbi, is that it is proper for his friend to intend to fulfill for him, as we find regarding one who is in the middle of the Amidah prayer and cannot hear the Kedusha from the shaliach tzibur, that he should intend to hear from his friend, and it is preferable that his friend intends to fulfill for him.
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