It is important that you read the following information before sending us your Tefillin or Mezuzahs for inspection. To quit reading this information, just scroll to the bottom of the page.
Mezuzahs are required to be checked twice in seven years to make sure they were not invalidated. Tefillin should preferably be checked twice in seven years as well. To find out what can go wrong, why this is necessary, plus a wealth of information on this topic, please read The necessity of inspection.
Rabbi Lindner has found many problems in Tefillin / Mezuzahs / Sifrei Torah, that have already been checked and overlooked by other Sofrim, sometimes many times before. Read The Archives to see many shocking mistakes & problems that were revealed just recently, upon examination.
You can drop them off at 14 Aselin Drive in Spring Valley before 12:00 noon and you can usually have them back the same day. Calling before coming is strongly recommended. If for any reason your Tefillin can not be ready the same day, you can be provided with a loaner until yours are ready. If you would like to send them by mail, whether domestically or internationally, send them to the above address, which is 14 Aselin Drive Spring Valley New York 10977. Please make sure they are sent via registerd mail. We do encourage shipping your items with insurance. Rabbi Lindner will check them personally and send them back as soon as possible. Please leave your contact information so we can reach you in case of any problem with your Tefillin & Mezuzahs.
If you would like to schedule a House Call, please contact us.
Please note that each Tefillin & Mezuzah will be checked twice. This is necessary in order for them to pass a thorough inspection, including checking for many details which most Sofrim do not check for. To find out why this is important, please read What you should know.
A Note About Mezuzahs:
While removing Mezuzahs to have them checked, a notation should preferably be made from which doors they have been removed. Certain doorways have an obligation to place a Mezuzah onto them Min Hatorah, while certain doors do not (this will be explained in another link on this site). Therefore, preferably a Mezuzah affixed on a door with a greater obligation, should not be moved to a minor obligation. Another reason is, to take into account the Poskim who are of the opinion that a new Bracha is necessary by changing the Mezuzahs.
Besides, it’s more practical. Usually not all Mezuzahs are of the same size. By mixing them up, new holes will have to be made in the wall. Another reason - often when there is a problem with one of the Mezuzahs, people want to know where it came from. Obviously, without noting its location while removing them, there is no way to know.
If you're removing Mezuzahs that were affixed with nails, just take a flat screwdriver, and slowly wedge a gap between the Mezuzah case and the wall, and it should usually come off easily. If you have a hard time removing the whole nail due to the fact that it's very long, a plyer will usually help. If they were affixed with screws, obviously a screwdriver or drill should be used. If they were affixed with double sided tape, you can just rip it off the wall, and we will replace the tape on your cases. If it's stuck really strong, use the above method as suggested by nails.
A Bracha should be recited when re-affixing the Mezuzahs after examination. Only one Bracha is required on the first Mezuzah affixed, and the others should be affixed thereafter without interruption. If the Mezuzahs are replaced the same day it was removed, it is generally accepted that a new Bracha is not required. As long as the sun did not actually rise the next morning from when they were removed, it is accepted by many Poskim that a new bracha is not required. However, if a Mezuzah was found to be posul, then a Bracha is certainly required on the new Mezuzah. (Attention should be paid whether this doorway was a definite obligation to begin with. As stated before, this issue will be discussed seperately. If you have any questions regarding this issue, or about the issue of how to affix Mezuzahs in general, please contact us.)
While replacing the Mezuzahs, it is very important to make sure that the Mezuzah is not placed in the holder upside down, as we have encountered many times. We have also seen Mezuzahs removed to have them checked, while discovering the interior - empty! - with the owner wondering where it disappeared to
If you send us Mezuzahs, send them with the cases, and we will return them to their proper cases, wrapped properly. You can now select what you would like to have checked - just scroll to the bottom of the page.
A Note About Tefillin:
Tefillin are closed by sewing the Batim together with Gidin which are the sinews of a Kosher animal. However, by closing them up this way, a crack is visible on the Titura (bottom part) of the Batim. This crack is no problem whatsoever. However, many people prefer in addition to the sewing, to have the Batim sealed shut, so as not to have the opening crack visible (this is called a Segira). This sealing process is purely optional.
When new Tefillin are purchased, the Batim are always sealed shut nicely. After a while this crack might start opening slightly on its own. This is no cause for alarm. This is actually a good sign. It shows that the minimum amount of glue was used to seal them, and the Sofer who will check them next, will not have a hard time opening them.
Keep in mind that no two Batim open exactly the same way. Some will open leaving only a slight neat crack, while others will open with a much larger gap. It all depends on how it was sealed the previous time. In any case, if you decide not to have your Batim sealed, and upon examination, you are not happy with how they look, you can always have them sealed later on. This has nothing to do with the actual Tefillin-check.
If you send us Tefillin, send them with the cases, and with the Tefillin bag. You can now select what you would like to have checked - just scroll to the bottom of the page.
If we find any problem with your Tefillin or Mezuzahs, we will notify you as soon as possible. Please send your name, address, and phone number printed clearly, so that we can contact you.
