I was told that in one of the sections of the Maseches Shabbos there is a description of the proper way to wrap tefillin after removing them and putting them away. I do not remember where that is described. Can you direct me to that?
Justin Cohen, Denver, Colorado, USA
The source is a Ritva in Shabbos 49a. The Gemara relates that Elisha Ba'al Kenafayim referred to his Tefilin Shel Rosh as "wings of a dove". It is for this reason, writes the Ritva, that we wrap our Shel Rosh in a manner that the straps are wound on either side, like birds' wings.
Regarding the Shel Yad, he reports different customs. Some wound it the same way, while others wound it like a "Yud", since the Shel Yad contains a knot made with the appearance of a Yud. (This presumably means that it was wound into a tight circle.)
Best wishes
M. KORNFELD
THE STORY OF ELISHA BAAL KENAFAYIM IS AN INTERESTING ONE. AT THE TIME OF THE GEZEIRAH ELISHA PUTS HIS TEFILLIN ON, THEN HE TAKES THEM OFF WHEN CONFRONTED. I HEARD A PESHAT, THAT WHEN CONFRONTED HE FELT THE FRIGHT CAUSED RESULTED IN HIS BODY NO LONGER BEING CLEAN, THAT IS WHY HE TOOK THE TEFILLIN OFF.
HE THEN REFERS TO THE DOVE. THE MIDRASH SAYS THAT THE DOVE IS DIFFERENT TO ALL OTHER BIRDS, THE DOVE FLIES WITH ONE WING WHEN TIRED, WHILE RESTING THE OTHER WING, AS OPPOSED TO OTHER BIRDS WHO STOP ALTOGETHER. THIS COMPARES TO ELISHA, WHILE HE FULFILLED THE MAIN MITZVA OF TEFILLIN ONCE A DAY, HE FELT LATER ON THAT IT WAS SUITABLE TO REST THIS MITZVA.
IT ALSO SYMBOLISES YISROEL. WHILE WE SERVE HASHEM ALL DAY, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN OUR WORK COMMITMENTS GET IN THE WAY OF OUR TORAH STUDY. ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT LEARNING, OUR MINDSET REMAINS ONE OF AVODAS HASHEM. THIS COMPARES TO THE DOVE, WHILE WE FLY WE MAY REST, BUT WHILE WE ARE RESTING ONE PART OF OUR AVODA WE ARE STILL FLYING THROUGH OUR ATTITUDE OF AVODAS HASHEM IN THE OTHER.
BEST REGARDS
FROM A SEFER ON AGADATA ON SHABBOS
YCD