Wearing Tefillin on Chol haMoed / Minhag Frankfurt

I would like to know what is/was the minhag of Frankfurt regarding wearing of Tefillin on chol hamoed?

Thank You!

Felix

A few questions:

Was there an hakpodoh in Germany to at least keep the tefillin on for קריאת התורה on the day of leining קדש לי?

What is the proper procedure in Eretz Yisroel for tefillin on Chol Hamoed? Should the tefillin be put on at home before davening with kriy'as shema said in them? Should they be put on afterwards? May thay be put on בצנעא and worn during the davening covered with a sleeve or hat? What is the minhag in KAYJ?


Melech

Good Morning,

When is the proper time to take the tefillin off? After the silent Amidah? Before Hallel? Or even after the Kriah?

Thank You

Felix

I live in Israel. Do I put on Tefillin on Chol Hamoed? If yes, do I say the Brachot and when do I take it off? If the Shul I go to does not put tefillin on, do I put Tefillin on in private?

GBaum

You said you do not put it on in your synagogue as you have such a ruling from Rav Eliyashiv. Can I not follow his ruling?

GBaum

Do I still put on tefillin in private if I go to a synagogue that does not put it on?

GBaum

Wearing Tefillin is a Mitzvah Mid'oraisa. The question is whether this mitzvah applies also on Chol HaMoed (henceforth referred to as ChH). The Ramo (O"Ch 31:2) rules that one is obligated to don Tefillin on ChH. And so was the custom in all of Europe, for those following Minhag Ashkenaz, Minhag Polin, Minhag Ostreich, Minhag Lita, etc.
The Chassidim stopped wearing them for Kabbalistic reasons. Rav Leibele Eiger zt"l, a Chassidic Rebbe, stopped donning them but began again after he was rebuked for his behaviour by his grandfather Rav Akiva Eiger zt"l. Likewise, the Vilna Gaon ruled that one should not don them on ChH.
If one is in doubt as to what he should do, like any doubt regarding a Biblical commandment, one should put them on because of safeik d'oraisa l'chumrah. Only if one is sure that there is no mitzvah to don them on ChH, may one refrain from donning them.
Because the Sefaradim, who do not don Tefillin on ChH, were the predominant population when Eretz Yisroel began to be resettled in the modern era, all immigrants did not put on Tefillin in shul on ChH. However, many Rabbonim continued to do so in private. Rav Shach zt"l, who also put them on in private, mentioned to his talmidim that they should follow the Ramo as in everything else. Moreover, he remarked that even in Vilna, like the rest of Lithuania, everyone donned Tefillin with a Bracha on ChH. In Vilna, he said, in deference to the Vilna Gaon, they would put Tefillin on but would only recite the first blessing (which was the Vilna Gaon's custom all year). Many great Rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel today put on Tefillin on ChH in private. And at least one, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel, has a minyan of Tefillin wearers on ChH.
Because of the influx of Ashkenazic immigrants over the decades, the adage "Minhag Eretz Yisroel" has become inaccurate, allowing for communities to practice their own set of Minhagim. To that end, a number of minyanim have opened in Eretz Yisroel in which Tefillin is worn on ChH.

MPerlman