Several letters were released by various authorities in recent days noting that retzuos made with a layer of plastic and a layer of leather are not kosher for tefillin.
This psak, issued by the Beis Din Tzedek of Bnei Brak headed by HaRav Nissim Karelitz, was signed by Maran the Rosh Yeshiva HaRav AYL Shteinman, HaRav Nissim Karelitz, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein.
In addition the psak was signed by the dayanim, HaRav S Rosenberg, HaRav S Rosenblat, HaRav Y Silman, HaRav M M Shafran, HaRav M S Stern, HaRav Y Berger and HaRav M M Lubin. Also signing were the Rov of Zichron Meir HaRav C M Wosner, HaRav M S Klein, HaRav Y M Stern, and HaRav S Z Ulman.
The Badatz of the Eida Chareidis in Yerushalayim also met over the issue and issued a letter entitled "Hosiru Michshol MiDerech Ami." Signed on it were the Ravad HaRav M Shternbuch and other members of the Badatz.
Letters were also published by HaRav Nosson Kopschitz of Beit Shemesh and by HaRav Mordechai Friedlander the head of Mishmeres Stam. A letter was also issued by the senior sofer of the generation, HaRav Menachem Davidowitz. He noted that such straps are just like simple straps and have no kedushoh.
The topic of tefillin straps encompasses the manufacture and marketing thereof to an enormous extent, the sale of which took place throughout Eretz Yisroel and in many other countries in the world. From the many calls addressed to the Yated Ne'eman columnist, it seems that most Jews do unwittingly purchase and use such unkosher bonded leather tefillin straps. It is apparent that a large segment of even chareidi Jews have bought and used these straps, including Jews from communities across the board, especially the masses, and they have unsuspectingly been caused to stumble in fulfilling their tefillin obligation.
It is the unanimous consensus among gedolei Yisroel and foremost dayonim and rabbonim involved in tefillin making that these bonded leather tefillin straps are completely invalid. Yated Ne'eman continues to consider this issue as being of top priority in order to warn and to remove all stumbling blocks applying to the general public, as has been established by the founders of the newspaper upon its inception, the late HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Kanievsky, HaRav Eliezer Mann Shach, HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv and the present day gedolim, HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman and HaRav Chaim Kanievsky.
This applies to straps being manufactured in the Ukraine. We have received reliable information that the market is being flooded with invalid tefillin straps. The suspicion, after investigation, exposed the fact that tefillin straps, even those marketed as handmade and mehudar, were made of bonded leather. Used in various capacities to give a leather look at a cheaper price, these straps are made from poor grade leather with two layers: the under one of reconstituted leather and the top of synthetic material bonded to it either by glue and through heat. According to consensus opinion of the major halachic authorities, these are absolutely posul!
Even though from the very initial inspection it was apparent that the straps were of this bonded kind, we found it necessary to submit them for an authorized examination through the laboratories of the Textile and Paper Institute of the Israeli Standards Institute. Two closed packaged samples were submitted from the Retzuot Malchut company, one labeled "Hand Crafted Retzuos" and the other "Upper Leather Machine Made Retzuot". The results of the examination showed that both samples were made from bonded leather.
