Special silver gift for DH. Why doesn't anyone do this?

DrMom

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:43 pm

They're nice, but if I were a tfillin-wearer, I'd worry about silver cases getting banged up. The cases are there to protect the leather battim, and I'd feel weird using something as expensive as silver as protective armor for my tfillin.

And it's another thing I'd have to polish.

Last edited by DrMom on Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:44 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Slategray

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:43 pm

My husband has silver tefillin boxes. I had never seen them before I saw his. I didn’t buy them for him though, so I don’t know where he got them.

amother

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:49 pm

amother [ Slategray ] wrote:

My husband has silver tefillin boxes. I had never seen them before I saw his. I didn’t buy them for him though, so I don’t know where he got them.

Does he like them? Do they need to be polished a lot?

amother

Slategray

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:50 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Does he like them? Do they need to be polished a lot?

He seems to like them. I’ve never seen him polish them.

Elfrida

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:51 pm

amother [ Turquoise ] wrote:

I think the plastic might be protective to the natural materials underneath. If it was ok to have it silver, they'd sell it.

Plastic boxes by definition must be a relatively recent concept. Traditionally it was probably leather, or maybe wood. Silver might have been an option for those who could afford it.

banana123

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:53 pm

I just asked DH. He says he's seen it, but it's not common.

thunderstorm

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 1:55 pm

My DH said he’s seen many with a silver look, but are not real. He only saw one person with real silver ones.

Elfrida

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:13 pm

thunderstorm wrote:

My DH said he’s seen many with a silver look, but are not real. He only saw one person with real silver ones.

Thinking back, my fathers were made of some kind of metal, with a soft lining. They weren't silver though. I never remember them being polished and they weren't tarnished - though they were a bit dirty. Some silver coloured shiny metal, but I don't know what.

Frumme

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:15 pm

amother [ Seashell ] wrote:

So I just asked my Hungarian dh, he said He’s seen chasidim with it.
When I asked if he would ever want it, he said no, too gaudy and showy. So it depends how chasidish you are I guess.

Why would "how Chassidish" someone is have any bearing as to if they find silver tefillin boxes showy or gaudy? I'm trying to understand your post

amother

Rose

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:25 pm

Chassidim often like to beautify a mitzvah as much as possible
For example people spoke about the silver Atorah on Tallis, silver esrog box
Shabbos and yontif table will look very malchusdik
This is not a rule but in general I can see why it is relevant

amother

Blue

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:27 pm

Dh actually would LOVE to have them!!! He says many rebbes have them and that’s why I didn’t want him getting it, but he’s waiting for the day to get them... he loves silver

amother

Burgundy

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 3:21 pm

Make sure it fits his tefillin first, as they come in slightly different sizes. But this is such a sweet idea!

goforit

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 3:34 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Does he like them? Do they need to be polished a lot?

I asked dh he says go for it! I think he is the type to love it!

amother

Seashell

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 4:32 pm

amother [ Rose ] wrote:

yes this is what I meant. Chasidish taste is what litvish people sometimes call gaudy or showy (huge menorahs,becher, etc.)

amother

Silver

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 4:57 pm

I just asked my husband and he says he definitely has seen chassidish men in shul with them. We live in Lakewood.

mommyhood

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:16 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Thank you so much. I will need to try to find time to go to online and do some research but it seems that it's not such an out there idea. Thanks to everyone

I would not buy such a thing online. Go to or call a reputable store, preferably local where you'll be able to see and feel them before you buy and also get them fixed as needed. Most silver items are delicate and not used daily. Something that is used every morning will likely get more dents and need to get touched up every so often.

amother

Royalblue

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:19 pm

I asked dh. He has seen them. He also likes nicer things. He thought its weird for someone to get them older as everyone he has seen got them by bar mitzvah. He said he would not appreciate them as a present. (Also looking for a funky present for him)

amother

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 5:22 pm

I asked my sister to do a Google search for me. There aren't any stores in town that sell them, they all are coming from Israel. She also told me that this whole comment section came up when she did the search!