Barry Epstein asked:
1) What is a 4 legged shin? It doesn't occur in writing so what does it mean?
2) Regarding the sin of the head tefillin, Rashi writes that "thin creases are worked into the exterior surface of each outer compartment of the head tefillin to form a representation of the Hebrew letter shin." What does he mean a "representation" of the shin?
Barry Epstein, Dallas, USA
The Kollel replies:
The Bach writes that the four-legged Shin is actually a *negative* Shin -- that is, a three-legged Shin created by the spaces. It can then be understood why Rashi calls it only a representation.
D. Zupnik