The “yud”-shaped knot on the tefilin shel yad should be touching the bayis at all times. For people who wrap their tefilin the “sefard” way (outward – away from the body), this is not usually a problem because the act of tying the tefilin to the arm naturally pulls the knot against the bayis. For people who wrap their tefilin the “ashkenaz” way (inward – towards the body), it is recommended to have the knot held in place. This is most commonly done with a small piece of gid (sinew), which loops through the ma’avarta (the “tunnel” through which the retzu’ah runs) and around the knot.
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STAM 101 introduction & index