Responsa for Menachot 84:6
אנן הכי מתנינן לה א"ר יהודה אמר רב מנין לציצית בעובד כוכבים שכשירה שנאמר (במדבר טו, ב) דבר אל בני ישראל ועשו להם ציצית יעשו להם אחרים
whilst the other holds that it is an obligation incumbent upon the person.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Nahman holds that the precept is performed only when the garment is worn, and therefore no blessing is pronounced when inserting the fringes.');"><sup>8</sup></span> R'Mordecai said to R'Ashi, You have had it reported so;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That fringes made by a gentile are invalid.');"><sup>9</sup></span> but we had it reported thus: Rab Judah said in the name of Rab, Whence do we know that the zizith made by a gentile is valid?
Noda BiYhudah I
It is apparent that Rashi unquestionably intended when he wrote ‘covered the t’fillin in gold’ meant that the boxes themselves were made of gold, and he coated the scriptural verses in gold. It is those verses which Rashi calls ‘tefillin’, which is identified in the companion33Lit. ‘and his friend will say this about him’ (next) text which disqualifies the use of an impure animal. Rashi explained that it applies toone who made the phylactery boxes from an impure animal. If that is so, then when he (Rashi) states “coated in gold”, it means the actual boxes
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