Tefillin

xploring the mitzvah of tefillin offers us a chance to appreciate one of the most
profound positive commandments in the Torah. Tefillin are called an ( a sign)
testifying to our mission as Jews and our eternal covenant with God. Tefillin serve to
remind us of such fundamental concepts as Gods Unity, His Providence, reward and
punishment, and the Exodus from Egypt. But above all, tefillin are a symbol of the
unique bond that exists between God and the Jewish people.

This class will examine why tefillin are so important. We will seek to answer
some of the following questions:
What are tefillin? What are inside the tefillin boxes?
Why wear tefillin? What is the meaning of this mitzvah?
Who wears tefillin and when? May women wear them?

Class Outline:

Introduction
Section I. Overview of Tefillin
Part A. What are Tefillin?
Part B. Betrothed to God
Section II. The Meaning and Importance of Tefillin
Part A. Binding Heart and Soul
Part B. Tefillin Impart Holiness and Awe of God
Part C. The Name Tefillin vs. Totafot
Part D. The Many Merits of Wearing Tefillin
Section III. A
Look at the Tefillin Inside and Out
Part A. The Four Parshiyot from the Torah
Part B. Houses/Boxes (batim) and Straps (retzuot)
Part C. Colors and Shapes
Section IV. Who wears Tefillin and When?
Part A. All Day Long?
Part B. Women and Tefillin
Section V. Conclusion: Picking Up the Signals

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Introduction
The Spy, from Silent Revolution, based on conversations with Rabbi Eliyahu Essas, ArtScroll/
Mesorah Publications Ltd.
Things looked grim for Valentin. A student in Moscow University, hed been caught attending classes
in Judaism. Now he was in trouble. Retribution was swift, and soon Valentin found himself expelled
from the universitys hallowed halls and serving in the Russian army. Valentin was shipped out to
a small Siberian town, far, far away from the Talmud classes, kosher food, and fellow Jews. All the
mitzvot that hed so recently taken on had become impossible to observe. Valentin determined to hold
on to one thing, at the very least. Every morning, he told himself grimly, he would put on his tefillin.
No matter what.
It wasnt easy to drag himself out of his bed on the frigid Siberian mornings. And yet Valentin managed
to be up half an hour before reveille, don his tefillin, and pray to his Creator. One day, one of his
fellow soldiers who had happened to waken early was astonished to see Valentin standing quietly in a
corner, carefully winding straps around his arm, carefully placing a box upon his forehead. The next
morning the soldier, his suspicions awakened, again awoke early, and again witnessed this mad or
possibly traitorous behavior.
By the third day, the soldier had done his patriotic duty, and when Valentin roused himself from
his all-too-short nights sleep, there were two officers on hand to witness these strange goings-on.
The officers, both embittered remnants from Stalinist times, were not impressed with Valentins
protestations that the tefillin were religious objects. Prayer they could understand, although they didnt
like it; but these straps? Clearly, Valentin was a spy, and the straps and box some sort of transmitting
device.
Their first step was to confiscate the dangerous transmitter. Valentin, still protesting, insisted upon
accompanying the tefillin to the lab where they would be examined. Curiously enough, the officers
agreed, though insisting that a military guard escort him.
In the lab in a small Siberian town, the technicians had never seen such a device. The boxes, they
surmised, served as transmitters, while the straps were antennas. As Valentin watched, horrified, they
actually opened up the tefillin boxes. Gleefully, they pulled out the writing. A secret code! It is Hebrew,
he protested. A language that has been dead for 2,000 years, they answered. A perfect code!
Getting more and more angry, and not a little scared, Valentin urged his captors to contact the small
local Jewish community in the city of Novosibirsk to verify his words. Eventually the president of the
synagogue heard about the hapless Jewish soldier and came forward to confirm his story. The officers
were not eager to press charges of espionage. Instead, they told Valentin, he would be discharged on
psychiatric grounds. Because, if youre not a spy, you certainly must be crazy.
Instead of two years, Valentin finished his army service in two months, and soon was ready to rejoin
his family and friends Jewish friends back in Moscow. Later, because he hadnt spent much time in
the army, he was allowed to leave Russia and emigrate to Israel, without having to undergo the ordeal
of being a refusenik. Valentin, now living in the Negev, knows where his good luck came from: his
devotion to the mitzvah of tefillin.

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Section I. Overview of Tefillin

In the Torah, God bids us four times to wear tefillin. For example, Place these words of Mine upon your
heart and upon your soul Bind them as a sign upon your arm and let them be ornaments between your
eyes. These instructions are understood by Jewish tradition as referring to the mitzvah of wearing tefillin.

Part A. What are Tefillin?

1. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 6:4-9 The first paragraph of the Shema is one of the four sources
containing the mitzvah to wear tefillin on the arm and head.
Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord
is One. And you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your might. These words which I am
commanding you today shall be upon your heart.
You shall teach them to your children and speak
of them when you are at home, when traveling
on the road, when you lie down, and when you
get up. Bind [these words] as a sign on your
arm, and let them be ornaments between your
eyes. [Also] write them on [parchments affixed
to] the doorposts of your houses and gates.

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2. Tefillin consist of two small black boxes made of leather.

(Source: www.hasofer.com)

3. What do tefillin contain and when are they worn?

Each of these boxes, called batim in Hebrew, contains parchments inscribed with Biblical verses about
the Exodus, the Oneness of God, and, of course, the mitzvah of tefillin. To perform this mitzvah one
must strap these boxes onto the upper left arm opposite the heart (a lefty places it on his right arm)
and onto the forehead between the eyes using black leather straps known as retzuot in Hebrew.
In ancient times tefillin were worn all day long. These days, for reasons that will be explored in Section
IV, tefillin are only worn during the weekday morning prayer service, Shacharit, and not at all on
Shabbat or Yom Tov. What may seem a quaint or even odd ritual is actually infused with deep meaning
and symbolism, and is a practical tool for spiritual growth. One simply needs to keep in mind what
tefillin are and what they represent.

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We will discuss how tefillin are constructed and what they contain in Section III. First we will examine why
tefillin are so important and meaningful.

Part B. Betrothed to God

1. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Tefillin Tefillin serve as the physical reminder of Gods love for us and
offer a tangible way to feel that bond.
Have you ever felt so close to another human being that every moment together was precious? Where
every letter and memento from this person was something to be treasured? What if this person gave
you a meaningful gift? Every time you looked at it or used it, would it not remind you of this special
relationship?
To the best of our understanding, Gods very act of creation was an act of chesed (giving) and of love. It
was a love so immense that the human mind cannot begin to fathom it. Tefillin are a sign of this bond
between God and man. Faith and love are very tenuous things. We can speak of them and think about
them. But unless we do something about them we tend to forget; tefillin serve to help us remember.
If you would open a pair of tefillin, you would find that they contain four parchments. One of these
parchments consists of the famous Shema Listen Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
Tefillin concretize for us that God created the universe, orchestrates world history, and is intimately
involved with our daily lives.
The essence of the Torah is its commandments, mitzvot in Hebrew. The word mitzvah comes from
the root meaning to bind. Every commandment or mitzvah serves to draw us close to God and
strengthen this connection. With every mitzvah we forge a spiritual bond with God. In the case of
tefillin, this bond is physical as well as spiritual. We literally bind Gods love symbol to our bodies.
Thus, our Sages teach us that the commandment of tefillin encompasses all others. Here, we can
actually see and feel the bond.
Just as a wedding ring serves to remind the bride of her husbands love and commitment, the wearing of
tefillin gives practical expression to the same ideals within the context of our relationship with God. This
idea is illustrated by the way the tefillin strap is wrapped around the finger to create a symbolic wedding ring
and the custom to recite the following verses while doing so:

2. Hoshea (Hosea) 2:21-22 By reciting these verses we use the tefillin straps to symbolically
betroth ourselves to God.
And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will
betroth you to Me with righteousness, and with
justice, and with loving-kindness, and with
mercy. And I will betroth you to Me with faith,
and you shall know the Lord.

;

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We will now explore how tefillin create this eternal bond, in what ways they ensure Gods kindness and
mercy, and how they teach us the knowledge of God.

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Section II. The Meaning and Importance of

Tefillin
Part A: Binding Heart and Soul

1. Complete ArtScroll Siddur, pp. 6-7 The customary statement of intent before donning
tefillin reveals the meaning of the mitzvah.
Behold, when I put on tefillin I intend to fulfill
the commandment of my Creator, Who has
commanded us to put on tefillin and to place
them on the arm to recall the outstretched arm
[of the Exodus] and that it be opposite the heart,
thereby to subjugate the desires and the thoughts
of our heart to His service, may His Name be
blessed; and upon the head opposite the brain,
so that the soul that is within my brain, together
with my other senses and abilities, may all be
subjugated to His service

...

,

...

2. Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi, Sefer HaKuzari 3:11 Tefillin focus our thoughts and feelings on the
fundamental concepts contained within them.
[A Jew] connects his mind with the Divine
Influence through various means, some of which
are mitzvot written in the Torah, while others
are received tradition. He wears tefillin on his
head, on the seat of thought and memory, the
straps falling down on his hand so that he can
see them at all times. He wears the hand tefillin
on the source of his faculties, that is, the heart
Inside the tefillin are written [verses describing
Gods Unity, reward and punishment, and the
remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt, because
they furnish the irrefutable proof that the Divine
Influence is attached to mankind, and that
Providence watches them and keeps record of
their deeds.

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Binding tefillin on the arm serves two symbolic purposes: (1) it recalls the strong hand and the
outstretched arm that the Torah uses as metaphors for the display of Gods control over nature and His
Providence over the Jewish people, respectively; (2) placed on the upper left arm, the tefillin sit close to the
heart, thereby signifying the intent to focus ones thoughts and desires on the fulfilment of Gods Will. The
head tefillin sit opposite the brain to absorb the holiness of the Divine Influence into ones intellect.

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Part B. Tefillin Impart Holiness and Awe of God

1. Rambam (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Tefillin u-Mezuzah 4:25 26 Wearing tefillin
affects how a person will behave.
The holiness of tefillin is very great. The whole
time that tefillin are on the head and the arm of
a man he will be modest and God-fearing and
will not be drawn after laughter and idle chatter.
He will not think bad thoughts, but will turn
his heart to words of truth and righteousness.
Therefore, every man should try to wear tefillin
all day, because this is the mitzvah. They said
about Rav, the student of Rebbi HaKadosh (Rabbi
Yehudah HaNasi), that his whole life he was
never seen walking [even] four amot without
Torah, tzitzit or tefillin And someone who
wears tefillin regularly will have length of days, as
it is written, When the Lord is upon them they
will live (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 38:16).

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2. Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud), Berachot 30b, cited by Maharitz Chayes in support of
Rambams claim about the effects of wearing tefillin.
What is meant by, Rejoice with trepidation
(Tehillim/Psalms 2:11)? Rav Adda bar Masna said
in the name of Rabbah, In the place where there
is rejoicing there should also be trepidation.
Abaye was sitting before Rabbah, who noticed
that he was overly cheerful. Rabbah asked Abaye,
Doesnt the verse say Rejoice with trepidation?
Abaye replied, [Do not worry,] I am wearing
tefillin.

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.

.

Tefillin is one of the three mitzvot in the Torah (Brit Milah, Shabbat, and tefillin) which are called an a
sign of our covenant with God.

3. Sefer Mitzvot Gedolot, Positive Mitzvah #3 Tefillin serve to remind us of our calling as
Jews.
This is what I explained to the exiles of Israel, to
show to them that every individual is obligated
in tefillin and mezuzah. I also explained
to them that of the 613 mitzvot that Israel
was commanded, there is no mitzvah that is
considered a sign and testimony apart from
three mitzvot: Brit Milah, Shabbat, and tefillin.
Regarding each of them the Torah says they are a
sign; and they truly are a sign and testimony to
Israel that they are servants of God.

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On the basis of two witnesses a fact is

established. As such, each Jew is not fully Jewish
unless he has two witnesses that he is Jewish.
Therefore, on Shabbat and festivals (which are
also called Shabbat), a man is exempt from
wearing tefillin because Shabbat itself is called
a sign. It is enough, then, that there are two
witnesses that he is Jewish: the witnesses of
Shabbat and Brit Milah. But during the week a
person is obligated to wear tefillin in order that
he should have two witnesses: the sign of tefillin
and the sign of Brit Milah

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...

I also explained to them that God desires that

wicked people put on tefillin even more than
the righteous, because the main reason that we
were commanded in tefillin is so that we have
something to remind the wicked and to set them
on the honest and good path. They need the
reminder and encouragement even more than
those who grew up with the fear of Heaven all
their lives

....

Part C. The Name Tefillin vs. Totafot

While we refer to them as tefillin, the Biblical name for the same objects is totafot. Both names yield insight
into the nature of the mitzvah and why they are worn.

1. Talmud Bavli, Menachot 34b Totafot is an allusion to the number of compartments in the
head tefillin.
It was taught: [The Torah mentions the word
tefillin three times] totafet (in the singular,
without a vav), totafet (in the singular, without a
vav), totafot (in the plural with two vavs), makes
a total of four [boxes in the head tefillin], says
Rabbi Yishmael. Rabbi Akiva says, You do not
need that [derivation]. Tot in Katfian means two
and fot in African means two.

2. Rashi, Shemot (Exodus) 13:16 Totafot means that they spark conversation about the
Exodus.
And totafot between your eyes this refers to
tefillin. They are called totafot because there are
four boxes. Tot in Katfian means two and fot in
African means two.

.

.
,

Menachem explained that it is related to And

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preach (hatef) toward the South (Yechezkel/

Ezekiel 21:2) and, Do not preach (Michah/
Micah 2:6). In this sense it refers to speech,
referring to the fact that tefillin are a reminder
between your eyes, as it says in the first passage,
and anyone who sees them bound between the
eyes will remember the miracle [of the Exodus]
and will speak about it.

3. Mishnah, Shabbat 6:1 The Mishnah uses the Biblical word to describe a type of womens
head ornament that would not be permissible to wear on Shabbat for technical reasons.
What may a woman go out wearing [on the
Shabbat] and what may she not go out wearing?
She may not go out with ribbons of wool, ribbons
of linen, or with straps around her head or
with a totefet

... ...

4. Ramban (Nachmanides), Shemot 13:16 Totafot are an ornament worn on the head, above
the eyes.
And totafot between your eyes This word
does not have a known linguistic origin
However, our Sages call an article that is placed
on the head a totefet, as they stated, nor
with a totefet, nor with head bangles (Mishnah,
Shabbat 57a). And Rabbi Avahu said, A totefet is
an ornament that surrounds the head from ear to
ear. And since they were masters of the Hebrew
language who spoke it and knew it well, it is
fitting to accept their definition
The expression between your eyes teaches that
the head tefillin are to be worn on the middle
of the head and not to one side; or because the
spot between the eyes is the root of the power of
vision To emphasize the point that tefillin are
to be above the eyes rather than between them,
the Torah called them totafot, to be worn on the
top of the head like an ornament.

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5. Rabbi Reuven Leuchter The head tefillin reflect that we interact within a reality beyond our
physical sensory experience.
The general understanding of this is that
there exists a level of perfection beyond that
experienced by man, yet which is still pertinent
to him. That is, man interacts within a reality
beyond his physical sensory experience. This is
the meaning of the head tefillin; it is a matter of
holiness, of a world of perfection that is above,
a world separate and distinct as is the nature of
holiness.

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tefillin

This is what the Shulchan Aruch means when

it says that the head tefillin lie opposite the
soul, (similarly, Derech Hashem/The Way of
God 1:5:2), that the soul comes from above and
cannot be felt at all by the physical senses.

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How did totafot become tefillin?

6. Siddur Otzar HaTefillot The name tefillin signifies that we are separate from other nations,
attached to God, and are a bulwark against assimilation.
I do not know with certainty when they began
to call totafot by the name tefillin The first
person to call them by that name was Shamai
the Elder in the Mechilta (Parshat Bo, end of Ch.
17). Shammai said these are the tefillin of my
mothers father But in the Talmud Yerushalmi
it says that it was Hillel who said, These are
the tefillin of my mothers father (Eruvin 10:1).
These Sages lived approximately one hundred
years before the destruction of the Second Temple
(70 C.E.) and it is reasonable to assume that this
name had already been in use in the generations
preceding them.

...

...

...

.

It seems that the name tefillin was created

during the Babylonian exile from the root tafel
which means connection or strong attachment
Calling them by this name was a manner of
giving a rationale for the mitzvah of totafot: that
they serve as a sign to those who wear them that
they are separate from all other nations and are
attached to God The reason for this innovation
during exile was in order to constantly remind
the people of their obligations and servitude
to their Father in Heaven and to remove any
confusion of values and assimilation within the
dominant culture.

...


...

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Part D. The Many Merits of Wearing Tefillin

Aside from the great religious and spiritual dimensions of tefillin, there are also many benefits that accrue
one who performs this mitzvah.

1. Talmud Bavli, Menachot 44a Wearing tefillin ensures long life.

He who wears tefillin is worthy of long life, as it
is said, They shall live, and before all of them the
life of my spirit, and You cured me and gave me
life (Yeshayahu 38: 16).

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.

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2. Siddur Beit Yaakov, p. 28 Length of days, in this world and the next.
The mitzvah of tefillin is very great because
someone who wears them will have length of
days and will merit life in the World to Come.
His sins are forgiven and Gehinnom will not have
power over him. A voice issues forth to the angels
who are appointed over the gates [saying]: Give
greatness to the duke of the King this one who
wore tefillin on his head and arm.

3. Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 35a Keeping the mitzvah of tefillin is like keeping all the mitzvot
in the entire Torah.
[These words] must be a sign on your arm and
a reminder in the center of your head in order
that Gods Torah will then be on your tongue.
[From here we see that] the mitzvah of tefillin is
comparable to the entire Torah.

4. Ibid., 37b Tefillin help merit a person to return to Israel.

Now that you have stated that any mitzvah
incumbent on the individual must be observed
whether in the Land of Israel or outside the
Land why then does the Torah mention
coming into Israel with regard to tefillin and
[the mitzvah of redeeming] the first born donkey
(since they are performed with the body they are
obviously observed in all locations Rashi)? As
Rabbi Yishmael taught: Do these mitzvot in order
that you [will merit] to enter the Land of Israel.

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...
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.

5. Talmud Bavli, Megillah 16b Tefillin give honor to those that wear them.
The Jews had light and joy, and gladness and
honor (Megillat Esther 8:16). Honor refers
to tefillin, as the verse states, All the nations
of the world will see that the name of God is
called upon you and they will be in awe of you
(Devarim 28:10).

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6. Bamidbar Rabbah 12:3 Divine protection.

It is written (Tehillim 91:7), A thousand shall
fall at your side it shall not come near you.
Through the mitzvah of tefillin one is guarded
from evil by a thousand angels.

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Key Themes of Section II:

HH Tefillin focus our thoughts and feelings on the fundamental concepts contained within them. The
true meaning of tefillin only finds expression when they are strapped upon the arm and head. In
those positions tefillin signify many profound theological concepts about God and our relationship
with Him. Tefillin placed on the arm recall Gods mighty arm (i.e. His control over nature), and in
that position they are also opposite the heart, reflecting our desire to perform His Will. Tefillin on
the head express Gods exaltedness, while at the same time absorbing the holiness of the Divine
Influence into ones intellect. It also reflects that we interact within a reality beyond our physical
sensory experience.
HH Tefillin impart to one who wears them a sense of purpose as a Jew and inspire him with thoughts
of holiness and fear of God. They are called a sign, as are circumcision and Shabbat, intrinsically
testifying to our relationship with God.
HH The name of the mitzvah, both in its Biblical origin of totafot, as well as in the later adaptation for
the Diaspora tefillin, expresses the special bond between God and the Jewish people. Wearing
tefillin maintains that connection. The name tefillin signifies that we are separate from other
nations, attached to God, and are a bulwark against assimilation.
HH Additionally, tefillin offer a wide range of fringe benefits including both long life in this world and
the next, and Divine protection.

Section III. A Look at the Tefillin Inside and Out

Source: www.ott.co.il/tefillin.html

In the familiar prayer of the Shema we read of the mitzvah to bind the very words of the Torah upon your
arm and between your eyes (Devarim 6:8). The Mishnah tells us that this refers to four specific passages
of the Torah, four parshiyot. These verses, once written in Hebrew script on parchment, are then placed in
black leather boxes (batim) and bound upon the arm and head with black leather straps (retzuot). We refer
to these items collectively as tefillin and the act of binding them as the mitzvah of wearing tefillin.

11

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Part A. The Four Parshiyot from the Torah

The command to wear tefillin is found four times in the Torah. These four Biblical passages thus form the
content of both the arm and head tefillin boxes (cf. Talmud Bavli, Menachot 28a; Rashi ad loc.):
The first two passages deal with the Exodus from Egypt:

1. Shemot 13:1-10: Always remember the miracle of the Exodus from Egypt.
God spoke to Moshe (Moses), saying, Sanctify
to Me every first-born that initiates the womb
among the Israelites. Among both man and beast,
it is Mine. Moshe said to the people, Remember
this day as [the time] you left Egypt, the place of
slavery, when God brought you out of here with
a show of force. No leaven may be eaten. Today
you are leaving, in the month of springtime.
There will come a time when God will bring you
to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites,
Hivites and Yebusites, which He swore to your
forefathers to give you, a land flowing with milk
and honey, and you shall perform this service in
this month. You shall eat matzot for seven days,
and make the seventh day a festival to God.

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Matzot shall be eaten for [these] seven days;

no leaven may be seen in your possession. No
leaven may be seen in all your territories. On that
day, you shall tell your son, It is because of this
that God acted for me when I left Egypt. [These
words] shall also be a sign on your arm and a
reminder between your eyes so that Gods Torah
may be in your mouth. For it was with a show of
strength that God brought you out of Egypt. You
shall observe this decree at its designated time
from year to year.

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2. Ibid. 13:11-16 Recall the plague of the death of the first-born and the associated mitzvah to
sanctify all Jewish firstborns.
There will come a time when God will have
brought you to the land of the Canaanites, which
He promised you and your ancestors, and He
will have given it to you. You will then bring to
God every [first-born] that initiates the womb.
Whenever you have a young firstling animal, the
males belong to God. Every firstling donkey must
be redeemed with a sheep. If it is not redeemed,
you must decapitate it.

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You shall [also] redeem every first-born among

your sons. Your child may later ask you, What
is this? You shall answer him, With a show of
power, God brought us out of Egypt, the place of
slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let
us leave, God killed all the first-born in Egypt,
man and beast alike. I therefore sacrifice to God
all male firstling [animals], and redeem all the
first-born of my sons.

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[These words] shall [also] be a sign on your arm

and an ornament between your eyes, for with a
strong hand God brought us out of Egypt.

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Remembering the Exodus is a central theme in Judaism, one not limited to the Passover Seder. In fact, it is a
mitzvah to remember the Exodus at least once each day and night. When God revealed Himself to the Jewish
people at Mount Sinai, He introduced Himself as your God who took you out of the Land of Egypt.
The reason why the Exodus is so important in Judaism is because the lessons it taught us form the bedrock
of our belief. God did not just create the world and then set it on auto-pilot. He is actively involved in the
affairs of man and our relationship with Him will determine the course of our fate. And this specifically
applies to the Jewish people, whose very birth as a nation was a direct result of Divine intervention into the
politics of nations and the laws of nature. We owe our lives to God just for His having created the world, but
after the Exodus we owe him our gratitude for giving us our freedom as well. Hence, the Exodus forms the
basis of our knowledge, as well as our relationship with God.
The second two verses are from the Shema:

3. Devarim 6:4-9 Love God and make the words of His Torah a constant fixture in your life.
Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord
is One. And you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and
with all your might. These words, which I am
commanding you today, must remain on your
heart. You shall teach them to your children
and speak of them when you are at home, when
traveling on the road, when you lie down and
when you get up. Bind [these words] as a sign on
your hand, and let them be an ornament between
your eyes. [Also] write them on [parchments
affixed to] the doorposts of your houses and
gates.

, . , :
,
. -
, - - ,
. ---
,
, ,
; - , . ,
, -
. ,
.

The Torah here speaks of three kinds of love: heart, soul, and might. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan explains that
tefillin mirror these three kinds of love. They are placed next to the heart and also on the head, the seat of
the soul. Additionally, they are wrapped around the arm, a symbol of strength.

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Rabbi Noach Orlowek defines love as: Whats important to you is important to me. We show our love of
God by how we live for Him and, if need be, die for Him. We also show it in how we treat His Torah, the
expression of His Will in this world. Showing our appreciation of the Torah through study and mitzvah
observance is a demonstration of our love for God: Whats important to Him is important to us!

4. Devarim 11:13-21 Be careful not to desecrate the Torah as there is reward and punishment
for our actions.
If you are careful to pay heed to my
commandments, which I am prescribing to you
today, and if you love the Lord your God with
all your heart and soul, [then God has made this
promise]: I will grant the fall and spring rains in
your land at their proper time, so that you will
have an ample harvest of grain, oil, and wine. I
will grant forage in your fields for your animals,
and you will eat and be satisfied. Be careful
that your heart not be tempted to go astray and
worship other gods, bowing down to them. Gods
anger will then be directed against you, and He
will lock up the skies so that there will not be any
rain. The land will not give forth its crops, and
you will rapidly vanish from the good land that
God is giving you. Place these words of mine on
your heart and soul.
Bind them as a sign on your arm, and let them
be an ornament between your eyes. Teach your
children to speak of them when you are at home,
when traveling on the road, when you lie down,
and when you get up. [Also] write them on
[parchments affixed to] the doorposts of your
houses and gates. [If you do this,] you and your
children will long endure on the land that God
swore to your ancestors, [promising that] He
would give it to them as long as the heavens are
above the earth.

, -
-
,
- , , - -- ,
, -
. - ,
. , ;
, .
, ; ,


, , ;
- , - . ,
; - , , -
. , , ,

; - - , -


, -
, , -
.
- . ,
, , . ,
--
,
. -
,

Rambam counts among the thirteen fundamentals of Jewish faith the principle that God is aware of our
actions and that He reacts to them. But reward and punishment is not programmed into nature; it exists
within the context of a relationship with a personal God. He is not indifferent to our choices: He cares that
we make the right ones. And awareness of this reality invests all our actions with meaning and a sense of
purpose.
Ultimately, one may summarize the content and meaning of these four passages as follows:

5. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb p. 176 Summary of the four parshiyot.
1. It is God Who delivered you from Egypt and therefore you and every member of your family and all
of your possessions are sanctified to God, i.e. they are elected for special service to Him.
2. You have kept your life from becoming extinct only through taking this service upon yourself.

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tefillin

3. This mission which you have undertaken is to be fulfilled by taking God to heart as your own God,
as your only God, and by surrendering with love all that is yours, inwardly and outwardly, in His
service as enjoined by the Torah.
4. The external fortunes of the people, whether prosperity or affliction are granted by God only in
the measure of your fulfilment of His Torah.

Part B. Houses/Boxes (batim) and Straps (retzuot)

The four parshiyot of both the arm and the head tefillin are contained within black leather boxes called batim
which are then wrapped onto the body with black leather straps called retzuot. The Torah does not tell us
this explicitly. Rather, the source of these laws is an oral tradition dating back to Moshe himself a special
category of Jewish Law known as Halachah lMoshe MiSinai (a tradition of Moshe from Sinai).

1. Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 28b By process of elimination, we learn that many details of tefillin
are known only through oral tradition.
That which Rav Yosef taught that for the work
of heaven only skins of kosher animals may
be used to what does it apply? [It applies] to
tefillin. But surely that was already taught by
the Torah itself when it wrote, In order that
this Torah of God should be in your mouth,
implying only things which are kosher for your
mouth. Rather, it refers to the outside of the
tefillin. But didnt Abaye say that the shin [on the
outside of tefillin] is a Halachah lMoshe MiSinai
[and therefore no verse in the Torah is needed to
teach this law]?

( )

Rather, it refers to the fact that the parshiyot must

be wrapped with the hair [of a kosher animal]
and [that they must be sewn with] sinews [of a
kosher animal]. But surely this is also Halachah
lMoshe MiSinai as it was taught, Tefillin must
be square, based on Halachah lMoshe MiSinai
and must be wrapped with hair and sewn with
sinews. Rather, it refers to the straps. But didnt
Rabbi Yitzchak say, The straps must be black,
as derived from Halachah lMoshe MiSinai? It is
true that we learned [by tradition] that they must
be black, but we did not learn that they must be
from a kosher animal!

What are the Differences between Head and Arm Tefillin?

While both the head and arm tefillin stem from the same source in Halachah LMoshe MiSinai and contain
the same parshiyot, nevertheless there are some significant differences in their structure:

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2. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 32:2; Mishnah Berurah ad loc. Differences in physical
structure reflect the Torahs wording.
For the head tefillin one should write each
portion on a separate scroll, and for the arm
tefillin one should write all [four] of them on one
scroll.

,
.

This is because it says, And they shall be for a

sign on your arm [in the singular form] meaning
one sign, one compartment; and just like it must
be only one sign on the outside, so too it should
ideally only be one sign on the inside, written on
one scroll.

-


.

Mishnah Berurah:
But for the head tefillin, which consists of four
separate compartments [as the plural form
ornaments is used for it], the passages should
be written on four separate scrolls.

The arm tefillin is a singular sign and therefore its parshiyot are all written on one parchment and placed
in a box with one compartment. The head tefillin, referred to in the Torah by the plural word ornaments,
contains four compartments and has its parshiyot written on four separate parchments. In fact, a close look
at the head tefillin reveals that it is actually constructed of four compartments tightly pressed together (see
picture above at the beginning of Section III).
Putting it all Together: Sha-dai, the Name of God
When we look at the boxes and straps together, a unique picture emerges:

3. Sefer Mitzvot Gedolot, Mitzvah #22 The oral tradition teaches us to form the tefillin in a
way that spells the name of God.
When [the Talmud] says that the knot of the
tefillin is Halachah lMoshe MiSinai it refers to
the name of God, as it is said that there is a shin
in the mold on each side of the head tefillin, a
dalet in the knot of the head tefillin, and a yud in
the knot of the arm tefillin where the straps pass
through. In this way the name of God Sha-dai
is formed.

.-

Part C. Colors and Shapes

Tefillin are striking in their unique look: jet black boxes, perfectly squared. That is how they must be and
how they always have been. Even these seemingly aesthetic elements of tefillin relay profound insights.

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tefillin

1. Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Gateways to Judaism, p. 324, citing Yaffe Lelev 25:33
The sensation of blackness is due to a lack of stimulation of the retina. This occurs because little or
no light is reflected from a black surface. The smooth, featureless, black surface of the tefillin thus
suggests the unique and indivisible Oneness of God, which is not reflected in anything else and to
which nothing can be compared.

2. Samson Raphael Hirsch, Collected Writings, Vol. III, p. 152 The square shape of tefillin
reflect the intelligent mark of human free will.
We note that the square was the predominant shape in the construction of the Temple and its
accessories We therefore maintain that the circle characterizes the structures produced by organic
forces not endowed with free will, while angles and squares are the hallmark of man, who can use
his intelligence and free will in building his creations and structures. We may thus understand why
the circular form was not used in the makeup of any sacred structure or object in Judaism. We will
then understand, too, why the same rule was applied to the shape of tefillin: The tefillin represent, in
miniature, the abode we must prepare on earth for the Law of God. This kind of structure is expected
of man because he is a human being endowed with the Divine freedom, not a creature restricted in its
development by the forces of nature. The circle is associated with constraint and lack of freedom; the
square is the mark of human freedom which masters the material world.

Key Themes of Section III

HH The Biblical commandment to bind the words of the Torah upon ourselves comes to fruition in the
mitzvah of donning tefillin. The specific words that we place upon ourselves when we wear tefillin
are those very verses that mention this mitzvah. These four passages express Gods Providence
over our history and our destiny, and our mission to serve Him through the study and fulfillment
of His Torah. Besides for the parshiyot found in the Torah, Jewish tradition teaches that tefillin
are formed from leather and shaped into black boxes and straps. The form these items take once
strapped upon the body reveals one of the sacred secrets of this mitzvah, while their color and
shape reflect their essential message.

SECTION IV: Who Wears Tefillin and When?

The mitzvah of donning tefillin requires one to wear them all day long. However, the high level of sanctity
demanded by tefillin precludes most peoples ability to fulfill the mitzvah in this way. A compromise is
therefore suggested:

Part A. All Day Long?

1. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 37:2 The very sanctity of tefillin precludes keeping the
mitzvah all day long.
The mitzvah is to wear tefillin all day long.
However, tefillin require a clean body (to the
point that a person may not even pass wind while
wearing them) and that one not take his mind

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off them. And since not every person is able to

be meticulous about this, therefore the custom is
not to wear them all day. However, a person must
be meticulous about wearing them when he is
saying Shema and praying the Amidah.

2. Vilna Gaon, Kesser Rosh 15 Nevertheless, the ideal remains intact.

[Rav Chaim of Volozhin] said in the name of
his teacher, the Vilna Gaon, that he was very
troubled that this generation was not keeping
the mitzvah of tefillin properly, which is to wear
it all day. It is known that the author of the Sefer
Mitzvot Gedolot went around the world to warn
all Jews that they should wear a four-cornered
garment with tzitzit at all times. Similarly, if he
[the Vilna Gaon] would have had the energy, he
would have gone around the world to return the
crown to its former glory [and encourage] Jews to
wear tefillin all day long.

,


.

As we learned above (Section II.B, Source 3), tefillin is one of the three mitzvot in the Torah (Brit Milah,
Shabbat, and tefillin) which are called an a sign of our covenant with God .Two signs must always be
seen .On Shabbat ,which is itself a sign ,the tefillin are not worn.

3. Talmud Bavli, Menachot 36b Shabbat supersedes tefillin as a sign of being Jewish.
Rabbi Akiva said, Perhaps you would say that a
person should don tefillin on Shabbat and Yom
Tov? Learn otherwise from that which is written,
And it shall be as a sign upon your arm and
ornaments between your eyes (Shemot 13). He
who needs a sign [must wear tefillin], excluding
Shabbat and Yom Tov, which in their own right
are signs. (Rashi Between God and Israel, as
it is written, For it is an eternal sign (Shemot
31).)

:
( ) : ?
, ,
: (
.) ( )

Part B: Women and Tefillin

As with any time-bound positive mitzvah, women are exempt from the obligation to wear tefillin. This
exemption, though, is not a prohibition and does not preempt the performance of this mitzvah by women,
should they choose to do so. The question is whether such a practice is to be encouraged or not.

1. Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah #421

This mitzvah applies at all times and in all places
for men, but not for women because it is a time

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tefillin

-bound positive mitzvah. However, if [women]

want to put on tefillin, we do not object and they
receive spiritual reward.

The Curious Case of Michal bat Kushi: Exception or the Rule?

Michal was the daughter of King Shaul (Saul), referred to here as Kushi as a title of distinction (cf. Tehillim
7:1), and the wife of King David.

2. Talmud Bavli, Eruvin 96a

It was taught: Michal bat Kushi wore tefillin and
the Sages did not object.

Michal was childless and may have wished to partake of the special merits of tefillin as a means of increasing
her spiritual standing (cf. Ben Yehoyada ad loc.). The case is taken as landmark by many authorities that
women are not to be discouraged from wearing tefillin. Nevertheless, the prevalent custom has been that
women do not don tefillin. Such is enshrined in the Code of Jewish Law:

3. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 38:3 The normative halachah is that women should not wear
tefillin.
Women are exempt from tefillin because it is a
positive time-bound mitzvah.
Rema:
And even if women want to be strict with
themselves [and put on tefillin], we object to this
practice.

...
:
.

The objection to women wearing tefillin may also have roots in the case of Michal bat Kushi:

4. Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 2:3(p. 14b), and Pesikta Rabati 22 A different account of the
reaction to Michal reveals the basis for a dissenting view.
Behold! Michal bat Kushi wore tefillin and
the wife of Yonah (Jonah) the prophet used to
ascend to Jerusalem for the Pilgrimage Festivals
and in neither case did the Sages object. Rabbi
Chizkiyah said in the name of Rabbi Abahu, The
wife of Yonah was sent back and the Sages did
object to the practice of Michal bat Kushi!

Womens exemption alone would not necessarily be grounds for objecting to isolated incidences of them
wearing tefillin. Women are in fact usually encouraged to perform even those mitzvot from which they
are exempt, such as lulav and sukkah. The optional wearing of tefillin, though, is different. We offer two
explanations:

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Rationale for Objection #1: Tefillin are too Holy

5. Moshe Meiselman, Jewish Women in Jewish Law, pp. 148-149 The sanctity of tefillin
restrict when and by whom they may be worn.
[A]lthough the basic mitzvah of tefillin is that they be worn all day, only people of unusual sanctity,
like the Vilna Gaon, did in fact do so Men wear them, generally, only during prayer, the minimal
period of time required. Similarly, although we begin training children to perform mitzvot far in
advance of maturity, tefillin are not worn until shortly before Bar Mitzvah. The optional wearing of
tefillin is to be avoided! Those who are obligated cannot be prevented from performing [the mitzvah
of tefillin], but the rabbis [in the Talmud] debated the propriety of [its] performance by anyone on an
optional basis, weighing the positive results against the possible negative results. The debate in the
Talmud on whether women may wear tefillin is concerned with this very point.
Women are discouraged from optionally wearing tefillin, just as men are discouraged from wearing them any
longer than necessary. Hence, the consensus opinion in Jewish law is that the very sanctity of tefillin demand
that they be worn on an as-needed basis only. For this reason, the Shulchan Aruch, the code of Jewish Law,
and every halachic authority since, has ruled that women are not to wear tefillin.
Another rationale is offered for why the Sages at the time objected to Michals wearing tefillin and why it
would be objected to these days as well. (What follows is more of a Kabbalistic perspective than a halachic
one.)
Rationale for Objection #2: Mens Clothing

6. Devarim 22:5 The prohibition of cross-dressing.

Women should not wear the garment of a man.

. -
- -

While simply speaking this prohibition would not apply to tefillin, which do not have the status of clothing,
nevertheless some authorities have made the connection.

7. Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel, Targum Yonatan, (1st Century BCE), Devarim 22:5 Tefillin are
specifically designed for the spiritual perfection of men.
Tzitzit and tefillin, which are for perfecting men,
should not be on women

...

This is not due simply to the sociological fact that traditionally only men have worn tefillin; there is a deeper,
hidden dimension that makes tefillin specifically appropriate only for men.

8. Shomer Emunim, Parshat Ki Tetzei The secret connection between tefillin and mens
garments.
Mens garments in at-bath (reverse letter
replacement) has the same numerical value as
This is tefillin, because they are the secret of
the world of duchra (masculinity). And do not
bring a proof [against this] from Michal bat Shaul
[even though] she used to put on tefillin.

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tefillin

9. Kaf HaChaim, Orach Chaim 38:9, in the name of Yaffe Lev Why Michal is no proof.
When he writes: Do not bring a proof [against
this] from Michal bat Shaul, perhaps what he
means is that Michal bat Shaul was such a wise
woman that she knew that her soul was from the
world of duchra (masculinity), and therefore,
Michal bat Shaul had no child (Shmuel/Samuel
II 6:23).

,


.

An Alternative Approach
If tefillin are designed for the perfection of men, how do women perfect themselves in like fashion? What is
their alternative to tefillin?

10. Aryeh Kaplan, Tefillin, pp. 56-57 Women have their own built-in tefillin.
On a most simple level, mitzvot establish a link with God. The most profound way to accomplish this
is through emulating Him. Women resemble God in a way that no man could ever hope to: only a
woman can create within her body, only a woman can bear a child. In this sense, a woman partakes of
Gods attributes more intimately than any man. The Kabbalists teach us that the hand tefillin represent
the feminine element. The single hollow section in the tefillin box represents the womb, and the coils
wrapped around the arm signify the umbilical cord. What a man partakes of with an object, a woman
partakes of with her very body. The box of tefillin is called a bayit literally a house. The woman also
has her own bayit the home in which she raises her family. One could say then that a womans home
is her tefillin!

Key Themes of Section IV.

HH The profound significance and great rewards of tefillin naturally play out in the mitzvah to wear
them all day long. However, power requires responsibility and the standards of holiness demanded
by tefillin are too much for most to bear. A compromise is struck to wear tefillin at the most
pertinent and opportune time, the time of prayer. Even this, though, is not necessary on Shabbat
when the holiness of the day supersedes the need to wear tefillin.
HH The mitzvah of tefillin, while not mandatory for women, may still be performed by them. There
is certainly precedent for this as attested to by the famous case of Michal bat Kushi. Nevertheless,
such has never been the established custom of the Jewish people. Perhaps tefillin are simply too
holy to be worn on an optional basis, the risk being greater than the reward. Another possible
suggestion is that they were seen as male garb, made only for men by Divine design. Alternatively,
women actually do wear tefillin on the inside. The holiness and sanctity imparted by tefillin is
built into their system!

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Part V. Conclusion: Picking Up the Signals

We have attempted to explain what tefillin are, how they work, and why they are so meaningful within
the context of the Jewish tradition. Tefillin call upon us to live elevated lives, just as they seek to raise our
awareness of our connection with God. Happy is the man who wears tefillin and fathoms their mystery,
says the Zohar.
But appreciating the deep symbolism of tefillin and living up to their high ideals, while inspiring, may also
seem daunting. It is important to remember, then, that the mitzvah of tefillin starts with putting them on the
head; eventually, with practice and some help from Above, their message will also seep into the head as well.

1. Aryeh Kaplan, Tefillin, p. 45 Receiving spiritual signals.

When a man wears tefillin, he binds himself to the very highest spiritual level. He achieves a closeness
to God that even the deepest meditation could not accomplish. Of course, when a man wears tefillin
and also contemplates their significance, his very thoughts are elevated close to God. But even the
physical act in itself can bring a man to the loftiest heights. We can also understand this in a much
simpler sense.
In order to create this bond, our tefillin must conform exactly to Gods design. The slightest deviation
breaks this link. A good analogy is that of a radio. A radio is specifically designed to receive a
particular type of signal. Every element in it is needed for this. Cut a single wire, remove a single
capacitor, no matter how small, and you no longer receive the signal. There are precise rules by which
a radio must be built. These include all the laws of electromagnetism and circuits. If these are not
exactly followed, the radio will not function.
Tefillin are our receiver for a specific spiritual signal. As such, they must be designed to receive this
particular kind of signal. Violate a single rule, and they become like a radio with a transistor removed.
The bond just no longer exists.
We can carry the analogy still further. You would have to have an extensive scientific education to even
begin to understand how a radio works. You would have to know calculus and differential equations
and all the complexities of electromagnetic theory. But still, even the youngest child can turn on a
radio. The same is true of the mitzvot. A lifetime of study might lead you to begin to understand their
significance. But anyone can put them on and receive the signal.

Key Themes of Section V

HH You would have to have an extensive scientific education to even begin to understand how a radio
works. You would have to know calculus and differential equations and all the complexities of
electromagnetic theory. But still, even the youngest child can turn on a radio. The same is true
of the mitzvot. A lifetime of study might lead you to begin to understand their significance. But
anyone can put them on and receive the signal.

This class was prepared by Rabbi David Sedley

and edited by the Morasha Curriculum Team

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