Phylacteries (T'fillin)

What Are Tefillin?

T'fillin are two small black leather boxes attached to black leather straps. In English, they are sometimes called phylacteries (from the Greek). One is worn on the upper part of the left arm, near the heart, and is called "Shel Yad" (of the hand). The other is worn on the forehead, and is called "Shel Rosh" (of the head).

The t'fillin have internal compartments that contain parchments. The "head" t'fillin has four compartments, containing Exodus 13:1-10, 11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and 11:13-21. The "heart/arm/hand" t'fillin has a single compartment, containing the same four Biblical passages written in four columns on a single parchment.

By donning t'fillin on the head and near the heart, the wearer aspires to employ his thoughts and emotions in divine service. This is a different purpose than wearing the fringes, which remind one to follow the commandments.

The t'fillin are signs of the covenant between Jews and God. They are not worn on Shabbat (the Sabbath) or Festivals because Shabbat and the Festivals are themselves signs of the covenant, so nothing further is needed.

The act of putting on t'fillin is a metaphoric betrothal between the Jew and God. (Part of the ritual for donning the t'fillin is the recital of Hosea 2:21-22 while wrapping the strap of the "heart/hand" t'fillin around your finger, like a wedding ring).

The "head" t'fillin has a three-pronged shin (a Hebrew letter) on one side, reminding us of the merits of the three Patriarchs; and a four-pronged shin (an odd variant) on the other side, reminding us of the merits of the four Matriarchs. Since shin has a numeric value of 300, it reminds us that t'fillin are worn 300 days out of the 354-day Jewish calendar. Shin is also the first letter of, and an abbreviation for, one of the Names of God (the one usually translated as "Almighty").

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If it is a weekday morning (i.e., not Sabbath and not another Holiday; in most Jewish contexts Sunday is a weekday), the men will put on t'fillin that they bring with them from home. The t'fillin are donned before beginning the morning service and are worn throughout the service. Although some Jewish women wear t'fillin, most do not attend weekday morning services and do not wear t'fillin. Orthodox women have traditionally not worn them.

Many synagogues provide a place for people to leave their t'fillin. Unlike prayer shawls, head coverings, and prayer books, you should assume that any t'fillin are the personal property of individuals and should not be borrowed without asking permission.

There is a very complex ritual associated with donning t'fillin. The details are in Appendix A.

Wearing t'fillin is a symbolic act of binding. It proclaims that, like the slaves from Egypt that stood together at Sinai, we have permanently exchanged human masters for the duty of divine service. Thus, the leather straps of the t'fillin may remind one of the leather straps that were used to beat Israelite slaves.

Remove your t'fillin before entering a bathroom. Leave them outside.

--- adapted from "The Synagogue Survival Kit" by Jordan Lee Wagner, publ. by Rowman & Littlefield. 1997.

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