oh A How-To Guide By Rabbi DovBer Pinson www. TefillinBank.comcontents Basics rior Goi. 0s naan eas rae Quotes .... 8 A Story. 10 Tefillin Explored a Kabbalistic Insights 4 How To put on Tefil 18 AStory . ez The Shema ... 2 Shema Yisroel .....2.2..000+ 23 Velahavta . +23 Vehaya . 24 Valvomer® rca tie cs: eae Meee nN ramet, Removing And Replacing The Tefillin ............ ers) Tefillin Upkeep . ae 7 Basic Laws Of Tefillin .. 28 Frequently Asked Questions 229 Quick Reference Chart x E 31basics basics What are Tefillin? “You shall love G- your Ged, with all ‘your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I command you today, shall be upon your heart. Teach them thor oughly to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as an os —a sign — upon your hand, and they shall be for totafos — a reminder — between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6:5~8) By these words we are commanded not only figuratively but literally to keep the Torah close to our heads and hearts. We take inscriptions of chapters of Torah, and place one on the head as a “reminder between the eyes,” and the other as a ‘sign on the arm’ situated against the heart. These are the powerful spiritual tools we call Tefilin. rid Tefillin consist of two cube-shaped leather boxes — the Tefillin shel rosh (Tefilin of the head) and the Tefillin shel yad (Tefillin of the hand) — each with straps attached to hold them in their respective places. Each of these boxes contains the four paragraphs of the Torah that mention the com: mand to wear the Tefillin: Exodus 13:1-10 and 13:11-16, and Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. ‘These are carefully hand-written on small parchments by a professional sofer (scribe), and inserted in the boxes, Here, however, there is a basic differ- ence between the two boxes. When the Torah describes the hand Tefillin, it uses a singular term, os (sign); but for the head Tefilin, it uses a plural, totafos (remember). Thus, each of the four Torah paragraphs in the head Tefllin is written on its own scroll and inserted in one of four small compartments. These four we ea crabasics . compartments are carefully pressed together to maintain the cube-like shape of the Tefillin, By con: trast, in the hand Tefillin, all four sections are —~ inscribed on a single scroll which is placed in one compartment. We place the hand Tefillin upon the left arm so that it rests near the heart, and the head Tefillin above | the forehead, “between (and above) the eyes," soit | 4 2 rests against the skull near the brain. Thus, one’s mind, heart, and actions are all aligned and unified toward Heaven. Zz . | Tefillin Images 1. Tefillin Shel Rosh 5, Retzuos Straps Head Tefillin (Batim) ech 3 4 5 2. Tefillin Shel Yad the letter Shin Hand Tefillin (Batim) {On the Head Tefiliin) 3. Titura 7. Kesher - knot The wider base The head knot as the wR” image of a Dalet 4, Mafabarta The opening through 8. Kesher - knot which the straps The hand knot as the a pass through image of a Yud 6 oem TOquotes quotes Quotes from the Talmud, Midrash, and Classic Torah sources Tefillin are the strength of Israel, and they are called “the glory of Israel”* “All of the people of the world shall see that the name of G-d is called upon you, and they shall be afraid of xyou.”' This, says R. Eliezer the Great, refers to the Tefllin of the head.* When asked in what merit he was worthy to have lived a long life, Rav ‘Adda replied, “I have always worn Tefilin.”* Once, the celebrated sage Abbaye was sitting [in study] before his teacher Rabbah, who observed that he seemed very merty. [Rabbah] Talmud, Berachos 6a, 5 Talmud, Taanis 206 2 Sukkah 253 65 fsalms 211, 5. Deuteronomy 28:10. 4 Tamu, Berachos 6a 8 Midrash Teil pee 2. Talmud, Berachos 30. said; Is it not written, “Rejoice with trembling”? Replied Abbaye, “I am wearing Tefllin.”” “We deeply desire to toil in Torah day and night, but we simply do not have the time,” say the people of Israel. G-a’s response is: “Keep the mitzvah of Tefilin, and 1 will consider it as if ‘you have studied Torah day and rnight."* That which G-d commands, He Himself does as well; [thus, just as He commands that we put on Tefilin, so too] G-d puts on Tefillin. ‘And what is written in G-d's Tefilin? “Who’ is like Your people Israel, a nation unique on earth.”® The commentators explain: Just as our donning Tefillin displays our continuous desire to cleave to G-d and to come closer to Him, so too 9. Chronicles 11721. 10. Talmud, erachos 6a, eae Ruin Eidquotes the image of G-d putting on Tefillin reflects His deep desire to be one with us, in keeping with the verse, “1am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.” Once a person puts on Tefillin, the status of his physical body is forev- er changed." Tefillin are strapped to the body as a precious jewel is held near to oneself." Moshe (Moses) was shown the knot of Gal's Tefillin.” This means that Moshe was shown (as a visual image the procedure and method of) how to put on Tefillin." When one has committed negative acts which should (by the spiritual laws of cause and effect) result in negative consequences, the mitz 1. Song of Songs 63 12. Commentaryof Mahaska to Beachos lect Berachos le ct 15. Tal, Menachas 35, 13, Se Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 17a, 16. Commentary of Rav Hai Gaon to 14. Commentary of Rash to vah of Tefillin can protect him, and not allow such forces to attach themselves to him." When our forefather Yaakov (Jacob) was wrestling with the angelic spir- it of Esav (Esau), and the angel became aware of Yaakov's Tefillin, he became afraid and backed off." One who puts on Tefillin, wears titzit, reads the Shema, and prays, is guaranteed a portion in the World to Come; lives a long life; all his untoward actions will be forgiv en; and he will be protected from all cleansing punishment in the afterlife." All destructive forces disperse before a person who is crowned with Tefillin, and lack the strength to approach him.” Menachos, ect 17 Zohar, Tsun, 18. Meam Loe, Eke 19 Tur Orach Chaim 37 Tefillin, like the Torah, is the sword that protects the Jew from all harm. Just as the Torah is divided into written and oral components, so too there are the head Tefillin, corresponding to the written dimension of the Torah, and the hand Tefillin, which are analogous to its oral aspect.” One who leaves home wrapped in a tallis, with Tefllin upon his head and on his arm — the Divine pres ence rests upon his head, and two angels come to accompany him, one to his right and one to his left. If one is careful in putting on Tefillin each day, itis as if he has fulfilled all six hundred and thir teen mitzvot ‘A person who walks about holding 20, ReishisChochmah 21, Haare Davao, 22, ohar 20, 3, ReisisChochmah,10 something precious in his hands is constantly watchful and afraid of being robbed; however, one who ‘wears Tefillin has nothing to fear, as the seal of the King is upon him.* The holiness of Tefilin is magnifi cent, for a person wearing Tefilin is awakened to humility and awe of G-d, He will not be persuaded toward callousness or to idle talk His mind will not drift to negative thoughts, but rather his heart will be oriented toward words of truth and righteousness.” When one is garbed in tallis and Tefillin,a heavenly voice rings out, Give honor to the one who has the image of the King upon his head. “The entire Torah is likened to Tefillin” “Tefilin encompasses both the value of a positive com mandment and the value of a neg: 2. Midrash, Abed Ytachak 90 25, Rama, Laws of Tf 4:25, 26, Meam Loz, he ative commandment. The aim of the positive is to draw down Divine light into our actions, and the pur- pose of the negative is to allow for an elevation of even the dense lev els of the seemingly unholy. When we proactively put on Tefillin, doing the positive mitzvah of plac ing the hand Tefillin on the weak est arm (a man’s weakest side, usu- ally the left, symbolizes negativity) and placing the head Tefillin open- lyon the head for all to see, we ele- vate even the ‘left’ and the ‘outside’ toG-d.” —The Rebbe* 27 Talmud, Kedshin 358 28 The Rebbe, Like Sichos 5eX plored SOnctin ly Tefillin explored “You shall love Gd, your Gd, with all ‘your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. These words, which I command you today, shall be upon your heart... Bind them as an bs’ ~a sign — upon your hand, and they shall be for ‘totofos’ — a reminder ~ between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-8) TEFILLIN—DERIVATION OF A SACRED WORD The term “Tefillin” the classical word for the ‘signs’ bound on hand and head, is often mistranslated as “phy- es," inferring that they are primitive amulets. To the contrary, Tefillin serve to bond and dedicate mind, heart, and deeds to Gd. Hence, the word Tefillin is likely derived from the Hebrew pelili, “indi cation,’ for the Tefllin indicate a pres ence of the Divine as they rest upon Us. Likewise, Tefilln is related to the Hebrew tofel, connection, a oneness between the Divine and Man. Notice, too, that the word Tefilin resembles the word tefillah, prayer. The shared root reflects their mutual purpose in connecting with G-d. In fact, Tefllin may be worn the entire day, but customarily for hundreds of years one dons Tefillin primarily dur- ing the morning prayers. (CREATION~ THE SUPREME ACT OF GOD'S LOVE Of the ways in which the Torah describes our relationship with the Creator, among the most exalted is, the intimacy of bride and groom. G-dis ultimate, seamless, Oneness ~ the perfect state of being. He lacks nothing. Yet, from on high, He craves a relationship with an “other,” a being outside His Oneness, a Creation that will appreciate a world of finite perceptions: time and space and matter and bodies. ‘As G-d brings forth Creation, He has performed the greatest act of love ~Tefillin explored He is the Groom supreme. Creation is His bride. They are connected through a vast contraction and con cealment of His infinite light. This is the foundation of Creation; G-d's love and His desire to give to the finite creatures who can receive His love, Without the infinite G-c's desire to contract and conceal His light, the material of Creation would never have come to be, for it would have been superfluous. DIVINE LOVE—STEPPING BACK AND GIVING THE FINITE WORLD ITS SPACE The greatest act of love is to stand back, allowing an ‘other’ to have space. G-d did and does exactly this, contracting His infinite light to allow for the Creation and exist ence of a finite world We are created beings. When we discover G-d's light and Oneness hidden in Creation, we find our This is the foundation of Creation; G-d’s love and His desire to give to the finite creatures who can receive His love... own “Creation” of love Recognizing this concealment achieves the purpose of Creation. We attain it on our own. It is not merely ‘shameful bread,” that is, a revelation that is offered to us, but a state of consciousness (“bread”) that we have earned. TEFILLIN—A SYMBOL OF GOD'S: SUPREME ACT OF LOVE G-d’s love is infinite, unconditional and boundless ~ no yesterday, today, or tomorrow; nothing grows old, including His love. We, as. finite beings, need constantly to be reminded of this love. In our world of time and space, if we do not work on relationships, continuous- ly renewing them, they become stale, boring, and something of the past. Relationships that begin with great passion Will fade if not rekin- dled. Thus, we put on Tefillin, taking the words, “You shall love your Gd. and bind[ing] them as a sign on [our] hand." In this way, we loving. ly bind ourselves anew each day to our Beloved, so that even from our time-bound perspective our rela- tionship is reinvigorated as a living truth in that moment. Indeed, we tie this sign on our ‘weaker hand” expressing a commitment that per- meates our entire being and actions, even those parts of self that seem lacking of spiritual strength and resolve TEFILLIN—SACRED SYMBOLISM IN ITS BINDING When we bind the hand Tefillin, we wrap the strap twice around the cesTefillin explored biceps, and then around the arm seven times. These seven windings are a reminder of the seven times the bride encircles her groom and the seven blessings offered to the bride and groom under the chup: pah, the marriage canopy. Finally, the strap of the hand Tefillin is wrapped three times around the middle finger, resem: bling a ring of threefold perma: rence. Having bound ourselves symboli ally to Gd in love and commit- ment, we gently place a crown upon our heads ~ the head Tefillin, Situated atop the skull over the brain, the head Tefillin represents a ‘space’ beyond mind and before Creation — the loftiest cosmic desire, the most expansive purpose of all Creation. This is the Divine desire to create a world in which Gedliness should become manifest. 0 OO TEFILLIN—THE NAME OF G-D IS CALLED UPON YOU “All the people of the world shall see that the name of G-d is called upon you’ (Deut. 28:10). This refers to the Tefillin of the head.” — Talmud, Berachos 6a The name of G-d is called upon us as we wear the Tefilln. One particularly exalted name of G-d is Shaddai, comprised of the three Hebrew letters shin, dalet, and yud. Shaddai is derived from dai, “enough.” The Midrash relates that as G-d created the universe, it expanded toward perfection — until He declared, “Enough! Stop!” God's intent, thus, was not that He cre- ates perfection but that we who are “imperfect” should perpetually strive toward creating perfection, an endless task always in a state of becoming This is the essence of G-d's love for us: By creating us imperfect, G-d allows finite beings to imitate Him, the ultimate Source of perfection, and create perfection in our own modest way. When we do, we appreciate what we earn. The reward is the pleasure we receive, that of being “creators,” not merely “recipients.” G's cry of *Dail” ("Enough!”) at the critical moment of creation, ordaining us as His partners in bringing on the world's perfection, becomes an expression of love through our Tefllin. Our Tefillin spell out the holy name Shaddai, shin, dalet, and yud: shin on the bayis (box) of the head Tefllin, dalet as the knot of the head Tefillin, and yud as the knot of the hand Tefilin.Kabbalah kabbalistic insights ‘TEFILLIN—A DEEPER SIGNIFI- CANCE OF THE BOXES Each of the Tefillin isa bayis (pl, batim, see page 7 image 1 & 2), a box or house. Within the box resides the parchment, and upon the parch. ment is/are inscribed four chapters from the Torah. The head Tefilin is comprised of four separate compartments con taining four individual scrolls, each inscribed with its chapter. The hand Tefillin has one compartment con. taining all four chapters on one scroll. Straps hang from the boxes, one which encircle the head and the other that is bound to the arm. The tangible Tefillin also infer their spiritual realm, The box houses the parchment. The parchment, in turn, surrounds the black ink of the holy letters. Hence, the Tefillin are three levels “deep.” The outer two levels are ‘makkifim, surrounding forces. The outermost container, the bayis is a ‘makkif ha-rochok~ a distant sur rounding, as a home surrounds the person dwelling therein. The parch- ment encompassing the letters is also a makkif, a surrounding force, albeit a makkif ha -korov — an inti mate surrounding in close proximity to the letters, like “clothes” that garb the wearer. The actual script is Torah, itself. It is Divine intellect, internal truth, a penimi, an inner most reality. The Ten Sefiros ‘The ten sefiros, the emanations through which Divine energy flows into the world, emerge in order: the three levels of intellect and the seven emotional attributes. Chochmah (wisdom or intuition), binah (understanding or cognition), and daas (knowledge or awareness) are collectively called mochin (mind) or seichel (intellect). These generate CRE cian euykabbalistic insights the seven emotions: chesed (kind ness), gevurah (restraint), tiferes (harmony), netzach (ambition), hod (devotion), yesod (connection), and ‘malchus (receptiveness). TEFILLIN—A SYMBOL OF THE DIVINE EMANATIONS. The bayis (“house’) of the head Tefillin symbolizes the most tran scendent makkif (‘surrounding force’) — the loftiest, yet most pen- etrating desire. It crowns and sur rounds the head. It represents the desire and purpose of Creation. From it, a flow descends into the parchment, and then into the writ ten word, the Divine intelligence of the Torah. It is dyed black, because it represents the “darkest” level, beyond “comprehension,” which is called the space for “the light of darkness.” This bayis contains chapters of Torah that represent intellect id ATT? “We put on Tefillin with the intention to draw down our purpose and the revelation of the mochin into our reality...” (chochmah, binah, and daas), These instruct and guide us on how to live individual lives and pursue col- lective purpose, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TWO “SHIN'S” On each side of the head Tefillin is inscribed the letter shin, one with three arms and the other with four. The shin alludes to seichel, intellect, and its three arms represent chochmah, binah, and daas: First, a thought comes to mind (chochmat). Then, with the faculty of cognition (binah), we comprehend and deci- pher the thought. Finally, we use ‘our knowledge (daas) to implement our understanding, Daas affords us the ability to make choices. it ensures that whatever we understand does not remain purely intellectual. Rather, it influ ences our emotions and informs our behavior. Since choice emerges from daas, itis divided into a right sided quality, chesed (love and giv- ing), and a left-sided one, gevurah (strength and restraint) Being that choices occur in daas, and daas itself can be subdivided into a right-side or left-side quality, thus the three levels within mochin are actually four, hence, the head Tefillin also bears a four pronged shin and four divisions within its bayis. Emotional Universe The lower seven emotional emana tions, symbolized in the sevenkabbalistic insights ‘As one reaches the age of thirteen... his powers of intellect are transformed into reality through emotions, until the truth of this higher revealed reality infuses his way of being and acting. windings of the arm Tefillin, enable Creation to occur. Indeed, the seven-day cycle of Creation reflects the seven emanations, each day representing another sefirah. So we typically live out our days. Reality is primarily based on emo tion, bringing people to live reac tively, manifested through their emotional composition. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEFILLIN AT AGE THIRTEEN ‘As one reaches the age of thirteen, his mind has presumably devel oped sufficiently to grasp the sense of his life's purpose. Thus, his pow: ers of intellect are transformed into reality through emotions, until the truth of this higher revealed reality infuses his way of being and acting. TEFILLIN—DRAWING THE INTEL- LECTUAL EMANATIONS INTO OUR REALITY Rarely does one find a life driven solely by clarity of thought. In Kabbalistic terms, this is because kesser, Divine intellect, and machin, the collective intellect of chochmah, binah, and daas, tran scend the world. Ones earthly pur- pose and the means of attaining it, thus, are not apparent; they need to be revealed. The act and inten- ek tion of putting on Tefilin is to draw down kesser and mochin into our selves, until the truth of this higher revealed reality infuses our way of being and acting From the boxes and the scroll con- tained within — flow the straps, first surrounding our heads, then tied in a knot the shape of a dalet for the word daas, and from the reality of daas flow the two straps: one to the right and one to the left, representing the general flow of the emotional attributes of chesed (love and giving) to the right-side, and gevurah (strength and restraint) on the left. Thus the right strap hangs lower then the left, for we wish to draw down more chesed then gevurah. n truth, chesed and gevurah emanate from the same “space,” the transcenden tal knot interweaving both these elements, rooted in the deepest place of kesser, the “black,” the level beyond comprehension which ron cei eankabbalistic insights is called the space for “the light of darkness.” Nevertheless, we seek to draw chesed into dominant revela: tion. In daas is the key to our emotions, so that they open and flow in the general direction of either right or left, giving or restraining, openness or confinement. The straps repre sent a flow ‘downward and though their “source” (made of leather) is the same as the parch ment ~ the makif beyond letters and comprehension ~ they must be colored with the ‘darkness’ of black dye, reflecting a descent below. They represent the highest level of kesser (the "black”) project: ed into the lowest and densest of vessels Before one may draw upon this transcendent level of kesser and ‘machin, he needs to ensure that his own vessels are prepared to absorb their flow. If he draws down kesser and mochin, and the vessels are unfitting, he will shatter the ves sels. This is why, before one dons the head Tefillin, he wraps the hand Tefilin, HAND TEFILLIN—THE DIVINE EMANATIONS UNITE While the bayis of the head Tefillin represents kesser (Divine intellect), the bayis of the hand Tefilin signi fies maichus (kingship; receptive- ness). Malchus is the recipient of all nine other Divine emanations. Hence, the nine levels originate ‘on high” by being housed in separate compartments of the head Tefilin. As they arrive at the recipient, sym bolized by the hand Tefillin, emana. tions have come to be so united that they all reside together in a single dwelling, The hand Tefillin in itself is testa ment to all of the Divine mana: tions: the bayis and two windings on the biceps corresponding to the three levels of intellect; seven windings on the forearm aligned with the seven emotions; three times around the middle finger, reflecting the world of doing and action ‘As the hand Tefillin is properly bound, it metaphysically binds ones reality in total dedication. Then, the head Tefillin draws a more profound measure of mochin from a world of perfect unity, ensuring a wonderful alignment among our deepest levels of soul, mind, emotions, and actions.how-to how-to put on Tefillin Begin by standing up and rolling up your left sleeve, so that the Tefilin can be placed direct- ly on the arm. (If you are left-hand. ed, roll up your right sleeve instead.) Place the Tefillin bag on the table, and take out the hand Tefillin from the bag with your right hand. (i{you wrapped and replaced the Teflin in their bag inthe manner explained below, then the hand Tefilin will beon the lef side ofthe bag.) \ Fig. 3 Rs Remove the Tefillin from its protective case (3), but leave in place the inner casing that has a round hole in its top. (This inner cas- ing protects the corners of the Tefillin {from being worn away.) J, Holding the tein with your right hand, with the ma‘abarta (the opening through which the strap passes, see page 7 image 4) towards you, place your left hand (or your right hand, if you are left-hand: ed) through the loop (4a), and place the box of the Tefillin on the biceps, adjusted so it rests directly against the heart (4b): Fig. ta Fig. 4bhow-to [5 Before tightening the strap, recite the blessing: (Transliteration) Baruch Atah Ado-nay Eloheinu Melech Ha‘olam, Asher Kidshanu Bemitzvosav Vetzivanu Lehaniach Tefillin. 20 ws oy NS POISE EET WN B PET Pop samy (Translation) Blessed are You, L-rd our Gd, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His command- ‘ments, and commanded us to put on Tefillin. Wile puting on the Tein, remain focused — don't talk or even gesture. Meditate on binding your mind, heart, and actions to Ge. 7. Now tighten the strap, being careful that the knot remains in contact with the box. Continue with two more windings around the biceps, each over the arm (away Tee Fig.7 from the body) (7a) and then back underneath. These two windings will go over the ma‘abarta, the extended base of the hand Tefillin (7b) Continue wrapping the strap in the same direction, seven more times around your arm, as follows: First a half turn (8a), then two full turns (8b), then another four turns (8c — separated from the previous turns by a wider space), and finally another half turn (84). aS nx re centering the box so that it lies at a point that is directly between the Fig. 9 Now wrap the strap one time around your palm, leaving the remainder loose for now (9). Take the head Tefillin from the bag with your right hand, and remove its protective case (10) pie Place the head Tefillin right above your forehead (11a),how-to eyes (11b). Be sure that the lower edge of the box does not fall below the place of the hair roots (12b). (If ‘your hairline is receding, place the lower edge of the box along your former hairline.) Fg. 11a 9) “| D Wile fastening the head Tefilin, ensure that the back knot rests at the base of the skull, just above the neck (12a). If, for any reason, an interruption ‘was made between the blessing on the hand Tefillin and putting on the head Tefillin, the following blessing should be recited; other wise continue with step #13, (Transliteration) Baruch Atah Ado-nay Eloheinu Melech Ha‘olam Asher Kidshanu Bemitzvosav Vetzivanu Al Mitzvas Tefillin The ths ong a3 oniyes aeTp es ott pren mye bya) (Translation) Blessed are You, Lrd our Gd, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His com mandments, and commanded us concerning the mitzvah of Tefillin. 3 Now take the remaining strap of the hand Tefillin in your right hand, and wrap it three times around your middle finger. Begin with one turn around the lower base (phalanx), then one just above the first joint (the middle phalanx) (13a), then once again around the base (13b). If there is any length left over, wrap it around your palm and tuck in the tail end. Fig. 13041 Aj Troughout the process of don ning the Tefillin, make sure that the straps (of both the hand and head Tefillin) are black side out. BASIC INTENTION WHILE PUTTING ON TEFILLIN When a person puts on Tefilin, he should have in mind that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us to write the four portions of Torah, placed within the Tefillin, which speak of the unity His name and of the exodus out 0 Egypt. We will thus remember the mira cles and wonders He did for us, which display His unity and His ability to rule and to do as He wills above and below. He has commanded us to place the Tefillin on the arm near the heart, and on the head above the brain, so that we submit our soul, which is one with the mind, as well as the desires and thoughts of our heart, to His service. By putting on the Tefillin, we will be mind. ful of the Creator and thus curb our per sonal, ego-based pleasures. SCR tcnotit Meus ca