This memorable event came to mind a few months ago when I was waiting for my car to be repaired. Who should walk into the waiting room but my local rabbi! We exchanged greetings and he asked me, "Have you laid tefillin yet?"
I admitted that I had not. "I had to get my daughter off to school early, then come straight here in order to make my appointment. I'll do it later."
"I brought my tefillin with me. We can do a mitzvah while we are waiting." With that he rabbi opened his attache case and produced a handsome set of tefillin. With his assistance I donned them and recited the Shema - right there in the waiting room of a local car dealership.
No doubt about it. Tefillin is an unusual ritual. What is it about tying leather boxes to one's arm and forehead that arouses such loyalty among those of us who observe this unique mitzvah?
What are tefillin?
Tefillin are small black boxes with long leather straps attached to them. Jewish males are required to wear them every morning, except for Shabbat and Yom Tov. Within the boxes are hand written scrolls containing four sets of verses from the Torah in which tefillin are commanded. (Exodus 13: 1-10; Exodus 13: 11-16; Deuteronomy 6: 4-9; Deuteronomy 11: 13-21) Laying tefillin is one of the first mitzvot a young boy assumes when he becomes Bar Mitzvah. Very soon after I completed my conversion, I sought out a rabbi to help me obtain a set for myself.
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| My own tefilin. |
Why are tefillin worn?
The Torah commands us not only to take the words of Torah to heart, but to "bind them as a sign upon you arm and make them frontlets between your eyes." (Deuteronomy 6: 8) In order to fulfill this commandment tefillin are tied to the arm and the head. Tefillin bind us to Torah. Tefillin represent in a tangible way our dedication to and union with G-d. In both thought (the head) and deed (the arm) we commit ourselves to serve Hashem.
How are tefillin worn?
Tefillin are worn during the morning prayers. The talit is put on first (See "The Truth About the Talit" on this blog.) The arm tefillin (known as "shel yad") is worn before the head tefillin ("shel rosh"). Remove the hand tefillin and unwind the straps. The box is placed on the center of the bicep muscle on the "weaker" arm. (Right handed persons put the tefillin on their left arm; left handed on the right.) The box points inward, toward the heart. The following blessing is recited when the arm tefillin is in place:
The strap is the tightened and wound seven times around the forearm.The excess of the strap is wound around the palm of the hand temporarily.
The head tefillin is then placed so that the box is centered on the top of the head at the hairline not below. The loop of the strap surrounds the crown of the head. The knot centered at the base of the skull above the hairline.The blessing for the head tefillin is recited before the box is placed in position. After securing the head tefillin properly, recite the phrase "Baruch shem..."
The final step is laying the tefillin is to wrap the straps of the arm tefillin around the fingers, a symbol of our spiritual betrothal to G-d. This is done while reciting these verses from Hosea: "I will betroth you to Me forever. And I will betroth you to Me with righteousness, justice, kindness, and mercy. I will betroth you to Me with fidelity, and you shall know God."
There are some variations in custom concerning the laying of tefillin. You should follow the customs of your local congregation.
Many of my friends are reluctant to begin laying tefillin. Even men who regularly perform other mitzvot hesitate to put on tefillin. My personal experience has been a very happy one. When I am wearing my tefillin I feel a genuine closeness to G-d. I often attend a local minyan made up of men from many expressions of Judaism - Orthodox, Reform and Conservative. All of us don tefillin for the morning prayers. There is a special bond between us as we follow the commandment.
Tefillin require a special expertise to be made in a kosher fashion. They are rather expensive, but well worth the investment. Some congregations have extra sets of tefillin for men who do not have their own. There are even some groups who offer financial assistance to anyone who is sincere about performing this important mitzvah. Speak to your local rabbi. Don't be shy! You will soon experience the benefits of being "tied up" in the morning!
Tefillin photo by Dovid J. Aston.
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