Tefillin
WE COME STRAPPED: The Secret Power of Tefillin
There are many unique rituals and practices that are part of the Jewish cultural tradition and religion. These rituals are universal to Judaism, but are oftentimes practiced differently based upon your personal level of observance and the community in which you live.
While certain rituals can seem daunting based on your level of observance and understanding, we have done a "deep dive" on each ritual, shining a light on the reasons why and the practical process of how. We hope that the spiritual and mystical insights into each practice resonate with you and inspire you to try for the first time, or re-activate a practice that you no longer maintain.
TEFILLIN - BACKGROUND
Tefillin, sometimes referred to as phylacteries, are a set of leather boxes and straps that contain four specific verses from the Torah written on parchment scrolls from a kosher animal. Tefillin is worn six days-per week (not used on Shabbat or holidays) during the morning prayer service (Shacharit) in order to fulfill the mitzvah set forth in the Torah. Specifically the Torah says “you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand and as totafet (“ornamanets” or “frontlets”) between your eyes”.
While this cryptic message is repeated four times in the Torah - two times in the story of the Exodus and two times in the Shema prayer passages - (Exodus 13:9 and 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:18), the specific details around the technical design and use of tefillin are crystalized and further revealed through the Oral Torah and other commentary.
Kabbalistically, tefillin serve as antennas to draw down spiritual energy, helping the wearer join the upper and lower worlds. By wearing tefillin and making the associated blessings and spiritual connections, there is an opportunity to bind, harness and control our selfish desires and convert the desire to receive for the self alone, into the desire to receive in order to share.
Tefillin are worn on the head (thought), next to the heart (love) and on the hand (action). Tefillin act like a set of spiritual computer cables, unifying our thoughts, love and actions to create a sense of unity and protection - allowing the wearer to share the energy with those around them and with the upper worlds.
Each box of the tefillin has parchment with 3188 words from four passages from the Torah: (1) remember the miracle of the Exodus; (2) share Judaism with your descendants; (3) say the Shema prayer to connect to the unity of all things; and (4) observe G-d’s commandments. The head tefilla has the passages written separately on 4 different scrolls, while the hand tefilla has the passages written on a single scroll. The scholars attribute this difference to the reference to the hand tefillin in the singular (“a sign”) and to the head tefillin in the plural (“totafot”).
What is unique about Tefillin?
Tefillin are comprised of the head tefilla (Shel Rosh); and the hand tefilla (Shel Yad).
Head Tefillin (Shel Rosh):
One of two black leather boxes that comprise the set of tefillin. The Shel Rosh is worn on the head and has the following unique and spiritual attributes to support the connection of the wearer:
(1) Two Shins - the head tefillla has two letter Shins protruding from the left and right sides of the leather box. The right side Shin has three arms; while the left side Shin has four arms. There are a variety of beautiful and spiritual reasons for the different Shins: (a) Two types of Torah revelation: the three and four pronged Shins, connect us to the two types of Torah revelation. The Torah was revealed in both the written word of Moses and the imprinted word as received on the inscribed stone tablets. Accordingly, when writing a three-pronged shin, you would simply fill in the Shin with ink. However, when imprinting a Shin, you would use a 4-pronged shin to create the imprint in the negative space for a three-pronged Shin; (b) Zohar - the Zohar makes several references to the 3 and 4 pronged Shins and how they connect us spiritually - (i) 7 branches of the Menorah in the Holy Temple; (ii) 7 blessings in the Shema (3 in am; 4 in pm); (iii) 7 days of the week; and (d) 7 divine attributes (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malchut); (iv) Patriarchs & Matriarchs - the 3 and 4 pronged shins connect to the 3 patriarchs (Abraham, Issac and Jacob) and the 4 matriarchs (Sarah, Rivka, Rachel and Leah) and (v) Mitzvah - Connect to 613 Mitzvot of the Torah. Shin has a numerical value of 300. 2 Shins = 600. The double Shin (when removing the zeros) = 6 and the 3 and 4 arms of the shins = 7, totaling of 613, the total number of mitzvot.
(2) Calf Hair - the head tefilla has several strands of calf hair protruding from the base. These hairs serve as (1) antennas to draw energy; and (2) an offering to appease to the Sidra Hara - or evil inclination, to allow for uninterrupted connection during prayer
(3) Black Straps - the leather straps extend from the box on the head (which has the energy of Chochmah / Binah / Dat) down to Chesed and Gevurah. The right strap, representing Chesed is longer in order to cover and sweeten the judgment from the left side, Gevurah
(4) Daled Knot - the head tefilla knot forms the Hebrew letter daled and when combined with the Shin and the Yud knot on the hand tefilla, it spells “Shaddai" one of G-d’s holy names and an acronym for the Hebrew words, "Shomer Daltot Yisrael" which means "Guardian of the doors of Israel"!
(5) Four Separate Scrolls - the Torah passages are on 4 separate scrolls in the head tefilla based on the plural reference of “totafet” - “you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand and as totafet (“ornamanets” or “frontlets”) between your eyes.
Hand Tefillin (Shel Yad):
The Shel Yad is the second phylactery worn as part of the tefilin mitzvah. The hand tefilla is typically worn on the weaker arm, the left arm, to bind the judgment associated with the weaker left-hand side represented by gevurah.
Yud Knot - The knot created by the straps on the hand tefilla form a Yud. When combined with the Shin on the head tefilla and Daled created by the head knot, it creates a Shin Daled Yud combination which spells “Shaddai", one of G-d’s holy names meaning Almighty, and an acronym for the Hebrew words, "Shomer Daltot Yisrael" which means "Guardian of the doors of Israel"!
How to wear Tefillin
When laying or wearing the tefillin, there are a variety of technical processes to be followed.
(1) Sitting or Standing - while some communities (Sephardim) sit while donning the hand tefillin, others stand during the donning of both the head and hand tefilla.
(2) Wearing the Hand Tefilla - all communities agree that the hand tefillla is to be worn on your “weaker” side, so a right-handed person wears the Rosh Yad on their left arm, while a left-handed person wears the Rosh Yad on their right arm. Kabbalists always wear the hand tefilla on their left side, in order to bind the weaker left side, represented by Gevurah, or the left side energy of judgment. By binding the left side, we are able to convert the energy of the desire to receive for the self alone into the desire to receive in order to share.
(3) Wrapping the Hand Tefilia (part 1) - when wrapping the hand tefilla, you place the tefilla on the bicep, placing the box adjacent to and facing the heart. You make the blessing, and then wrap the strap three times over the small ledge of the box on the bicep, creating a Shin - representative of the patriarchs (Abrahm, Isaac and Jacob), and connecting to the Spherot - Chochmah, Binah, Daat. You then wrap it another 7 times around the forearm - connecting you the remaining 7 sephirot (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut) or spiritual emotions. The 7 wraps around the forearm also connects us to the 7 sages - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Yosef and David. You then wrap the remaining strap loosely around your hand until after the head tefillia is in place.
(4) Placing the Head Tefilla - the head tefilla is placed in the center of the head and the blessing is made. The tefilla is worn at the hairline so the knot in the back sits on the knave of the neck. When wearing the head tefilla, we are receiving protection against any negative thoughts - fear, doubt, anger, insecurity, and evil inclination.
(5) Wrapping the Hand Tefilla (part 2) - once the head tefilla is in place, we complete the wrapping of the hand tefilla with a wrap below the lower knuckle of the middle finger, a wrap above the knuckle and then a third wrap below the knuckle. The straps are then wrapped around the ring finger and back around the hand, creating a Shin on the hand, and a Daled and Yud on the fingers - also creating the Shin Daled Yud, or Shaddai, a Holy name for G-d, meaning the “Almighty”. The wraps around the middle finger also remind us of a ring, akin to the wedding ring a groom would provide to his wife. This is analogous to providing a ring to the divine female energy of G-d, the Shechinah, that is always present at a minyan or when you study Torah.
Why wear Tefillin?
There are multiple reasons to wear Tefillin: (1) perform the mitzvah as set forth in the Torah; (2) draw down spiritual energy and connect the upper and lower worlds; (3) combine the energy of the mind (head), heart and action (hand) to create a sense of internal harmony and protection; (4) convert the desire to receive for the self alone to the desire to receive in order to share; and (5) send light to the upper worlds to create safety, security and peace for humanity.
Mystical insights on Tefillin
The 10 Sephirot
We connect to the 10 sephirot (emanations and attributes through which the infinite becomes manifest) during the tefllin connection though the 10 wrappings of the hand tefilla. This includes the initial 3 wraps on the bicep, representing Chochma, Binah and Daat, and the remaining seven wraps on the forearm, representing Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut.
Patriarchs & Matriarchs
We connect to the Patriarchs and Matriarchs through the combined seven arms on the two Shins found on the head tefilla; and the 7 sages through the seven wraps of the forearm with the hand tefilla.
Connecting to G-d’s Name
We are able to connect to the holy name of Shaddai - spelled Shin Daled Yud, meaning “Almighty” and feel the embrace and protection during our connection. The connection to Shaddai is found in two places within the Tefillin ritual: (1) the combination of the Shin on the head tefilla, the dalet formed by the head tefilla knot and the yud formed by the hand tefilla knot; and (2) the combination of the Shin, Dalet and Yud created on the hand tefilla through the proper wrapping.
Also, by rearranging the letters that immediately follow Shin, Dalet and Yud, you get Caf Hei Tuf, one of the 72 Names of G-d that helps to remove negativity from people and places.
What about the 2nd set of Tefillin?
Some communities wear a second set of tefillin known as Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin. This tefillin is typcially worn sequentially, after wearing the primary "Rashi" tefillin. In certain rare situations, where there is space and the knots do not overlap, some observants wear both sets at the same time.
Rabbeinu Tam was the grandson of Rashi, the famous commentator. Rashi prescribed that the parchments in the Tefillin were written to follow the order in which the mitzvah were described in the Torah. Specifically, (1) remember the Exodus; (2) spread Judaism to your descendants; (3) say the Shema; and (4) observe G-d’s commandments. Rabbeinu Tam on the other hand, prescribed that the Shema mitzvah comes last on the list, re-ordering number 3 and 4.
While no separate blessing is made, one may not speak in between placing the shel yad and the shel rosh of the Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin
Have a great week and a new found sense of appreciation for your Tefillin!
Resources & Credits
The Holiday Wisdom emails and the ideas presented herein are compiled from the following sources:
Gutnick Edition Chumash with Rashi's commentary, Targum Onkelos, and commentary anthologized from Classic Rabbinic Texts and the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
Apples from the Orchard - Gleanings from the Mystical Teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria on the Weekly Torah Portion
Kabbalistic Bible - Kabbalah Centre International, Inc
Chabad.org
LiveKabbalah.org
The Zohar - Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, various translations
Mysteries of the Kabbalah - Marc-Alain Ouaknin
Other online written and video content that discusses and shares Kabbalistic Wisdom