From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 1997 12:19 AM
To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Wearing Tefilin
heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com wrote:
>
> From: Stefan Blad
> To: "'Hebrew roots'" <heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com>
> Subject: Tefilin
>
> Shalom Eddie
>
> I have heard that one of the words in Shema where it speaks about binding the word
> as a sign on the hand and as frontlets between the eyes comes from the root "small box".
> I think it's the word "totafot".
>
> Is this true?
> SEE THE ANSWER BELOW!
> Stefan Blad
>
From: Messianic Rabbi Othniel
To: <heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Tefilin
Hi Stefan,
Yes, you're correct, although the word totafot is often rendered as
"sign" in the English translations. The prayer you're refering to is
part of the Shema or specifically the sections known as the V'ahavtah
and the V'imshemoah. Here in these portions of the greater shema are
found the commandments to wear what are known in Hebrew at Tefillin or
in Greek, Phalacteries. These two devices are made of leather which
covers two little boxes which contain these prayers written on
parchment. When one lays tefillin, puts them on, he is literally
binding the commandments to his arm and forehead.
>
> ***************************************************************************
>
> From: "LaSarge, Paul A"
> To: "'heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com'"<heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com>
> Subject: tefillin
>
> Hello Eddie,
>
> Would you please tell me a little about the tefillin? I understand
> that the Israelite custom of wearing the law on the hand and forehead
> originated from Exodus 13:9, as it is written, "This observance will
> be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead
> that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought
> you out of Egypt with his mighty hand."
>
> Did God really mean for the Israelites to literally wear Torah on
> their hand and foreheads? Did they begin immediately after God spoke
> this to them, or did they begin wearing Torah at a later date?
>
>
> Thank you,
> Paul LaSarge
>
From: Messianic Rabbi Othniel
To: <heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com>
Subject: Re: Tefilin
Dear Paul,
Our sages have long interpreted the commandment from Scripture you
cited above to literally mean to bind the commandments; specifically the
passages mentioned to one's hand, forehead and also upon the door
posts and gates of one's house and property as a reminder to do all of
G-d's commandments and never to forget them. Jews around the world do
this every week day morning, as did I this very morning when we offer
up our Shacharit prayers.
Although we physically apply tefillin, our sages were also quick to
point out that there is a spiritual application to this excercise as well,
namely that what ever we as G-d's people put our hands to doing, what
ever we put our minds to, it should be to the glory of HaShem; (the
name, Tetragramaton, that Jews do not pronounce out of respect. HaShem
literally means, "The Name".)
Women are permitted to wear tefillin however, they are excused from
doing so by the nature of their role in the Jewish home and community.
My wife has often said that since her entire week revolves around
preparing for the Sabbath, all she does and thinks is to HaShem's
glory. Therefore, although my wife does not actually lay tefillin
each day, never the less, she fulfills the commandment just the same
as I do.
As to when the practice of wearing tefillin actually started, I
can't give you a specific date. I do know that tefillin were worn nearly
two thousand years ago, in Yashua's day; while he walked among us.
The Pharisees wore them, as did our sages of blessed memory. Back
then, scholars and men given to prayer all day would wear them from
sunrise to sunset. Today tefillin are only worn on weekday mornings
for about an hour, or the time it takes to complete the morning
prayers, which is about an hour or so. After prayer they are removed
and put away. Tefillin are not worn on the Sabbath or on the festival
days because the commandments says that they are a sign. The
Sabbath and Festivals are a greater sign, so we do not wear tefillin in
the face of a greater sign. This is the ruling of our sages and I as a
rabbi respect and follow it.
Mezzuzot; plural of Mezzuzah, are always posted and visible on the
door posts of a Jewish household. I have as yet not put up my Mezzuzot in
my home as our renovations to this house are not complete. When they
are, we shall dedicate our home to HaShem and His glory. We will then
ask Him to bless our home and we shall nail to the door posts the
decorative cases that contain the handwritten prayers and the name,
"Shaddai". The Mezzuzot will be placed on the right side of the door
frame, about 2/3 rds of the way up at eye level and the top of the
Mezzuzah will be tilted slightly inward as if to point the way to
peace and harmony, in short, sanctuary.
One last note. When a house is dedicated and Mezzuzot afixed, it is
customary to throw a party. Guests bring a traditional gift of bread
and salt. Both are remberences of the sacrifices offered in the
Temple. Our sages also teach us that each Jewish home is as if it
were a mini temple. So much of Jewish life takes place in the home and
not in the synagogue as many suppose.
I hope my response has been of help.
Shalom,
Rabbi O.
---------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Yehoshua M. Othniel
Biblical Studies Institute
P.O. Box 1452
Independence, KS 67301-1452
**********************************************************************
From: Michael Silver
Organization: Etz Chayim - Tree of Life Messianic Jewish Congregation
To: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Subject: Re: Tefilin
Paul,
There are certain rituals in Judaism which are referred to in the Torah
as an "Ot" - a sign of the binding relationship between the Jew and G-d.
The Sabbath is called an "Ot"; circumcision is described as an "Ot"; the
mitzvah (Commandement) of tefillin joins the group of "Otot."
There are two tefillin, one placed on the arm (shel yad) and the other
on the head (shel rosh). They are two four-cornered boxes. A piece of
parchment made from the hide of a kosher animal is placed into the
tefillah shel yad, on which are inscribed four extracts from the
Pentateuch. These sections are: Exodus-Shemot 13:1-10, 11-16;
Deuteronomy-Devarim 6:4-9, 11:13-21. Into the tefillah shl rosh, which
has four sections, are placed four separate pieces of parchment, each
containing one of the same four passages.
The tefillah shel yad is tied with retzuot, leather-straps, to the
muscle of the left arm (if the wearer is right-handed) and facing the
heart. The tefillah shel rosh is placed on the head, not behind the
fontanel nor below the hairline.
These are considered two separate mitzvot. Thus if one has an arm
missing, he is yet obligated to wear the tefillah shel rosh.
On the Sabbath we do not don tefillin because Sabbath itself is an "Ot";
there is no need for two "Otot" on the same day.
Originally, Jews wore their tefillin all day and removed them only at
night. Due to circumstances prevailing in the Diaspora, the mitzvah of
tefillin is now normally carried out in the morning only. The least one
can do is to wear tefillin during the reciattion of the Shema and the
silent prayer of the Amidah. Because there are eight chapters of the
Bible inscribed in both tefillin, four in the tefillah shel rosh and
four in the tefillah shel yad, one who fails to put on his tefillin is
regarded as having violated eight positive commandments.
Tefillin ar worn only during the day. Since there is a time element
involved, it is not incumbent upon the woman to fulfill this mitzvah.
Rabbinic Commentary: By wearing the tefillin on the arm and the head,
indicating that the work of our hands and the thoughts of our brains
must be dedicated to G-d, we have a constant reminder not to follow the
dictates of evil inclinations.
--
Rabbi Michael Silver (Rav Mordecai Ben-Baruch)
Etz Chayim - Tree of Life Messianic Jewish Congregation
P.O. Box 364, Organ, NM 88052 (near sunny Las Cruces)
*****************************************************************************