SECTION 1 - via - School of Visual Arts

Notes
Tephillin (Tefillin), Boxes of Remembrance
“Worn by Jewish males age thirteen and over at the weekday morning service (originally they
were worn throughout the day). The injunction to wear them is base on four paragraphs in the
Bible (Exodus 13:1, Exodus 13:11, Deut. 6:4-9, Deut. 11:13-21). These paragraphs are written
twice on parchment once all together on one piece and once on four separate pieces with each
piece containing one paragraph. These two sets are placed in specially made leather cases, one
of which containing four parchments (shel rosh, i.e. “of the head”) is placed on the head so
that the front edge of the case lies just above the spot where the hair begins to grow and
directly above the space between the eyes . . .”
“The case containing the single parchment (shel yad, i.e. “of the hand”) is placed on the
muscle of the inner side of the left forearm so that the section through which the strap passes is
toward the shoulder.” A strap knotted in the form of the Hebrew letter yad secures it and is
then wound seven times around the arm and three times around the middle finger. The
remainder of the strap is passed under the palm and wound around it, forming the Hebrew
letter shen. The three letters form the divine name Shaddai (G-d Almighty. A separate
benediction is recited after putting on the head tefillin since it is regarded as a distinct
commandment.” 23
“Christian Scriptures allude to tefillin in a critical way, calling them phylacteries (i.e.
prophylactic amulets) . . . the Rabbis themselves did in fact stress that public display of tefillin
was one way in which one testified to G-d’s lordship and glory for He himself could be
imagined wearing them. Tefillin were therefore worn by some Jews every time they ventured
into the public domain, and occasionally women too wore them. But in time the practices was
restricted to certain hours and occasions; they were to be worn at day and not by night; and
they were to be put on during morning payers, after the donning of the talit.” 24
The four Torah passages inside each tefillin are as follows:
NOTES
Exodus 13:1-10
Exodus 13:11-16
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Deuteronomy 11:13-21 25
1. Notes: Gleanings From Reform Torah
2. Exodus 19:24
3. The words of Torah, sacred writings, prayers particularly if the name of G-d is mentioned.
4. Non-object exceptions would be sacred places such as Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and
the land of Israel.
5. The tefillin of the head is divided into compartments across its top and vertical sides by
incised lines. On its left side is the raised Hebrew letter “shin” with four stems and on the
right side is another raised “shin” but with the usual three stems. I have been told that
the letter “shin” is symbolic for G-d’s name. Several other Hebrew letters carry this same
symbolic value.
6. The Eternal Present, the Beginnings of Architecture, Sigfried Gideon, Mellon Lecture,
1957, paged 348.
7. The Eternal Present, the Beginnings of Architecture, Sigfried Gideon, Mellon Lecture,
1957, paged 348.
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