Tefillin Buying Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Details of Manufacture
3. Contents
4. Arrangement of Passages
5. How to put Tefillin on

Introduction

The Tefillin Buying Guide, a guide for buying Tefillin, will help you determine how to buy your Tefillin.

Tefillin, also called phylacteries, are leather objects used in Jewish prayer, containing Biblical verses. They are an essential part of morning prayer services, and are worn on a daily basis (except the Sabbath and festivals) by religious Jews.

The origin of wearing Tefillin comes from the Torah (five books of Moses), in Deuteronomy 6:8, 11:18; Exodus 13:9, 16. While these passages were interpreted literally by most commentators (compare, however, the view of the Karaites, Abraham ibn Ezra, and Rashbam on Exodus 13:9), the Rabbis held that the general law only was expressed in the Bible, the application and elaboration of it being entirely matters of the oral law. The earlier tannaim (rabbis of the Mishnah) described their views of the Tefillin in the Mishnah and Talmud. (Talmud references: Menachot 34b; Zeb. 37b; Sanhedrin 4b; Rashi and Tosafot ad loc.)

Details of Manufacture

Tefillin consist of two leather boxes, one worn on the arm and known as "shel yad", and the other worn on the head and known as "shel rosh". They are made of the skins of kosher animals.

According to traditional Jewish law, the boxes must be square; their height should be about the length or the width; and they should be dyed black. The boxes are fastened on the under side with square pieces of thick leather by twelve stitches, and are provided with loops at the ends, through which are passed leathern straps. They are blackened on the outside. The threads are prepared from the veins of kosher animals.

The strap that is passed through the head-Tefillin ends at the back of the head in a knot representing the letter ד; the one that is passed through the hand-Tefillin is formed into a noose near the box and fastened in a knot in the shape of the letter ש. The box containing the head-Tefillin has on the outside the letter ש, both to the right (with three strokes: ש) and to the left; and this, together with the letters formed by the knots of the two straps, make up the letters of the Hebrew word Shad-dai ("Almighty"), one of the names of G-d.

The measurements of the boxes are not given; but it is recommended that they should not be smaller than the width of two fingers. The width of the straps should be equal to the length of a grain of oats. The strap that is passed through the head-Tefillin should be long enough to encircle the head and to allow for the knot. The two ends, falling in front over either shoulder, should reach the navel, or somewhat above it. The strap that is passed through the hand-Tefillin should be long enough to allow for the knot, to encircle the whole length of the arm, and then to be wound three times around the middle finger.

Contents: The scribe inside the Tefillin

The text inserted into the two Tefillin boxes (Batim) is hand-written by a duly qualified Scribe (Sofer) on special, consecrated parchment, and consists of four sets of biblical verses (Parshiot).

The first verse in the Tefillin is the Shema verse (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), in which the Mitzvah of Tefillin is first commanded:

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Other verses in the Tefillin are Exodus 13:1-10 (Kadesh), Exodus 13:11-16 (Vehayah) and Deuteronomy 11:13-21 (Vehayah).

The head Tefillin has four compartments. Each contains one of four scrolls upon which one of the four different sections of the Torah relating to Tefillin are inscribed. The hand Tefillin has only one compartment, and contains all these four sections of the Torah inscribed on one scroll.

Arrangement of Passages

The hand-Tefillin has only one compartment, which contains the four Biblical selections written upon a single strip of parchment in four parallel columns and in the order given in the Bible. The head-Tefillin has four compartments, formed from one piece of leather, in each of which one selection written on a separate piece of parchment is deposited perpendicularly.

The pieces of parchment on which the Biblical selections are written are in either case tied round with narrow strips of parchment and fastened with the thoroughly washed hair of a kosher animal, preferably of a calf. There was considerable discussion among the commentators of the Talmud as to the order in which the Biblical selections should be inserted into the head-phylactery. The chief disputants in this case were Rabbi Solomon Yitzhaki (Rashi) and Rabbi Jacob ben Me?r Tam (Rabbeinu Tam), although different possible arrangements have been suggested by other writers ("Shimmusha Rabba" and the Rabad).

The prevailing custom is to follow the opinion of Rashi. Some Sephardim and Chasidic Jews are accustomed, in order to be certain of performing their duty properly, to lay two pairs of Tefillin; one pair is prepared in accordance with the view of Rashi, and the other pair in accordance with that of Rabbeinu Tam. If, however, one is uncertain as to the exact position for two pairs of Tefillin at the same time, one should first "lay" the Tefillin prepared in accordance with Rashi's opinion, and then, removing these during the latter part of the service, without pronouncing a blessing lay those prepared in accordance with Rabbeinu Tam's opinion.

How to put Tefillin on

Introduction

You really should have someone show you how to put them on; once again, your local Chabad center will be happy to oblige you. If you're intent on doing it yourself (or you live in Antarctica), here’s what to do. (Remember, it takes lots of practice to get comfortable with it!)

There are many different methods to wrapping the Tefillin around the arm. Ashkenazim do it one way, Sephardim another, Chassidim do it yet another way, etc. If you know what your family custom is, go ahead and do it that way; otherwise you can do it the Chabad way, which we will describe in detail.

Selecting the Hand

Righties, which most of us are, put Tefillin on the left arm. If you’re a lefty, you will purchase "lefty Tefillin," so just reverse the instructions. (This is because the Torah says to put ‘em on the "weak" arm, meaning the arm you don’t use for fine motor activities, such as writing.)

Position and Practice

First, roll up your shirtsleeve to expose the biceps, and remove any watches or jewelry; preferably, the Tefillin should be wrapped directly onto the skin with nothing in between. Open the velvet bag and withdraw the box on the left. That’s the arm-piece, encased in a plastic box. Unwind the leather strap and spread it out loosely on the table in front of you. Now, see that knot on the side, with the strap going through it? Tug at the strap under the knot, and keep pulling firmly but gently until you’ve formed a loop under the case. Now, hold the top of the casing with one hand and the bottom with the other, and pull apart slowly — it opens on a hinge on the back. With the box now open, you have exposed the arm Tefilah (one Tefilah, two Tefillin). Slide it out carefully. Now, slide your left hand through that loop and bring the Tefilah all the way up on your arm. Once it’s sitting comfortably on the upper portion of the biceps, pull on the strap to tighten the loop so that the Tefilah sits tight. Make sure it’s tilted in towards the chest; it shouldn’t be facing forward. Now, here’s where you say the blessing: with your right hand holding the strap tightly a few inches of strap length from that knot, say the following: (bah-ROOKH, ah-TAH, ah-doh-noy, eh-lo-HAY-noo, MEH-lekh, hah-oh-LAHM, ah-SHER, keed-SHAH-noo, b'mitz-VOH-tahv, v-tzee-VAH-noo, l'hah-NEE-akh, teh-FILL-in.) [Blessed are You Lord, our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to don Tefillin.] Now, you’re gonna tie a “W” to your biceps.

The first line is already formed by the loop, so wrap that strap over the shelf on the back of the Tefilah, down under your biceps, and back up to where you started. Now, the strap should have formed a "V" on the outside of your arm. Do the above one more time to complete the "W". Then, bring the strap across your arm just above the back of your elbow, bringing it under your arm and back up on the inside of your forearm, just below your elbow. Now, just wrap it around your forearm seven times, proceeding evenly along the length of the forearm by leaving space between each wrap-around. When you get to your wrist, wrap the rest of the strap around your palm.

The Head

Next, get out the head Tefillin. The box goes on your head, just above your forehead. Center it in the middle of your head directly above the point that's right between your eyes. The ד-shaped knot should rest on the base of your skull.

Finish the Hand

Now back to your hand. Wrap the remainder of the strap three times around your middle finger, like this: once around the base, then once just above the first joint, then one more time around the base. You've got some strap left over, so wrap it around your palm and tuck in the tail end.

Recite the Shema Yisrael

This is what it means (say this if you don't read Hebrew):

Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One.

Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

You shall love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them thoroughly to your children, and you shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road, when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house and upon your gates.