Tefillin
Halakhic texts relating to this article | |
---|---|
Torah: | |
Mishnah: | Menachot 3:7 |
Babylonian Talmud: |
|
Mishneh Torah: | Tefillin, Mezuzah, veSefer Torah ch 5-6 |
Shulchan Aruch: | Orach Chayim 25-48 |
Part of a series on |
Jews and Judaism |
---|
Tefillin (
Although "tefillin" is technically the plural form (the singular being "tefillah"), it is often used as a singular as well.[1] The arm-tefillah (or shel yad [literally "of the hand"]) is placed on the upper (non-dominant) arm, and the strap wrapped around the forelimb, hand and middle finger; while the head-tefillah (or shel rosh [literally "of the head"]) is placed between the eyes at the boundary of the forehead and hair. They are intended to fulfill the Torah's instructions to maintain a continuous "sign" and "remembrance" of the Exodus from Egypt. While it is technically permitted for one to wear tefillin all day,[2] this is not common: it is customary to remove them following services.[3]
The biblical verses often cited as referring to tefillin are obscure.
Biblical source
The obligation of tefillin is mentioned four times in the Torah: twice when recalling The Exodus from Egypt:
And it shall be for a sign for you upon your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand did the LORD bring you out of Egypt.
— Exodus 13:9
And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and as totafot between your eyes; for with a mighty hand did the LORD bring us forth out of Egypt.
— Exodus 13:16
and twice in the shema passages:
And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes.
— Deuteronomy 6:8
You shall put these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall tie them for a sign upon your arm, and they shall be as totafot between your eyes.
— Deuteronomy 11:18
Etymology
The word "tefillin" is not found in the Bible, which calls them אות (ot, "sign"), זיכרון (zikaron, "memorial"), or טוטפת (ṭoṭafot). The first texts to use "tefillin" are the Targumim and Peshitta[5] and it is also used in subsequent Talmudic literature, although the word "ṭoṭafah" was still current, being used with the meaning of "frontlet".[5]
The ultimate origin of
The Biblical word ṭoṭafot, too, is of disputed etymology. The
The English word "
Purpose
The tefillin are to serve as a reminder of God's intervention at the time of the
Many have the custom to have high-quality tefillin and beautiful tefillin bags as a hiddur mitzvah. This idea comes from the verse "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2). The Jewish Sages explain: "Is it possible for a human being to add glory to his Creator? What this really means is: I shall glorify Him in the way I perform mitzvot. I shall prepare before Him a beautiful
Some non-Orthodox scholars think that tefillin may play an apotropaic function. For instance, Yehudah B. Cohn argues that the tefillin should be perceived as an invented tradition aimed at counteracting the popularity of the Greek amulets with an "original" Jewish one.[27] Joshua Trachtenberg considered every ornament worn on the body (whatever its declared function) as initially serving the purpose of an amulet.[28] In addition, the early Rabbinic sources furnish more or less explicit examples of the apotropaic qualities of tefillin. For instance, Numbers Rabbah 12:3 presents tefillin as capable of defeating "a thousand demons" emerging on "the left side", rabbis Yohanan and Nahman used their sets to repel the demons inhabiting privies,[29] whereas Elisha the Winged, who was scrupulous in performing this mitzvah, was miraculously saved from the Roman persecution.[30][31] Also, tefillin are believed to possess life-lengthening qualities,[32] and they are often listed in one breath among various items which are considered amuletic in nature.[33][34]
Manufacture and contents
The manufacturing processes of tefillin are intricate and governed by hundreds of detailed rules.[35]
Boxes
In earlier Talmudic times, tefillin were either cylindrical or cubical, but later the cylindrical form became obsolete.[36] Nowadays the boxes should be fashioned from a single piece of animal hide and form a base with an upper compartment to contain the parchment scrolls.[37] They are made in varying levels of quality. The most basic form, called peshutim ("simple"), are made using several pieces of parchment to form the inner walls of the head tefillin. The higher quality tefillin, namely dakkot ("thin"), made by stretching a thin piece of leather, and the more durable gassot ("thick") are both fashioned from the single piece of hide.[38]
The main box which holds the tefillin scrolls, known as ketzitzah (קציצה), is cubical. Below it is a wider base known as the titura (תיתורא). At the back of the titura is a passageway (ma'avarta, מעברתא) through which the tefillin strap is threaded, to tie the tefillin in place.
On both sides of the head-tefillin, the Hebrew letter shin (ש) is moulded; the shin on the wearer's left side has four branches instead of three.
Straps
Black leather straps (retsu'ot) pass through the rear of the base and are used to secure the tefillin onto the body.[5] The knot of the head-tefillin strap forms the letter dalet (ד) or double dalet (known as the square-knot) while the strap that is passed through the arm-tefillin is formed into a knot in the shape of the letter yud (י). Together with the shin on the head-tefillin box, these three letters spell Shaddai (שדי), one of the names of God.[5]
The straps must be black on their outer side, but may be any color except red on their inner side.[39] A stringent opinion requires them to be black on the inner side too,[40] but more commonly the inner side is left the color of leather.
The Talmud specifies that tefillin straps must be long enough to reach one's middle finger, and records the practice of Rav
Parchment scrolls
The four biblical passages which refer to the tefillin, mentioned above, are written on scrolls and placed inside the leather boxes.[5] The arm-tefillin has one large compartment, which contains all four biblical passages written upon a single strip of parchment; the head-tefillin has four separate compartments in each of which one scroll of parchment is placed.[5][45] This is because the verses describe the hand-tefillin in the singular ("sign"), while in three of four verses, the head-tefillin is described in the plural ("totafot").
The passages are written by a
The texts have to be written with halachically acceptable (acceptable according to Jewish law) ink on halachically acceptable parchment. There are precise rules for writing the texts and any error invalidates it. For example, the letters of the text must be written in order - if a mistake is found later, it cannot be corrected as the replacement letter would have been written out of sequence. There are 3188 letters on the parchments, and it can take a sofer (scribe) as long as 15 hours to write a complete set.[47]
Ordering of scrolls (Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam tefillin)
Talmudic commentators debated the order in which scrolls should be written in the hand tefillin and inserted into the four compartments of the head-tefillin.[5] Rashi held that the passages are placed according to the chronological order as they appear in the Torah (Kadesh Li, Ve-haya Ki Yeviehcha, Shema, Ve-haya Im Shemoa), while according to Rabbeinu Tam, the last two passages are switched around.[48] There are two additional opinions of the Shimusha Rabba and the Raavad, who hold that like Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam respectively, but they hold that the scrolls are placed in the head tefillin in mirror image of those opinions.[49]
It is often claimed that of the tefillin dating from the 1st-century CE discovered at
Nowadays, the prevailing custom is to arrange the scrolls according to Rashi's view, but some pious Jews are also accustomed to briefly lay the tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam as well,
The placement of the protrusion of a tuft of calf hairs (se'ar eigel) identifies as to which opinion the tefillin were written.[56]
Obligation and gender
The legal duty of laying tefillin rests solely upon Jewish males above the age of thirteen years, women are exempt from this obligation.[5] Though no such prohibition existed in ancient times,[5] since at least the Rema in the 16th century,[57] the prevalent practice among religious Jews has strongly discouraged women from wearing tefillin.
The codes view the commandment of tefillin as important, and call those who neglect to observe it "transgressors".
A mourner during the first day of his mourning period is exempt from wrapping tefillin; according to Talmudic law, a bridegroom on his wedding-day is also exempt,[5] but this later exemption is not practiced today. The reason for these exemptions is that the wearer of tefilin must have a constant state of mind intent on the commandment of tefilin, and distractions due to recent death or marriage would be problematic. A sufferer from stomach-trouble who thus can not maintain a clean body, or one who is otherwise in pain and cannot concentrate their mind is also exempt.[5] One who is engaged in the study of the Law and scribes of and dealers in tefillin and mezuzahs while engaged in their work if it cannot be postponed, are also free from this obligation.[5]
Historically, the mitzvah of tefillin was not performed by women, but the ritual was possibly kept privately by some women in medieval France and Germany.[60][61] It has been popularly claimed that Rashi's daughters (12th century) and the wife of Chaim ibn Attar (18th century) wore tefillin,[62] but there is little historical evidence for these claims.[63] There was not a widely accepted practice of women wearing tefilin prior to 20th century progressive Judaism, though historical sources suggest it was done in some communities prior to the advent of progressive Judaism.[64][65]
In modern times, men have not been the only ones to elect to wear tefillin.[66] In 2018, a group of students from Hebrew College, a non-denominational rabbinical school in Boston, created a series of YouTube videos to help women and trans Jews learn how to wrap tefillin.[67] Within the Orthodox movement, it remains a male-only religious obligation, but in egalitarian movements, others may observe this practice as a social statement. Women affiliated with the Conservative movement often wrap tefillin.[68] Since 2013, SAR High School in Riverdale, New York, has allowed girls to wrap tefillin during morning prayer; it is probably the first Modern Orthodox high school in the U.S. to do so.[69] The wearing of tefillin by members of Women of the Wall at the Western Wall caused consternation from the rabbi in charge of the site until a Jerusalem District Court judge ruled in 2013 that doing so was not a violation of "local custom".[70]
Use
Sometimes tefillin were worn all day, but not during the night. Nowadays the prevailing custom is to wear them only during the weekday morning service,[71] although some individuals wear them at other times during the day as well. Observant Jews make a tremendous effort to don Tefillin at the appropriate time every morning,[72] even in crowded airports. Tefillin are not donned on Shabbat and the major festivals because these holy days are themselves considered "signs" which render the need of the "sign" of tefillin superfluous.
On the fast day of
Chol HaMoed
On
- To refrain from wearing tefillin: This ruling of the Shulchan Aruch is based on kabbalah and the Zohar which strongly advocate refraining from laying tefillin on Chol HaMoed. This position is maintained by Sephardic Jews and is also the opinion of the Vilna Gaon whose ruling has been almost universally accepted in Israel.[75]
- To wear tefillin without reciting the blessings: This is the opinion of, among others, Rabbi Jacob ben Asher (Ba'al ha-Turim), Rabbi Moses of Coucy (Semag) and Rabbi David HaLevi Segal (Turei Zahav). The advantage of this compromise is that one avoids the transgressions of either not donning tefillin or making a blessing in vain.[75]
- To wear tefillin and recite the blessings in an undertone: This opinion is the ruling of Ashkenazic Jews.[75]However it may have been in his time, this is no longer universally the case, since many Ashkenazim refrain from wearing it or wear it without a blessing during Chol HaMoed.
In light of the conflicting opinions, the
Laws and customs regarding putting on tefillin
The arm-tefillin is laid on the inner side of the bare left arm, right arm if one is left handed, two finger breadths above the elbow, so that when the arm is bent the tefillin faces towards the heart.[5] The arm-tefillin is tightened with the thumb, the blessing is said, and the strap is immediately wrapped around the upper arm in the opposite direction it came from in order to keep the knot tight without having to hold it. Some wrap it around the upper arm for less than a full revolution (the bare minimum to keep the knot tight) and then wrap it around the forearm seven times,[79] while others wrap it around the upper arm an additional time before wrapping it around the forearm. Many Ashkenazim and Italian Jews wear the knot to be tightened (not to be confused with the knot on the base which is permanently tied and always worn on the inside, facing the heart) on the inside and wrap inward, while most Nusach Sephard Ashkenazim and Sephardim wear it on the outside and wrap outward.[5]
Then the head-tefillin is placed on the middle of the head just above the forehead, so that no part rests below the hairline. A bald or partially bald person's original hairline is used.
Earlier, Yemenite Jews' custom was to put on arm-Tefillah and wind forearm with strap, making knot on wrist not winding a finger, and then put on head-Tefillah all made in sitting position.[citation needed] Later, Yemenite Jews followed by Shulchan Aruch and put on arm-Tefillah, making seven windings on forearm and three on a finger, and then put on head-Tefillah. Because according to the Shulchan Aruch head-Tefillah and arm-Tefillah are two different commandments, if both Tefillin aren’t available, then one can wear the available one alone.[81]
German Jews also did not tie a finger earlier. But later they put on arm-Tefillah with a knot on biceps while standing, then put on head-Tefillah, and after that they wind seven wraps around forearm (counting by the seven Hebrew words of Psalms 145:16), and three wraps around a finger.[citation needed]
Some Western Sephardic families such as the Rodrigues-Pereira family have developed a personalized family wrapping method.[82]
Biblical commandments
Location | Passage |
---|---|
Exodus 13:1–10: Kadesh Li— the duty of the Jewish people to remember the redemption from Egyptian bondage. |
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Sanctify to Me all the first-born, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal, it is Mine.' And Moses said to the people: 'Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place; no leavened bread shall be eaten. This day you go forth in the Spring month. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which He swore unto your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall there be leaven seen with you, in all your borders. And so shall you tell your son on that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign for you upon your hand, and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand has the LORD brought you out of Egypt. You shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. |
Exodus 13:11–16: Ve-haya Ki Yeviakha— the obligation of every Jew to inform his or her children on these matters. |
When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore unto you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you, you shall set apart to the LORD all that opens the womb; every firstborn animal shall be the LORD'S. Every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep, and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and all the first-born of man among your sons shall you redeem. And when your son asks you in time to come, saying: What is this? say to him: By strength of hand the LORD bring us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage; and when Pharaoh found it hard to let us go the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of animals; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all males that open the womb, and redeem all my first-born sons. And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and as "totafot" between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt. |
Deuteronomy 6:4–9: Shema— pronouncing the Unity of the One God. |
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart; and teach them thoroughly to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the road, and when you lie down, and when you get up. And tie them for a sign upon your hand, and let them be "totafot" between your eyes. And write them on the door-posts of your house and on your gates. |
Deuteronomy 11:13–21: Ve-haya Im Shamoa— God's assurance of reward for observance of the Torah's precepts and warning of retribution for disobedience. |
If you listen to My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give the rain of your land in its season, the early and the late rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil. And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Take care for yourselves, lest your heart be seduced, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; and the anger of the LORD be lit against you, and He shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain, and the ground not yield her fruit; and you be quickly lost from off the good land which the LORD gives you. Put these words of Mine on your heart and on your soul; tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be "totafot" between your eyes. Teach them to your children, to speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the road, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. And write them on the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates; so that your days, and those of your children, may be multiplied upon the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth. |
See also
- Ktav Stam
- Tefillin Campaign
References
- ^ Variant: Gadpi
- ISBN 978-0-7425-4387-4.
- ^ "407. Times to Wear (and Not Wear) Tefillin - HaShoneh Halachos 2: Mishneh Torah". OU Torah. 2016-08-04. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
- ^ Cowen, Alexander. "Some Laws of Tefillin".
- ^ Uncovered in Jerusalem, 9 tiny unopened Dead Sea Scrolls
- ^ Jewish Encyclopedia(1906).
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7425-4387-4. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-931681-56-8. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- Perseus Project.
- ^ Sanhedrin 4b
- ^ The Targum often substitutes the word Afriki for Tarshish, see Kings I 10:22;
- ^ Exodus 13:16, s.v. U'letotafot bein ei'neicha
- ^ Rashi to Exodus 13:16, s.v. U'letotafot bein ei'neicha
- ^ Saruq, Mĕnaḥem ben (1854). Maḥberet Menaḥem (in Hebrew). Ḥoveret Yeshanim.
- ^ Jeffrey H. Tigay, "On the Meaning of Ṭ(W)ṬPT", Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 101, No. 3 (Sep., 1982), pp. 321-331
- ^ The Cambridge Bible for schools and colleges. University press. 1908. p. 175. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ^ φυλακτήριον in Liddell and Scott.
- ^ Woes of the Pharisees, Matthew 23:5
- ^ περίαπτον, περίαμμα in Liddell and Scott.
- ^ Crow, John L. (2009). Braak, J. (ed.). Miracle or Magic? The Problematic Status of Christian Amulets. Amsterdam. pp. 97–112.
{{cite book}}
:|work=
ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ ISBN 978-0-87068-658-0. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ a b Tefillin, Mezuzah, ve'Sefer Torah ch 5-6.
- ISBN 978-0-7657-6106-4. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-87306-711-9. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ^ "Holiday Art Beautiful ritual objects enhance holiday celebration". myjewishlearning.com. 20 January 2024.
Beauty enhances the mitzvot by appealing to the senses. Beautiful sounds and agreeable fragrances, tastes, textures, colors, and artistry contribute to human enjoyment of religious acts, and beauty itself takes on a religious dimension. The principle of enhancing a mitzvah through aesthetics is called Hiddur Mitzvah. The concept of Hiddur Mitzvahis derived from Rabbi Ishmael's comment on the verse, "This is my God and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2):
- ^ Greene, Gary. "Shabbat Truma Rosh Hodesh". MARATHON Jewish Community Center. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
I think the beauty was important then because it reminded the people of the worth of God in their worship. During the dry and dusty days of desert wanderings, they needed a reminder of God's majesty.
- ^ Silverberg, Rav David. "PARASHAT BESHALACH". The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash. Yeshivat Har Etzion.
Rav Shlomo Ha-kohen of Vilna, in his work of responsa Binyan Shlomo (siman 6), writes that he was once asked why the Gemara never mentions a requirement to purchase beautiful tefillin. Seemingly, tefillin is no less a religious article than a tallit, Sefer Torah or lulav, and thus the obligation of hiddur mitzva should apply equally to tefillin.
- ^ Cohn, Yehuda B. (2008). Tangled Up in Text: Tefillin and the Ancient World. Providence: Brown Judaic Studies. pp. 88–99, 148.
- ^ Trachtenberg, Joshua (1939). Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion. New York: Behrman's Jewish Book House. p. 132.
- ^ BT Berakhot 23a-b
- ^ BT Shabbat 49a
- .
- ^ Suggested in BT Menahot 36b, 44a-b and in BT Shabbat 13a-b
- ^ As is the case in M Kelim 23:1, M Eruvin 10:1 and BT Eruvin 96b-97a
- ^ Stollman, Aviad A. (2006). Mahadurah u-Perush 'al Derekh ha-Mehqar le-Pereq "Ha-Motze' Tefillin" mitokh ha-Talmud ha-Bavli ('Eruvin, Pereq 'Eshiri), [PhD thesis, Hebrew] (PDF). Ramat Gan. pp. 51–54.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ISBN 978-1-58330-434-1. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ Kiell, Norman (1967). The psychodynamics of American Jewish life: an anthology. Twayne Publishers. p. 334. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-58330-050-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-58330-050-3. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
- ^ Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 32:3
- ^ Shut Shevet Halevi 9:16
- ^ Menachot 35b
- ^ Mishneh Torah Hilchot Tefillin 13:12; Tur Hilchot Tefillin 27:8; Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 27:8
- ^ Darchei Moshe haKatzar Orach Chaim 27 letter 5
- ^ Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 27:8
- ^ BT Menachot 34b
- ISBN 978-1-58330-050-3. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ What is Tefillin?, www.stam.net. Retrieved 1 July 2011
- ^ ISBN 978-0-87441-379-3. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ Tefillin: Shimusha Rabba and Ra’avad
- ^ Cohn, Yehudah (11 January 2016). "The Real Origins of the Rashi, Rabbenu Tam Tefillin Dispute". TheGemara.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-14.
- JSTOR 40753443.
- ISBN 978-1-56821-123-7. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- ^ Aharon Lichtenstein, '"Mah Enosh": Reflections on the Relation between Judaism and Humanism', The Torah U-Madda Journal, Vol. 14 (2006-07), p.46
- ^ Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 34:3
- ^ Mishnah Brurah, Orach Chaim 34:16
- ISBN 978-1-58330-050-3. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- Deuteronomy22:5.
- ^ Isaac David Essrig (1932). The fountain of wisdom. p. 18. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- Menahot44a
- ^ Baumgarten, Elisheva (2004). Mothers and Children: Jewish Family Life in Medieval Europe. Princeton University Press. p. 88. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ISBN 978-1-58465-392-9.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link - ^ "Women & Tefillin - Congregation Beth El–Keser Israel".
- ^ What’s the Truth About…Rashi’s Daughters?
- ^ "Tefillin 101 - Week Four | Women's League for Conservative Judaism - Jewish Women's GroupWomen's League for Conservative Judaism". 24 January 2019.
- ^ "Tefillin - BJE". 2020-03-30. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
- ^ Friedman, Will (2014). "Why Women can and Must Lay Tefillin". Forward.
- ^ Feldman, Ari (2018). "Laying Tefillin Isn't Just For Straight Men Anymore". Forward.
- ^ Women and Tefillin : The United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism (USCJ) Archived 2009-08-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Briefs, Jewish Press News (20 January 2014). "NYC Orthodox High School Lets Girls Put On Tefillin".
- ^ Western Wall Rabbi: No More Tallit and Tefillin for Women at Kotel haaretz, February 1, 2016
- ^ Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 37:2
- ^ "Tefillin". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
- ^ Shulchan Aruch OC 555:1.
- ^ Rabbi Yirmiyahu Ullman. "The Laws of Tisha B'Av". Ohr Somayach.
- ^ a b c d e Jachter, Howard (April 7, 2001). "Tefillin on Hol Hamoed". Kol Torah: Torah Academy of Bergen County. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018.
- Mishna Berura31:8
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58330-434-1. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58330-711-3. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ "Tefillin". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
- ISBN 978-0-87441-460-8. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
- ^ Shulchan-Aruch 27
- ^ "London Sephardi Minhag - Tephillin". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2020-06-13.
Further reading
- Eider, Shimon D Halachos of Tefillin, Feldheim Publishers (2001) ISBN 978-1-58330-483-9
- Emanuel, Moshe Shlomo Tefillin: The Inside Story, Targum Press (1995) ISBN 978-1-56871-090-7
- Neiman, Moshe Chanina Tefillin: An Illustrated Guide, Feldheim Publishers (1995) ISBN 978-0-87306-711-9
- Rav Pinson, DovBer: Tefillin: Wrapped in Majesty (2013) ISBN 0985201185
- Cohn, Yehudah (2008). Tangled Up in Text: Tefillin and the Ancient World. Brown Judaic Studies. ISBN 978-1930675797.
- Feldman, Ariel (2022). Tefillin and Mezuzot from Qumran: New Readings and Interpretations. De Gruyters. ISBN 978-3110725261.
External links
- Halachic sources and diagrams on Tefillin on a commercial site
- Many pictures and explanations about Tefillin, the parshiyot and batim
- Educational information and diagrams of tefillin on a commercial site
- Short movie about Tefillin producing process
- How to Guide to Putting on Tefillin
- One who performs all labor and activities with his left hand except for writing, should he be wearing the tefillin shel yad on his right hand?
- Illustrations on how to tie the knot (kesher) in the head phylactery, Ashkenazi and Sephardic methods, pp. 627–630 in PDF.
- Enhance your knowledge regarding Tefillin at Vaad Meleches HaKodesh