(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה' אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ ה' ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת ה' אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)
(4) HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD IS OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. (5) And you will love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (6) And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart; (7) and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when thou sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. (8) And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. (9) And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates.
We talked last time about all the mitzvot we find in the Shema.
Underline the lines that connect to tefillin and mezuzah, which we will be studying today.
(א) הִנְנִי מְכַוֵּן בַּהֲנָחַת תְּפִלִּין לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת בּורְאִי. שֶׁצִּוָּנוּ לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין. כַּכָּתוּב בְּתורָתו וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאות עַל יָדֶךָ. וְהָיוּ לְטטָפת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ. וְהֵם אַרְבַּע פַּרְשִׁיּות אֵלּוּ. שְׁמַע. וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמעַ. קַדֶּשׁ. וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ. שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם יִחוּדו וְאַחְדוּתו יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו בָּעולָם. וְשֶׁנִּזְכּר נִסִּים וְנִפְלָאות. שֶׁעָשה עִמָּנוּ בְּהוצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. וַאֲשֶׁר לו הַכּחַ וְהַמֶּמְשָׁלָה בָּעֶלְיונִים וּבַתַּחְתּונִים לַעֲשות בָּהֶם כִּרְצונו:
(ב) וְצִוָּנוּ לְהָנִיחַ עַל הַיָּד לְזִכְרון זְרועַ הַנְּטוּיָה. וְשֶׁהִיא נֶגֶד הַלֵּב לְשַׁעְבֵּד בָּזֶה תַּאֲוַת וּמַחְשְׁבות לִבֵּנוּ לַעֲבודָתו יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו. וְעַל הָראשׁ נֶגֶד הַמּחַ. שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה שֶׁבְּמחִי עִם שְׁאָר חוּשַׁי וְכחותַי כֻּלָּם יִהְיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לַעֲבודָתו יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו:
(ג) וּמִשֶּׁפַע מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין יִתְמַשֵּׁךְ עָלַי לִהְיות לִי חַיִּים אֲרֻכִים וְשֶׁפַע קדֶשׁ וּמַחֲשָׁבות קְדושׁות. בְּלִי הִרְהוּר חֵטְא וְעָון כְּלָל. וְשֶׁלּא יְפַתֵּנוּ וְלא יִתְגָּרֶה בָּנוּ יֵצֶר הָרָע. וְיַנִיחֵנוּ לַעֲבד אֶת ה' כַּאֲשֶׁר עִם לְבָבֵנוּ. וִיהִי רָצון מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. ה' אֱלקֵינוּ וֵאלקֵי אֲבותֵינוּ. שֶׁתְּהֵא חֲשׁוּבָה מִצְוַת הֲנָחַת תְּפִלִּין לִפְנֵי הַקָּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כְּאִלּוּ קִיַּמְתִּיהָ בְּכָל פְּרָטֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ וְכַוָּנותֶיהָ וְתַרְיַ"ג מִצְות הַתְּלוּיִם בָּהּ. אָמֵן סֶלָה:
Intention before putting on tefillin:
(1) By putting on tefillin, I intend to fulfill the command of my Creator, who has commanded us to wear tefillin, as it is written in the Torah:
"You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes."
The tefillin contain four sections of the Torah which proclaim the absolute unity of God, blessed be God's name, and remind us of the miracles and wonders which God did for us when God brought us out from Egypt, the One who has the power and the dominion over the heavenly and earthly creatures to deal with them according to divine will.
(2) God has commanded us to wear tefillin on the arm in memory of God's outstretched arm; opposite the heart, to suggest that we ought to subject our heart's desires and designs to the service of God, blessed be; and on the head opposite the brain, to suggest that the mind which is in the brain, and all senses and faculties, ought to be subjected to serving the One, blessed be.
(3) May my observance of the mitzva of tefillin bring me long life, holy inspiration and sacred thoughts, and free me from any sinful reflection whatever. May the evil impulse never tempt us, but leave us to serve the Lord as our heart desires.
May I do this mitzva perfectly - and even if I make mistakes, may it be as if I did it perfectly!
Before putting on the tefillin on the upper arm, say:
(ו) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה'. אֱלקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו. וְצִוָּנוּ לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין:
(6) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us to wear tefillin.
Then before putting on the tefillin on the head, say:
(ט) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה'. אֱלקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם. אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְותָיו. וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין:
(יב) בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוד מַלְכוּתו לְעולָם וָעֶד:
(9) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the precept of tefillin.
(12) Blessed be the name of his glorious majesty for all time.
Then, while winding the strap around the middle finger, say these lines from the Prophet Hoshea (2:21-22):
(טז) וְאֵרַשתִּיךְ לִי לְעולָם:
(יז) וְאֵרַשתִּיךְ לִי בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים:
(יח) וְאֵרַשתִּיךְ לִי בֶּאֱמוּנָה. וְיָדַעְתְּ אֶת ה':
(16) I betroth you to myself forever.
(17) I betroth you to myself in righteousness and in justice, in kindness and in mercy.
(18) I betroth you to myself in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.
כל הקורא ק"ש בלא תפילין כאילו מעיד עדות שקר בעצמו ... ואמר רבי יוחנן הרוצה שיקבל עליו עול מלכות שמים שלמה יפנה ויטול ידיו ויניח תפילין ויקרא ק"ש ויתפלל וזו היא מלכות שמים שלמה א"ר חייא בר אבא א"ר יוחנן כל הנפנה ונוטל ידיו ומניח תפילין וקורא ק"ש ומתפלל מעלה עליו הכתוב כאלו בנה מזבח והקריב עליו קרבן דכתיב (תהלים כו, ו) ארחץ בנקיון כפי ואסובבה את מזבחך ה'
Whoever reads the Shema' without Tefillin is as though he spoke false testimony against himself[3]. ... R. Johanan also said[4]: Whoever wishes to receive upon himself the yoke of the kingdom of heaven in perfection should first use the bathroom[5], then wash his hands, lay Tefillin, read the Shema' and offer his prayers — that is receiving the kingdom of heaven in perfection. R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: Whoever does this, the Scriptures ascribe it to him as though he had erected an altar and brought a sacrifice thereon ; as it is written,"I will wash my hands in cleanliness ; so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord" (Ps. xxvi. 6).
Question: Why are Tefillin considered essential for fulfilling the mitzvah of the Shema?
(ב) ושל יד קושר אותה על שמאלו על הקיבורת והוא הבשר התופח שבמרפק שבין פרק הכתף ובין פרק הזרוע שנמצא כשהוא מדבק מרפקו לצלעיו תהיה תפלה כנגד לבו ונמצא מקיים והיו הדברים האלה על לבבך.
The phylactery [tefillin] of the hand is bound on the left arm over the biceps muscle which is the flesh that stands out on the upper arm that is between the shoulder blade and forearm, so that when the upper arm is held close to the ribs, the phylactery will be opposite the heart and thus the precept will be fulfilled, " And these words ... shall be upon your hear." (Deut 6:6)
Tefillin a Reminder of Love
Tefillin: The word tefillin (called totafot in the Torah) means "emblem, sign, insignia," the visible symbol of an abstract idea. Tefillin are our reminder of the commandment of the Shema: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might" (Deut 6:5). All your heart: this is the tefillin on the upper arm opposite the heart. All your soul: this is the head-tefillin opposite the seat of consciousness, the soul. All your might: this is the strap of the hand-tefillin, symbolizing action, power, might. Tefillin thus symbolize the love for God in emotion (heart), thought (head) and deed (hand).
R. Jonathan Sacks Commentary
וארשתיך I will betroth you to Me: These exquisite lines from the Book of Hosea speak of God's covenant with Israel as a marriage - a mutual pledge of faith, born of love. Wrapping the strap of the hand-tefillin around the middle finger like a wedding ring, we remind ourselves of God's love for Israel, and Israel's love for God.
The Four Paragraphs of Love: What the Tefillin Say
There are four parchments inside the tefillin, each containing a text from the Torah.
Underline the lines in each text that connect most explicitly to tefillin, as well as any other key ideas.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (ב) קַדֶּשׁ־לִ֨י כָל־בְּכ֜וֹר פֶּ֤טֶר כָּל־רֶ֙חֶם֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה לִ֖י הֽוּא׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶל־הָעָ֗ם זָכ֞וֹר אֶת־הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצָאתֶ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִ֧יא ה' אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א יֵאָכֵ֖ל חָמֵֽץ׃ (ד) הַיּ֖וֹם אַתֶּ֣ם יֹצְאִ֑ים בְּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הָאָבִֽיב׃ (ה) וְהָיָ֣ה כִֽי־יְבִֽיאֲךָ֣ ה' אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽ֠כְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּ֨י וְהָאֱמֹרִ֜י וְהַחִוִּ֣י וְהַיְבוּסִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֤ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ לָ֣תֶת לָ֔ךְ אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ וְעָבַדְתָּ֛ אֶת־הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בַּחֹ֥דֶשׁ הַזֶּֽה׃ (ו) שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים תֹּאכַ֣ל מַצֹּ֑ת וּבַיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י חַ֖ג לַה' (ז) מַצּוֹת֙ יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת שִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֨ה לְךָ֜ חָמֵ֗ץ וְלֹֽא־יֵרָאֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ שְׂאֹ֖ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻלֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וְהִגַּדְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לֵאמֹ֑ר בַּעֲב֣וּר זֶ֗ה עָשָׂ֤ה ה' לִ֔י בְּצֵאתִ֖י מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ט) וְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת ה' בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ ה' מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֛ אֶת־הַחֻקָּ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לְמוֹעֲדָ֑הּ מִיָּמִ֖ים יָמִֽימָה׃ (ס)
(1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: (2) ’Sanctify unto Me all the first-born, whatsoever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of human and of animals, that firstborn is Mine.’
(3) And Moses said unto 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; there shall no leavened bread be eaten. (4) This day you go forth in the month Aviv. (5) 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 thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. (6) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. (7) Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with you, neither shall there be leaven seen with you, within the area that you live. (8) And you shall tell your child on that day, saying: It is because of that which the LORD did for me when I came forth out of Egypt. (9) And it shall be for a sign to you upon you hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. (10) You shall therefore keep this rule in its season from year to year.
What story is being described here? Why do you think it is one of the texts inside the tefillin? What is the connection?
(יא) וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יְבִֽאֲךָ֤ ה' אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לְךָ֖ וְלַֽאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וּנְתָנָ֖הּ לָֽךְ׃ (יב) וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥ כָל־פֶּֽטֶר־רֶ֖חֶם לַֽה' וְכָל־פֶּ֣טֶר ׀ שֶׁ֣גֶר בְּהֵמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ הַזְּכָרִ֖ים לַה' (יג) וְכָל־פֶּ֤טֶר חֲמֹר֙ תִּפְדֶּ֣ה בְשֶׂ֔ה וְאִם־לֹ֥א תִפְדֶּ֖ה וַעֲרַפְתּ֑וֹ וְכֹ֨ל בְּכ֥וֹר אָדָ֛ם בְּבָנֶ֖יךָ תִּפְדֶּֽה׃ (יד) וְהָיָ֞ה כִּֽי־יִשְׁאָלְךָ֥ בִנְךָ֛ מָחָ֖ר לֵאמֹ֣ר מַה־זֹּ֑את וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֗ד הוֹצִיאָ֧נוּ ה' מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ (טו) וַיְהִ֗י כִּֽי־הִקְשָׁ֣ה פַרְעֹה֮ לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ֒ וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג ה' כָּל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מִבְּכֹ֥ר אָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּהֵמָ֑ה עַל־כֵּן֩ אֲנִ֨י זֹבֵ֜חַ לַֽה' כָּל־פֶּ֤טֶר רֶ֙חֶם֙ הַזְּכָרִ֔ים וְכָל־בְּכ֥וֹר בָּנַ֖י אֶפְדֶּֽה׃ (טז) וְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ ה' מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (ס)
(11) And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives the land to you, (12) that you shall set apart unto the LORD (and dedicate) all that opens the womb (ie first to be born of a particular mother); every first-born that is a male, among your [kosher] animals, shall be the LORD’s. (13) And every firstling of an ass you shalt redeem with a lamb; and if you don't want to redeem it, then instead you shall break its neck; and all the first-born of man among your sons you shall redeem. (14) And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying: "What is this?" That you shall say to him: By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage; (15) and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem. (16) And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.’
What does this passage add? What else is tefillin supposed to remind us of?
(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ ה' ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ (ה) וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת ה' אֱלֹקֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ו) וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ (ז) וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (ט) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּזֹ֥ת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)
(4) HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD IS 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. (6) And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart; (7) and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when thou sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. (8) And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. (9) And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates.
(יג) וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעָבְד֔וֹ בְּכָל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם׃ (יד) וְנָתַתִּ֧י מְטַֽר־אַרְצְכֶ֛ם בְּעִתּ֖וֹ יוֹרֶ֣ה וּמַלְק֑וֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֣ דְגָנֶ֔ךָ וְתִֽירֹשְׁךָ֖ וְיִצְהָרֶֽךָ׃ (טו) וְנָתַתִּ֛י עֵ֥שֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ֖ לִבְהֶמְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָֽעְתָּ׃ (טז) הִשָּֽׁמְר֣וּ לָכֶ֔ם פֶּ֥ן יִפְתֶּ֖ה לְבַבְכֶ֑ם וְסַרְתֶּ֗ם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם לָהֶֽם׃ (יז) וְחָרָ֨ה אַף־ה' בָּכֶ֗ם וְעָצַ֤ר אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה מָטָ֔ר וְהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יְבוּלָ֑הּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם מְהֵרָ֗ה מֵעַל֙ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר ה' נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם׃ (יח) וְשַׂמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֣י אֵ֔לֶּה עַל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וְעַֽל־נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֤ם לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יֶדְכֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ לְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ (יט) וְלִמַּדְתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֛ם אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם לְדַבֵּ֣ר בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשָׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ (כ) וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזוּז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (כא) לְמַ֨עַן יִרְבּ֤וּ יְמֵיכֶם֙ וִימֵ֣י בְנֵיכֶ֔ם עַ֚ל הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֧ע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶ֖ם לָתֵ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם כִּימֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)
(13) And it shall come to pass, if you listen carefully to My commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, (14) that I will give the rain of your land in its season, the former rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil. (15) And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you shall eat and be satisfied. (16) Pay careful attention, in case your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; (17) and the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain, and the ground shall not yield her fruit; and ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD gives to you. (18) Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. (19) And you shall teach them to your children, talking of them, when you sit in your house, and when thou walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you get up. (20) And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates; (21) that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.
Taken as a whole, what do you think the point of laying (putting on) tefillin is? What is this collection of texts that we bind to ourselves, trying to remind us?