Tefillin
(ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃
(8) Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol*symbol Others “frontlet”; cf. Exod. 13.16. on your forehead;*on your forehead Lit. “between your eyes”; cf. Exod. 13.9.
The Mitzvah to wear Tefillin comes from from the Torah and is also part of the Shema
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).
What is your relationship like with your heart, your head and your hands?
How do you use these three parts of you in your day to day life?
What's their relationship like with one another?
What's in those boxes anyway?
The boxes that house the scrolls of the Tefillin represent the world of ACTION
The scrolls themselves represent the world of SPEECH
The Divine Names written within the scrolls, represent the world of THOUGHT
These three worlds correspond to the three levels of the Soul:
Nefesh = action
Ruach = speech
Neshamah = thought
Wearing Tefillin, we are able to transform our thoughts, words and actions
How do you understand the connection between thought, speech and action? Is it possible to struggle with one of these but not the other? Do you notice an improvement in one if you work on the other?
Putting on Tefillin
There are various levels of putting on Tefillin.
1. Physical: where the putting on of Tefillin wrestles with negativity and tames our cosmic negative reality
2. A higher level is where the putting on of Tefillin serves to draw down more mind awareness, presence, deeper/higher understanding, both for oneself and other
3. A higher level is where the purpose of the Tefillin is not for oneself, no matter how lofty a purpose, but simply to create "Pleasure on High." It is utterly selfless. Here one is no longer putting on the Tefillin, but rather, in a way, it is as if Hashem is putting on Tefillin through the person.
(Likutei Halachos, Shluchim 5)
What is the difference between these different levels?
How do you relate to the three levels and is there a level that you aspire to? Why?
What would you like to feel when you put on your Tefillin?
Tefillin is our "confirmed document of freedom." It is like wearing the entire Torah. These five scrolls correspond to the five books of the Torah. The four individual scrolls in the Head Tefillin correspond to the first four books, and the one scroll in the hand Tefillin corresponds to the final book of the Torah, which is a synopsis of the other books. Just as a king of Israel would need to walk about with a Torah accompanying him, the same is true with us, as we are all 'children of kings.' By putting on Tefillin, we are carrying with us a Torah, the entire five books.
Sefas Emes, Bo
How might carrying around the Torah with us change how we act?
What is something that you carry around with you that impacts the way you act in this world?
Tefillin are strapped to the body as a precious jewel is held near oneself
(Rashba, Breaches 6a)
Once a person puts on Tefillin the status of their physical body is forever changed
(Rosh Hashanah 17a)
Intention
Tefillin, unlike most Mitvos of the Torah, need proper intention... There is not mitzvah without intention.
(Bach, Aruch Hashulchan, Siman 25:8)
Why do you think that when we put on Tefillin our intention matters?
What are ways we can bring more intention to this mitzvah?
Gematria / Numerology
The numerical value of the word tefillin is 570
Tof- 400
Pei- 80
Lamed - 30
Yup - 10
Nun - 50
This is the same numerical value of the word Yetzer Rah (negative inclination)
Yud - 10
Tzadik - 90
Reish - 200
Reish - 200
Ayin- 70
The Yetzer is not negative, rather it is self serving. It is our survival instincts programmed into our physical body, as well as our reactive emotions imprinted in our heart. It is who we are on the most basic neurological level. In this regard we are similar to animals and all of creation. It acts instinctively and reflexively, seeking to protect and promote its own life ... it only becomes evil, if we make it evil. Through the act of wrapping Tefillin comes a new mindfulness concerning our ability to control ourselves and make better judgements in dealing with our base or bodily instincts.
- Rabbi Pinson
When you think of your EQ (emotional capacity/knowledge/intelligence), where are you holding? What are your strengths/weaknesses?
Is there a practice that you have (maybe its Tefillin) that helps you navigate intense emotions, reactions etc? How might Tefillin be a useful tool for growing our emotional intelligence?
A symbol of Marriage
R. Jonathan Sacks Commentary
וארשתיך (one of the words that we say when we wrap the Tefillin around our ring finger three times)
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.
Hashem puts on Tefillin. Just as our putting on Tefillin demonstrates our continuous desire to cleave to and come closer to God, the image of God putting on Tefillin indicates Hashem's deep desire to be one with us. This is similar to, "I am my beloved and my beloved is mine."
Maharajah, Berachot 6a)