“As a Sign Upon Your Hand”: Taking Torah Seriously, Not Literally

(9) And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching (torah) of the LORD may be in your mouth—that with a mighty hand the LORD freed you from Egypt.

“As a sign upon your hand”—According to the deep peshat it should be constantly in your memory, as if it were written on your heart. This is similar to, “Place me as a seal upon your heart” (Song of Songs 8:6).

(6) Let me be a seal upon your heart,

Like the seal upon your hand.

For love is fierce as death,

Passion is mighty as Sheol;

Its darts are darts of fire,

A blazing flame.

(9) “And this shall serve you”—There are those who dispute our holy ancestors, and say that “being a sign and a reminder” has the same meaning as: “For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, a necklace about your throat” (Proverbs 1:9). [They] also [suggest] that “tie them as a sign upon your arm” has the same meaning as: “Bind them upon the tablet of your heart always” (Proverbs 6:9). [They] similarly [understand] “write them on the doorposts of your house” as the same in meaning to “Write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). In that case, what would “a sign” and “a reminder” mean? That it will be flowing in your mouth, “For with a strong arm God brought you out of Egypt.”

However, this is an incorrect approach. For at the beginning of the book [of Proverbs] it states “The Proverbs of Solomon.” Therefore, [the readers should expect] that everything mentioned in the book is a proverb [not literal]. However, the Torah is not a book of proverbs—God forbid!—so that this verse must retain its literal meaning, and we will not remove it from its peshat. For its literal meaning doesn’t contradict any logical principle, as is the case for “and you shall circumcise your hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16), the understanding of which needs to be adjusted…

(8) My son, heed the discipline of your father,

And do not forsake the instruction of your mother;

(9) For they are a graceful wreath upon your head,

A necklace about your throat.

(20) My son, keep your father’s commandment;

Do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

(21) Tie them over your heart always;

Bind them around your throat.

(1) My son, do not forget my teaching,

But let your mind retain my commandments;

(2) For they will bestow on you length of days,

Years of life and well-being.

(3) Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you;

Bind them about your throat,

Write them on the tablet of your mind,

Wise people, you should know and understand that I have not come to explain the [practical] halakhot, even though they are the most important. As I explained in [my commentary on the first verse in] Genesis, the halakhot and aggadot are learned from extra [words or letters] in the text, and you will find some of these in the commentaries of my maternal grandfather, Rashi. However I have come to explain the simple meaning of the verses. Thus I will explain the laws and the halakhot according to common sense. Nevertheless, the [practical] halakhot are of primary importance, as our Rabbis said: “Halakhah can uproot [Scripture].”

(5) “Place me as a seal” (Song of Songs 8:6)—Rabbi Berekhyah said: “This refers to the recitation of the Shema, as it says: “And these matters… shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6).

“As a seal upon your arm”—This refers to tefillin, and this is what is meant when it says, “And you shall bind them upon your arm” (Deuteronomy 6:8).

(6) Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. (7) Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. (8) Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol (totafot) on your forehead;