What are tefillin boxes?
Tefillin (sometimes called phylacteries) are cubic black leather boxes with leather straps that Orthodox Jewish men wear on their head and their arm during weekday morning prayer. Observant Jews consider wearing tefillin to be a very great mitzvah (command).
What is a tefillin and why is it worn?
‘Tefillin’ is the name given to two black leather boxes (singular: ‘tefillah’) with straps which are put on by adult Jews for weekday morning prayers, and are worn on the forehead and upper arm. They are also called prayer boxes or phylacteries. The entire prayer box and straps are made from the skin of kosher animals.
What words are in tefillin?
I shall prepare before Him a beautiful lulav, beautiful sukkah, beautiful fringes (Tsitsit), and beautiful phylacteries (Tefilin).”
What is the relationship between the Shema the tefillin and the mezuzah?
A mezuzah that contains the Shema written on a scroll is often attached to the front door. Jews touch this as they enter their homes. They wear tefillin when they pray as a symbol of the commandments.
What is the significance of Hasidic curls?
The reason for Ultra-Orthodox males’ hair and curl rules is the following: the original basis is a Biblical scripture which states that a man should not “round the corner of his head.” Authoritative talmudic scholars have determined that the meaning of this scripture is that there should be a hair cutting restriction.
Is tefillin in the Bible?
phylactery, Hebrew tefillin, also spelled tephillin or tfillin, in Jewish religious practice, one of two small black leather cube-shaped cases containing Torah texts written on parchment, which, in accordance with Deuteronomy 6:8 (and similar statements in Deuteronomy 11:18 and Exodus 13:9, 16), are to be worn by male …
Who can wear tefillin?
Even by Jewish men, tefillin is only worn during the day, and only during weekdays. That means we don’t “wrap” on Shabbat, or on Yom Tov, and many have the custom not to wear them during the intermediate days of Pesach and Sukkot. Tefillin is a positive, time-bound mitzvah.