TefillinThe Jewish tefillin refers to black boxes, available in pairs, which contain parchment paper with Biblical verses inscribed on them. There is also the hand Jewish tefillin, which is worn around the arm, fingers and hand. The head version of the Jewish tefillin is worn above the forehead region. The Jewish tefillin is used as a symbolic reverence of the fact that Jesus brought the Israeli children from Egypt.
How they are made
The Jewish tefillin are made from kosher animals’ skins. These kosher tefillin are comprised of boxes – an upper cube called ketzitzah and a lower one called the Teturah. These cubes need to be in a perfect square and painted with black color. The Jewish tefillin contains two boxes – one is placed over the hand and is called Shel Yad while the other is placed over the head and is called Shel rosh. Before the Jewish tefillin is manufactured the Bar mitzvah tefillin needs to be recited. This means the Leshem mitzvat tefillin should be pronounced before starting the manufacture process. The inside parchment scrolls of the Jewish tefillin should be inscribed with ink, the box along with stitches should be in perfect square shape. The Shel rosh Jewish tefillin for the head should have letter shin embossed on left and right sides. A cloth should wrap the parchment scrolls and bound with kosher animal’s hair. These kosher tefillin should also contain stitches made with kosher animal’s sinew. The strap needs to pass via a passageway and the strap color should be black. It should also be knotted up like a dalet letter shape.
How to put on the tefillin
The Jewish tefillin should be put on in a specific manner. The Shel rosh Jewish tefillin for the head needs to be placed above hairline region and below head’s center. The Jewish tefillin box should not be so big that placement on the head becomes difficult. The base of the Jewish tefillin for head should be 4 or 5 cms. The strap should encircle the entire head and be able to form a knot at the skull’s base center region. Thus the knot should lie on the neck nape and just within the hairline region. The either ends of the Jewish tefillin should reach navel region on left region and genital area on right side. The strap for the Jewish tefillin on the arm should be wrapped around the front arm around 7 times. Then it is wrapped over the hand as per family traditions and customs.
The right time for putting on Tefillin
In the earlier days the best time for putting on tefillin was during the daytime. It was not worn during nighttime. However, in modern times, the Jewish tefillin is worn during weekdays at morning service times. Putting on tefillin the entire day can mean having to take it out in unclean places such as a bathroom. Today, people who continue putting on tefillin all day include followers of Vilna Gaon and Rambam. Some Yemenite Jews also continue to wear Jewish tefillin during all day.
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