Laws of Tefillin

Tefillin contain four passages from the Torah, in each of which the mitzva to place them on the arm and on the head is mentioned. These are the four passages: “Kadesh” (Shemot 13:1-10), “Ve-haya ki yevi’akha” (Shemot 13:11-16), “Shema” (Devarim 6:4-9), and “Ve-haya im shamo’a” (Devarim 11:13-21).^¹

In these four passages, the fundamentals of the faith of Israel and its Torah are mentioned. In the first two passages, the sanctity of the firstborn of Israel and the festival of Pesaḥ are explained, which express the holiness and special character (segula) of Israel, on account of which God took us out of Egypt with signs and wonders; and in the process it was revealed to us and to the whole world that God oversees the entire world and everything is in His hands. The purpose of the Exodus from Egypt was to bequeath to us the Land of Israel, a land flowing with milk and honey, in which we and our children will remember God’s Torah and live by its light. In the last two passages, belief in the unity of God is explained, along with the mitzva to connect to God with love, to study His Torah and to teach it to our children. The foundation of reward and punishment is also explained: that the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over Israel, and if we sin, God forbid, we will perish from the good land, and when we are righteous we will be blessed and will prolong our days upon the land that God swore to our forefathers.

The passages are placed inside a small square box (bayit) made from the hide of a kosher animal. There is a difference between the arm tefillin (tefillin shel yad) and the head tefillin (tefillin shel rosh): in the arm tefillin, the four passages are written on a single parchment, which is placed inside the tefillin; whereas in the head tefillin, a box is made that is divided into four small compartments, and the passages are written on four separate parchments, and one passage is placed in each compartment. This halakha was learned from the verses (Menaḥot 34b). Perhaps there is an allusion in this: in the head there is room for many and varied thoughts, but when it comes to action, there is a commitment to one halakha; therefore all the passages in the arm tefillin are on one parchment.

Most of the other laws of making tefillin have their source in halakha le-Moshe mi-Sinai (a law given to Moshe at Sinai), among them: that the tefillin must be square; that the form of the letter shin be made on the head tefillin; that they be sewn with sinews; that a ma’avarta (passage) be made for them, through which the strap is inserted; that the straps be black; and that their knot be shaped like the letter dalet.