After visiting Israel or watching Israeli TV, you can see people who have a small black box on their foreheads . What is this object and why should it be worn on the forehead?
Special spiritual connection
This small box has many names. Probably the most common are tefillin and totapot. In fact, there are two boxes. Both must be black, with the same color straps for mounting. One, as you can immediately notice, is tied to the forehead, the other to the left hand at heart level.
Tefillin is made exclusively from the skin of a kosher animal ( this, in accordance with Jewish tradition, is a ruminant with cloven hooves) .
Tefillin or totapot in ancient books is also called phylactery, which in translation from ancient Greek means “amulet” or “amulet”. In fact, such a term is not entirely accurate. Tefillin is not a talisman, but a symbol of a person’s connection with the Creator and speaks of absolute unity with the Creator. This is the subject of prayer vestments, as, to some extent, the crucifixion of Christians.
This is a sign that distinguishes Jews from other nations. Jews believe that the totapot has a very great power, serving for spiritual union with God.
What does tefillin consist of
It has several parts and each has its own name, it is endowed with its own sacred meaning:
- byte - “home” in literal translation. A cavity inside which scrolls from the Torah are placed (plural - batim);
- title - the lower part of the "house", where the byte expands;
- maabarta - loop for attaching straps;
- ritsuot - straps;
- parshot - parchment scrolls with excerpts from the Torah.
Scrolls enclosed in bytes must be tied with the hair of a kosher animal.
Why are there two boxes?
Together, they talk about two ways of serving God in this world: thought and deed . In the service of the Creator, two forces that move a person (actions of the heart and thoughts) must be harmonious. A person uses the mind to see the goal, and then performs actions to achieve this goal. It is no coincidence that tefillin is located on the arm next to the heart. If there is no harmony between the heart and the mind, then there will be discord and falsehood in the actions and decisions of a person.
Overlapping totapot
According to Jewish custom, only men use it. Every male teenager who is 13 years old should wear tefillin during prayer. This is very important for Jewish identification. It is believed that if a man did not put on tefillin at least once during the day, then he committed a serious sin . The first time that day you can wear it is the time of morning prayer. It is possible later, but only necessarily in the daytime.
Wearing tefillin is prohibited at night.
The order in which it is applied is important. First of all, tefillin is placed on the arm. In this case, the strap must be wrapped around the arm seven times . Head tefillin is considered more holy and superimposed last.
What historians say
About this element of the prayerful vestments of the Jews is known not one thousand years. Archaeologists, during excavations of ancient Jerusalem, destroyed two thousand years ago, find a lot of tefillins.
The customs of the sacred sign by Jews are mentioned in the writings of Josephus, in the New Testament and even in more ancient texts. In the scrolls of the reign in ancient Israel of the Hasmonean dynasty (second century BC), some sacred letters are already indicated, which are placed on the forehead and hand. On the pages of many ancient books written thousands of years ago, discussions were held about what tefillins should be worn - size and shape. Some authors of ancient texts condemn those who impose sacred signs made of precious stones and metals on themselves.
