“Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.”-Deuteronomy 6:8
From today, we’re going to tackle one of the most controversial teachings ever to be found in all of Scripture and a teaching the gentile church has pretty much just flat out ignored.
I’m referring to the instruction in verse 8 where we’re told to bind the Lord’s commands as a sign on our hand and as a symbol on our forehead.
Now where does the controversy arise from?
It arises from the argument centering on whether the instruction to bind the commands “as a sign on our hand and as a symbol on our forehead” is to be taken literally or not.
If this command is to be taken literally, then this would imply that…yes…literally we are to construct some kind of little ritual device which we’re supposed to attach to our hand and our forehead.
On the other hand, if the statement is to be taken metaphorically, then it would imply that the instructions of the Torah are to be meditated on day and night, constantly spoke of and taught to others (which is kinda of what I’m doing with this blog).
Either way, the objective is the same: to so absorb God’s Words that they become a part of the very fiber of our being.
Historically speaking, how did this command end up being applied as the years passed
Well, here’s what happened.
Sometime after the law was given, there arose a few groups of Hebrews who after much deliberation decided that HECK YEAH, these commands should be taken literally.
As a result, the use of TEFILLIN as we know them today came into being.
We’ll actually find direct mention of TEFILLIN in the New Testament using the term “phylacteries“.
So what exactly are TEFILLIN?
TEFILLIN are two small black leather boxes that contain four verses of Scripture.
Attached to each of the two boxes are black straps that are also made out of leather.
One of the boxes is to be strapped to the bicep of your left arm and the other is to be affixed to your forehead.
Orthodox Jews normally put TEFILLIN on before and during their morning prayers.
However, what’s interesting is that Orthodox Jews do NOT wear TEFILLIN during the Shabbat and other designated holy days.
Based on everything we’ve learned so far, why do you think that is?
Well, let me give you the answer.
The reason Orthodox Jews don’t wear TEFILLIN on the Shabbat is because the observance of the 7th day of rest is in and of itself considered to be a sign.
Since SHABBAT observance in and of itself is a sign, no other sign such as TEFILLIN are needed.
Right before attaching the TEFILLAH to his left arm, an Orthodox Jew will say the following prayer:
‘Behold, in putting on tefillin
I intend to fulfill the Commandment of my Creator,
Who has commanded us to put on tefillin,
as is written in His Torah.
Bind them as a sign upon your arm
and let them be tefillin between your eyes.”
Notice that the closing verse of this prayer is verse 8 of Deuteronomy chapter 6.
I will continue this discussion from my next post.
Leave a Reply