Tefillin

“You shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes” (Deuteronomy 6:8).

You have a brain. It is in one world. Your heart is in another. And your hands often end up involved in something completely foreign to both of them. Three diverse machines.

So you put on tefillin. First thing in the day, you connect your head, your heart and your hand with these leather cables—all to work as one, with one intent. And then, when you go out to meet the world, all your actions find harmony in a single coordinated purpose . . .

Tefillin are a pair of black leather boxes containing Hebrew parchment scrolls. A set includes two tefillin—one for the head and one for the arm. Each consists of three main components: the scrolls, the box and the strap. The scrolls are inserted into boxes made of leather that have been painted black.

You connect your head, your heart and your hand with these leather cablesOne box is strapped on your head, and the other onto your arm next to your heart. It’s done once a day—preferably during the morning prayers—while you say a passage called the Shema Yisrael. It’s done by Jewish males, age 13 and up, every day except Shabbat and major Jewish holidays.

Here’s a bare minimum beginner’s guide to tefillin:

1. If you don’t already have them, purchase a kosher pair of tefillin.
2. If you have a pair, be sure to have them checked. The scrolls inside could use an occasional checkup.
3. Wake up.
4. Wash up and get dressed.
5. Take tefillin out of bag.
6. Put on tefillin.
7. Say the Shema Yisrael prayer (at minimum)
8. Take off tefillin.
9. Wrap up tefillin.
10. Put tefillin back in bag.

Total estimated time (excluding waking, washing and getting dressed): 5 minutes.

For detailed instructions on how to properly put on tefillin, together with illustrations and the Shema Yisrael prayer, see our comprehensive Tefillin Section, and specifically, our brief Tefillin Wizard.