Maimonides on Tefillin

Excerpts from the Mishneh Torah, the Rambam's magnum opus of Halacha, on Tefillin.

Tefillin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah - Chapter One

By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger

The intricate process of preparing the Tefillin scrolls: the parchment, the ink, and the form of the letters.

Tefillin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah - Chapter Two

By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger

The laws of the Head Tefillin

Tefillin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah - Chapter Three

By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger

How to create the structure of the “batim" and the straps, the correct order of the parshiot (scrolls).

Tefillin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah - Chapter Four

By Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon ("Maimonides"); translated by Eliyahu Touger

The laws of putting on Tefillin; the sanctity of Tefillin.

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5 Comments

Gabriel Schecter May 24, 2023

I would like to know if Hashem referenced wearing tefillin with the prophet Ezekiel 13:18. "and say: Thus said the Sovereign GOD: Woe to those who sew pads on all arm-joints and make covers for the head of every person, in order to entrap! Can you hunt down lives among My people, while you preserve your own lives." and Ezekiel 13:20, "Assuredly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: I am going to deal with your pads, by which you hunt down lives like birds, and I will tear them from your arms and free the persons whose lives you hunt down like birds."

Was Hashem warning us about His human creations ideations? Reply

Simcha Bart for Chabad.org May 24, 2023

in response to Gabriel Schecter:

It wasn't about Tefillin. Rashi - foremost Torah commentator explains what this verse is referring to:

"They would sew something like small cushions and hang them on the armpits of those consulting them, and they would divine with those cushions with a false divination; and to those whom they wished, they would tell a favorable divination, and to whom they wished, they would tell an unfavorable divination." Reply

Gabriel Schecter May 30, 2023

in response to Simcha Bart for Chabad.org:

Rabbi, you state, "Rashi explained, 'They would sew something like small cushions and hang them on the armpits of those consulting them…'"

Who are the 'they' that Rashi explained as the ones who would sew small amulets on the armpits of the Jews who would submit to them? Did G-d explain something other than metaphorical tefillin hanging on the arms of His people who no longer had a Temple, High Priests, or animal sacrifices to God? Reply

Gary Bolin Maumelle November 21, 2019

Why are there 2 different Scheen on the head rosh, one is a 4 pronged Reply

Simcha Bart December 11, 2019

in response to Gary Bolin:

Please see the section titled Design at this link for two reasons for this. Reply