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(Remember that the "ch" should be pronounced like a clearing the throught sound)
Baruch Ata Adonoy Elohenu Melech haalom, asher kidishanu mitzvatov vitzivanu lehadnicha Tefilin If one spoke while putting on tefillin, he should also say this bracha Baruch Ata Adonoy Elohenu Melech haalom, asher kidishanu mitzvatov vitzivanu al mitzvot tefillin. |
First we place the Tefillin of the arm, and as we tighten it we say the
above Bracha (blessing). The arm signifies action, deed. The world that we
live in is the world of action, and the mitzvot are means of raising that action
to Kedusha (Holiness).
We then make sure that there are 3 bands wrapped around the upper arm holding the
Tefillin in place. These 3 bands represent the first 3 stages of any creative event.
Chochma, Bina, Da-at (Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding). These are also called the
mothers of creation. Theses mothers of creation give birth to 7 other elements, the
7 children. Therefore, we now wrap the arm, under the elbow, 7 times. This ends in
the hand, which of course, is the last step in the creative process, and is the limb
with which we preform all action and deed.
Then we place the head tefillin on our head and place it right above our hair line and
in between our eyes. After this we return to the strap in our hand and wrap it around
our middle finger (there are various customs as to how), and then, the remainder of the
strap around the hand.
It is very important not to talk while putting on tefillin our while removing it.
And it shall be a sign upon your arm, and for tefillin between your eyes... (Exodus (Shemot) 13:16). To this pasuk Ramban explains that the arm tefillin represents Hashems's strength and our resolve to submit our hearts and power to Him. The head tefillin represents our resolve to dedicate the seat of our intellect to Him.
Nowhere does the Torah say that tefillin should only be worn during prayer, therefore, in earlier days, Tzadikim(rightous men) wore them all day, except when they were involved in activities unbecoming to the the holiness of tefillin. However, the Halacha (Jewish law) requiers that a person maintain intellectual and bodily purity while wearing tefillin, and since this is not an easy thing to do, we no longer wear them all day.
Tefillin should not be worn on Shabbat nor on festivals, and they should only be worn during the morning prayers. There are four separate passages in Torah which command Israel to put on tefillin, and all four are written within the tefillin themselves.
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