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What is the inner meaning of Tefillin?

by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

  

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The world is projected into being through an infinite light focussed through ten sefirot: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowing, Kindness, Might, Beauty, Victory, Glory, Foundation and Kingship. Yet, the account of Genesis describes Creation as a six day event—with a seventh when the Creator rested. These are the latter seven sefirot. The first three, those of Mind, remain beyond the Creation.

When the Torah was given, it became possible for any person to connect with the infinite light that is invested in all the sefirot— including those three that are beyond Creation— and draw that light into the everyday world. This concept is represented by the Tefillin, which connect the higher mind of the person to his heart and his hand.

The Torah was given to make peace in the world, by enabling us to connect... the spiritual and the physical, the Creator and His Creation
The age of Bar Mitzvah is the time when a person develops that ‘higher mind’. He matures beyond the child’s mind which is only concerned with the dictates of the emotions. That is why tefillin become relevant only at that time.

This also explains the statement of our rabbis in the Talmud, that the entire Torah is compared to tefillin: The Torah was given to make peace in the world, by enabling us to connect the mind and the heart, the Tzadikim and the simple people, the spiritual and the physical, the Creator and His Creation.

TAGS: phylacteries

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RELATED CATEGORIES

Life Cycle » Bar/Bat Mitzvah » Tefillin
Mitzvah
(pl. Mitzvot). A commandment from G-d. Mitzvah also means a connection, for a Jew connects with G–d through fulfilling His commandments.
Torah
Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.
Talmud
Usually referring to the Babylonian edition, it is a compilation of Rabbinic law, commentary and analysis compiled over a 600 year period (200 BCE - 427 CE). Talmudic verse serves as the bedrock of all classic and modern-day Torah-Jewish literature.
Tefillin
Black leather boxes containing small scrolls with passages of the Bible written on them. Every day, aside for Sabbath and Jewish holidays, the adult Jewish male is required to wrap the Tefillin--by means of black leather straps--around the weaker arm and atop the forehead.
Genesis
The first book of the Five Books of Moses. It records the story of Creation and its aftermath, and chronicles the lives of the Patriarchs.
Tzadikim
Plural form of Tzadik. A Tzadik is a saint, or righteous person.