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phylacteries |
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phylacteries (fĭlăk`tərēz) [Gr.,=safeguard], two small leather boxes worn during morning prayers by Orthodox and Conservative Jews after the age of 13 years and one day. Each box contains strips of parchment inscribed with verses from the Scriptures: Ex. 13.1–10; 13.11–16; Deut. 6.4–9; 11.13–21. One box is fastened to the forehead and the other to the left arm; they are intended to serve as a reminder of the constant presence of God and of the need to keep Him uppermost in one's thoughts and deeds, thereby safeguarding the wearer against committing a sin. They are not worn on the Sabbath or holy days, since these days are in themselves a reminder of God. Phylacteries are also called tephillin [Aramaic,=attachment]. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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I was doing Shabbats with people, having never participated in a real Shabbat growing up; I was learning Torah every week for two years from a Hasidic gay man; I was being taught songs; they taught me how to lay tefillin for the first time; one of the rabbis I met got me my first pair of tefillin. He describes the scanty attire of leather bears as "floor-length tefillin. It was in stark contrast to the solemnity of men standing in prayer with one arm bound in a leather strap, practicing the tefillin, a ritual for males that emphasizes spiritual restraint. |
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