Leo of Modena thus describes them: The Jews take four pieces
of parchment, and write, with an ink made on purpose, and in square
letters, these four passages, one on each piece: 1. “Sanctify unto me
all the first-born,” &c, Exodus xiii, 1–10. 2. “And when the Lord shall
bring thee into the land of the Canaanites,” &c, verses 11–16. 3. “Hear,
O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord,” &c, Deut. vi, 4–9. 4. “If you
shall hearken diligently unto my commandments,” &c, Deut. xi, 13–21.
This they do in obedience to these words of Moses: “These commandments
shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial
between thine eyes.” These four little pieces of parchment are fastened
together, and a square formed of them, on which the letter ש is written;
then a little square of hard calf’s skin is put upon the top, out of
which come two leathern strings an inch wide, and a cubit and a half, or
thereabouts, in length. This square is put on the middle of the
forehead, and the strings being girt about the head, make a knot in the
form of the letter ד: they then are brought before, and fall on the
breast. It is called _teffila-schel-rosch_, or the _tephila_ of the
head. The most devout Jews put it on both at morning and noon-day
prayer; but the generality of the Jews wear it only at morning prayer.
Only the chanter of the synagogue is obliged to put it on at noon as
well as morning.
It is a question, whether the use of frontlets, and other phylacteries,
was literally ordained by Moses. They who believe their use to be
binding, observe, that the text of Moses speaks as positively of this as
of other precepts; he requires the commandments of God to be written on
the doors of houses, as a sign on their hands, and as an ornament on
their foreheads, Exod. xiii, 16. If there be any obligation to write
these commandments on their doors, as the text intimates, there is the
same for writing them on their hands and foreheads. On the contrary,
others maintain that these precepts should be taken figuratively and
allegorically, as denoting that the Jews should very carefully preserve
the remembrance of God’s law, and observe his commands; that they should
always have them before them, and never forget them. Prior to the
Babylonish captivity, no traces of them appear in the history of the
Jews. The prophets never inveigh against the omission or neglect of
them, nor was there any question concerning them in the reformation of
manners at any time among the Hebrews. The almost general custom in the
east of wearing phylacteries and frontlets, determines nothing for the
antiquity or usefulness of this practice. The Caraite Jews, who adhere
to the letter of the law, and despise traditions, call the rabbinical
Jews bridled asses, because they wear these tephilim and frontlets. See
PHYLACTERY.
of parchment, and write, with an ink made on purpose, and in square
letters, these four passages, one on each piece: 1. “Sanctify unto me
all the first-born,” &c, Exodus xiii, 1–10. 2. “And when the Lord shall
bring thee into the land of the Canaanites,” &c, verses 11–16. 3. “Hear,
O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord,” &c, Deut. vi, 4–9. 4. “If you
shall hearken diligently unto my commandments,” &c, Deut. xi, 13–21.
This they do in obedience to these words of Moses: “These commandments
shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial
between thine eyes.” These four little pieces of parchment are fastened
together, and a square formed of them, on which the letter ש is written;
then a little square of hard calf’s skin is put upon the top, out of
which come two leathern strings an inch wide, and a cubit and a half, or
thereabouts, in length. This square is put on the middle of the
forehead, and the strings being girt about the head, make a knot in the
form of the letter ד: they then are brought before, and fall on the
breast. It is called _teffila-schel-rosch_, or the _tephila_ of the
head. The most devout Jews put it on both at morning and noon-day
prayer; but the generality of the Jews wear it only at morning prayer.
Only the chanter of the synagogue is obliged to put it on at noon as
well as morning.
It is a question, whether the use of frontlets, and other phylacteries,
was literally ordained by Moses. They who believe their use to be
binding, observe, that the text of Moses speaks as positively of this as
of other precepts; he requires the commandments of God to be written on
the doors of houses, as a sign on their hands, and as an ornament on
their foreheads, Exod. xiii, 16. If there be any obligation to write
these commandments on their doors, as the text intimates, there is the
same for writing them on their hands and foreheads. On the contrary,
others maintain that these precepts should be taken figuratively and
allegorically, as denoting that the Jews should very carefully preserve
the remembrance of God’s law, and observe his commands; that they should
always have them before them, and never forget them. Prior to the
Babylonish captivity, no traces of them appear in the history of the
Jews. The prophets never inveigh against the omission or neglect of
them, nor was there any question concerning them in the reformation of
manners at any time among the Hebrews. The almost general custom in the
east of wearing phylacteries and frontlets, determines nothing for the
antiquity or usefulness of this practice. The Caraite Jews, who adhere
to the letter of the law, and despise traditions, call the rabbinical
Jews bridled asses, because they wear these tephilim and frontlets. See
PHYLACTERY.