The Life of Jesus in Harmony |
Index
phylacteries
Phylacteries (tephillin). These are strips of leather to which is attached a
very strong, square box made of parchment and painted black. The box contains
four parts of the Torah written on parchment: Exodus 13:1 and 11:6; Deuteronomy
6:4-9; 11:13-21. According to Deut 6:4-9 two phylacteries were used, one for
the head and one for the arm. These (called frontlets in Deuteronomy) were put on
in such a way that one box rested on the head, between the eyes (seat of the
mind) and the other on the left arm opposite the heart (seat of the actions and
the emotions, denoting that one loves the Lord with one's heart). They are
referred to as phylacteries in the New Testament (Mat 23:5).