What is Tefillin?

Introduction

As Torah Observance is becoming increasingly popular amongst Christianity, one of the most common questions asked is, “What are Tefillin, and where can they be found in scripture?” In this article, I aim to address this question and demonstrate its relevance to the lives of God’s people.

What is Tefillin?

“Tefillin” (תְּפִלִּין) is an Aramaic word that comes from the root word “tefillah” (תְּפִלָּה), meaning “prayer”. Tefillin (also known as phylacteries in English) are small leather boxes containing a parchment scroll with specific verses from the Torah written on them. The leather boxes themselves contain parchments with the four passages in scripture that Tefillin are commanded to the children of Israel, and are tied/wrapped around the body using leather straps:

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.' Moses said to the people, 'Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. On this day in March, you are about to go forth, in the month of Abib. It shall be when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. You shall tell your son on that day, saying, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year" (Exodus 13:1–10 NASB1995)

"When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, you shall devote to the Lord the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the Lord. But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. It shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, 'What is this?' then you shall say to him, 'With a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. It happened, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.' So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt" (Exodus 13:11–16 NASB1995)

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:4–9 NASB1995)

"It shall come about if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, that I will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. Or the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you. You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:13–21 NASB1995)

How is Tefillin Made?

Kosher Tefillin is made according to an extremely high standard of Jewish law. For example, the parchment scrolls and leather must be from a kosher animal, the ink must be kosher, and every parchment must be handwritten by a sofer (a Jewish scribe). There are a total of 1594 Hebrew characters in each Tefillin box. If even one letter is missing, the Tefillin cannot be kosher.¹ The head-Tefillin is made up of four separate compartments, each one containing a scroll with one of the four Torah selections. The hand-Tefillin has just one chamber, with all selections written on a single scroll. The head Tefillin also has the Hebrew letter Shin (ש) on both sides, one with three branches, and the other with four,² which is constructed on it by a craftsman known as a batim macher.

When is Tefillin Worn?

Tefillin is worn by Jewish men thirteen years and older. They are allowed to be worn anytime during the day; however, the modern practice is to only wear them for the morning prayer—Shacharis.³ They are not worn during the Sabbath or any of the other high festivals (meaning they are only worn during weekdays).

How do I Wear Tefillin?

The head Tefillin is worn like a crown on the head, just above the hairline. The arm Tefillin is worn on the non-dominant arm, with the box placed on the bicep, facing the heart. The leather strap is wound around the arm seven times, going down toward the middle finger (as it is the farthest point away from the body).⁴

What does Tefillin represent?

Tefillin acts as a “sign” between God and Israel, symbolizing the everlasting covenant he made with them. Tefillin can be seen as “the wedding band” for the symbolic marriage between God and his people. The wrapping of it around the body represents a binding of yourself to God, and your commitment to following his mitzvot (commandments). They give strength to the Jewish people.⁵ They also serve as a constant reminder that we are connected to our creator in both mind and heart. Donning Tefillin every morning is a beautiful way to honor HaShem with our bodies as a sign of submission to his will.

Is Tefillin Actually Biblical?

Tefillin is certainly a Biblical commandment, and it finds grounds in Exodus 13:1–10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4–9, and Deuteronomy 11:13–21. The Hebrew word for “sign”, as in “you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand”, is ot. The Brown-Driver-Briggs defines this word as:

“Signs, memorials…signs on hands, etc., Exodus 13:9, 16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18”

Essentially every time ot is used in Scripture, it is in reference to something visible. For example, the stars, the rainbow, circumcision, and the plagues of Egypt are all said to be "signs"⁶ —and are all visible. Furthermore, the Hebrew word for “frontlets”, as in, “let them be frontlets between your eyes”, is totaphot. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defines the word as:

“bands, fillets, especially those worn by the Jews at prayers, i.e., scrolls of parchments with sentences written on them”

The Hebrew text highly suggests that the commandment is in reference to a physical practice, and not just a symbolic “binding” (as in simply keeping God’s law in our mind and actions). Now, this is not to say that the original commandment doesn’t also imply keeping God’s law in our mind and actions; however, a spiritual application does not negate the physical practice. To give an example, Paul emphasizes that circumcision of the heart is more important to God than being physically circumcised (the spirit over the letter).⁷

“28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” (Romans 2:28-29)

Despite this, Paul is in no way implying that physical circumcision is irrelevant or is no longer a commandment to be followed.

“25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law…” (Romans 2:25)

“1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 2 Great in every respect…” (Romans 3:1)

Likewise, while the spiritual application of Tefillin is certainly to keep God’s word in our mind and actions, physically wrapping Tefillin is still part of obedience to HaShem. The letter is not inherently bad; it only becomes bad if you are neglecting the spirit. This is the exact issue Yeshua had with some of his Pharisee contemporaries.

“1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries (phylakteria) broad and enlarge the tassels of their garments (kraspeda)” (Matthew 23:1-5)

In Matthew 23, Yeshua in fact affirms the authority of the Pharisees, telling his disciples to observe everything they say to do. However, he also says not to follow after their works, as they were hypocrites. One specific thing he rebuked them for was “broadening their phylacteries (Tefillin)” and “enlarging the tassels of their garments (tzitzits)”. Tzitzits are another thing God explicitly commands us to wear.⁸ Evidently, Yeshua is not telling us to stop wearing tzitzits. He is merely calling out the way these Pharisees were wearing them (to be seen by men, and not by God). Being that Yeshua groups tzitzits and Tefillin together in his rebuke, it is logical to conclude that he considered them both to be commandments of God, and endorsed the practice of them, so long as they are not being done to be seen by men.

Can Gentiles Wear Tefillin?

With a proper understanding of the commandment of Tefillin, what it is, how it’s made, how to wear it, and what it represents for the Jewish people, I can now answer the question: "Are Gentiles allowed to wear it?" I will now go over all of the Jewish law concerning this question and provide the simplest answer possible.

So, can they?

The simple answer is yes. There is no Jewish law that forbids Gentiles from donning Tefillin (provided they meet certain prerequisites). In legal terms, there are 3 classifications for Gentiles.

The first classification is a gerei tzedek (proselyte). This refers to a Gentile person who has undergone full legal conversion to Judaism, making them a Jew in every manner of respect.⁹

The second classification is a gerei toshav. In ancient times, this referred to a Gentile who dwelled peacefully among the Jewish people and received legal protection by the nation. It is recorded that a gerei toshav was expected to make a public declaration before a Jewish court of law renouncing idolatry, after which, they were expected to keep all of the laws of Torah (save the prohibition of eating an animal that died of itself per Deut. 14:21).¹⁰ Unfortunately, this classification of Gentiles isn’t applicable today as it is contingent on the observance of the jubilee year.¹¹

The third category of Gentiles is those referred to as bnei noach. According to Judaism today, all Gentiles who have not ritually converted to Judaism are of this category and are bound to the seven universal laws of Torah (the Noahide laws).¹²

1. Blasphemy

2. Idolatry

3. Adultery

4. Murder

5. Robbery

6. Eating flesh from a living animal

7. Set up courts of justice

   
   

It is said that any Gentile man who upholds these seven laws will have part in the world to come, and is considered “pious among the nations”.¹³

Now, this third category can be further divided by differentiating between a wicked Gentile (who is still bound to the seven laws) and a pious Gentile who wishes to take more Torah upon himself while retaining his Gentile status—something I will elaborate on further.

In Jewish literature, there are two laws that some Rabbinic authorities believe “Gentiles” cannot observe. In the Talmud, Resh Lakish and Rabina state that a Gentile may not observe the Sabbath, and to do so is worthy of death:

“And Reish Lakish says: A Gentile who observed Shabbat is liable to receive the death penalty, as it is stated: “And day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:23), which literally means: And day and night they shall not rest. This is interpreted homiletically to mean that the descendants of Noah may not take a day of rest. And the Master said (57a) that their prohibition is their death penalty, i.e., the punishment for any prohibition with regard to descendants of Noah is execution. Ravina says: If a descendant of Noah observes a day of rest on any day of the week, even one not set aside for religious worship, e.g., on a Monday, he is liable.” (b.Sanhedrin 58b:25)

Later on in the discourse, Rabbi Yohanan says that a Gentile who engages in Torah study is also liable for the death penalty:

“And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: A Gentile who engages in Torah study is liable to receive the death penalty; as it is stated: “Moses commanded us a law [torah], an inheritance of the congregation of Jacob” (Deuteronomy 33:4), indicating that it is an inheritance for us, and not for them.” (b.Sanhedrin 59a:2)

Firstly, it is important to note that this language of “death” is exaggerated and not meant to be taken literally. It is more of a way to demonstrate the severity of the transgression in the opinion of these Rabbis. Furthermore, it's worth noting that even saying these Gentiles are "liable for death" does not mean they are actually charged with a crime. The court of judgment in Israel has no jurisdiction over non-Jews. These Rabbis are simply stating that they believe these Gentiles deserve to die at the hand of heaven, and not that they are to actually be brought before the Sanhedrin (see Kessef Mishnah commentary on the Mishnah Torah, Kings and Wars 10:9:3). In addition, Rabbi Meir actually challenges the statement made by Rabbi Yohanan, saying that a Gentile who studies Torah is likened unto a high priest:

“Rabbi Meir would say: From where is it derived that even a Gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest? It is derived from that which is stated: “You shall therefore keep My statutes and My ordinances, which if a man does he shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5). The phrase: Which if priests, Levites, and Israelites do they shall live by them, is not stated, but rather: “A man,” which indicates mankind in general. You have therefore learned that even a Gentile who engages in Torah study is considered like a High Priest.” (b.Sanhedrin 59a:4)

The Talmud itself is not Jewish law. While it is certainly one of the foundational texts that is used to create it, it itself is not. It can be likened more to a record of case law and rabbinic discourse on various legal issues. In this case, there is even disagreement on whether or not Gentiles are forbidden from doing these two laws. There is a textual variant among Talmudic manuscripts where “Gentile” is not present, and akkum (idolater) is in its place. It has been suggested that this was in reference to Christians (anti-nomian) ¹⁴ and would therefore not be a sweeping prohibition of all Gentiles from observing the Sabbath and studying Torah. Rambam, in his work Mishneh Torah, restates these two prohibitions on Gentiles that were laid out in the Talmud:

“A Gentile who studies the Torah is obligated to die. They should only be involved in the study of their seven mitzvot. Similarly, a Gentile who rests, even on a weekday, observing that day as a Sabbath, is obligated to die. Needless to say, he is obligated for that punishment if he creates a festival for himself. The general principle governing these matters is: They are not to be allowed to originate a new religion or create mitzvot for themselves based on their own decisions. They may either become righteous converts and accept all the mitzvot or retain their statutes without adding or detracting from them. If a Gentile studies the Torah, makes a Sabbath, or creates a religious practice, a Jewish court should beat him, punish him, and inform him that he is obligated to die. However, he is not to be executed.” (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars, 10:9)

Here, Rambam himself explains how the death penalty language is symbolic, but agrees with Rabbi Yohanan and Resh Lakish that Gentiles should not do these things. However, immediately after this, he states:

“We should not prevent a Noachide who desires to perform one of the Torah's mitzvot in order to receive reward from doing so, provided he performs it as required. If he brings an animal to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, we should receive it. If a Noachide who observes the seven mitzvot gives charity, we should accept it from him. It appears to me that it should be given to the Jewish poor for the Noachide may derive his sustenance from the Jews and they are commanded to support him if necessary. In contrast, if an idolater gives charity, we should accept it from him and give it to the Gentile poor.” (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars, 10:10)

This statement by Rambam strongly implies that he is making a distinction between an idolatrous Gentile (who cannot observe Shabbat or study Torah), and a Noachide, who is permitted to perform any of the laws of Torah so long as he does do properly (including Shabbat and studying Torah). The Chatam Sofer does an excellent job of explaining this:

“See Rambam, Laws of Kings, chapter 10, halachah 9 and 10, where it appears that he distinguishes between an idol worshipper and a Ben Noach, who is one who has accepted upon himself not to be an idolater; and for such a person it is permitted to cease [from work on the Sabbath] and to fulfill any commandment that he desires; and from such a person they accept sacrificial offerings, teach him Torah, and accept charity from him” (Chatam Sofer, commentary on Chullin 18a)

With historical context, we know that by and large Christianity adopted many of the customs of Judaism, yet created its own religion out of it. They began to treat Sunday as a type of “sabbath-rest”. They began to teach Torah, but did so without the proper understanding (oftentimes with an antinomian perspective). This is exactly what the Rabbis had an issue with, and this is the particular scenario where a Gentile would be forbidden from doing those two things. The issue is creating your own religion out of Torah and twisting the commandments to suit yourself. On the contrary, if you voluntarily choose to keep Torah according to the standard of Orthodoxy, you are free to do so (and receive reward for doing it).

Granted, some modern rabbinic authorities discourage Gentiles from keeping specific laws of Torah (namely those said to be a sign between God and Israel, such as Tefillin, mezuzah, shabbat, festivals, studying Torah, etc). However, these opinions are not an outright prohibition of Gentiles from choosing to do so.¹⁵  And in fact, many other rabbinic authorities believe the seven Noahide laws are merely the beginning for a Gentile who wishes to seek Hashem.¹⁶ To quote Rabbi Michael Shelomo Bar-Ron:

“For such people it is important to point out that the seven laws are a beginning-not an end. With only a few exceptions a Noahide may practice any of the Torah obligations of a Jew and receive a Heavenly reward. Therefore, those whose soul thirsts for more closeness to Hashem and to fulfill more of his Torah commandments, there is tremendous room for growth beyond the seven” (Guide for the Noahide: A complete Manual for Living by the Noahide Laws (Springdale, ARL Lightcatcher Books, 2010), 4-5)

R. Chaim Yosef David Azulai permits a Noachide to don Teffilin if it is done purely out of love for HaShem, and not as if it is a mitzva for him.¹⁷ R. Yosef Chaim of Baghdad likewise concurs that a Noachide may do so if he meets the same prerequisites.¹⁸ R. Ovadia Yosef zt”l rules that Jews may even assist a Noachide in wearing Tefillin if he wishes to do so out of devotion for God.¹⁹ R. Hershel Schachter allows Noachides to wear Tefillin if they do so out of piety and not to claim Jewish identity.²⁰ R. Shlomo Goren²¹ and R. Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg²² as well rule leniently on this issue and permit Noachides to take on the practice. A Midrash on Psalm 21 states that when Mashiach ben David comes, he will teach the Gentile nations several laws of Torah, one of them being the mitzvah of Tefillin:

"And it shall come to pass on that day, that the root of Jesse, that stands as a banner for the peoples, to him shall the nations seek." Rabbi Chanina said that the Messiah will only come to give the non-Jewish nations the six commandments, such as the sukkah, lulav, and Tefillin. But Israel has learned the Torah from the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says (Jeremiah 31:33), "And all your children shall be taught of the Lord." And why is it said (Isaiah 11:10), "And to him shall the nations seek?" (Midrash Tehillim 21:1)

Furthermore, Rabban Gamliel’s Gentile slave, Tavi, is also recorded to have worn Tefillin.²³ Thus, halachically speaking, Gentiles are indeed allowed to wear Tefillin, so long as they do so properly, understand the sacredness of the commandment, and do so with the utmost respect for the Jewish people.

Should Gentiles wear Tefillin?

Now that we have discussed whether or not Gentiles can wear Tefillin, we must now ask, should they? In my view, Gentiles should only if they meet the following requirements:

1. They are not new to Torah observance, and have already been accustomed to this lifestyle (Tefillin is a significant commandment, and in my opinion, shouldn’t be one of the first things taken on when turning to Torah)

   
   

2. They are Rabbinic/Orthodox in their practice of Torah (we agree with the Rabbis who see no issue with Gentiles practicing Torah, so long as they do so properly. “Properly”, in this case, would be according to the standard of Orthodox Judaism).

   
   

3. They perform the commandment with the understanding of how significant Tefillin is to the Jewish people’s relationship with Hashem, and that they are blessed for having the opportunity to partake in this mitzvah (as Paul stated in Romans 11:18-21, the Jewish people support the Gentiles, and not the other way around). Doing this commandment should be done with the utmost respect. They are partaking in a commandment which they are not obligated to fulfill, and doing so ONLY because of love for HaShem.

   
   

4. The commandment is done with the understanding that doing so does not make them Jewish. Jews and Gentiles indeed are one in Messiah (Galatians 3:28). However, this does not mean that Jews and Gentiles cease to function in their distinctive roles. Gentiles are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel and are made partakers of the covenant. However, this does not make them legally Jewish.

   
   

If these prerequisites are fulfilled, then, in my view, it is acceptable and in many cases encouraged for Noachides to take on this mitzvah. The Gentiles of the early church assimilated into Jewish culture and were nearly indistinguishable from the Pharisaic Judaism of the time.²⁴ They were only really Gentiles in name. In every other way, they lived like Jews and continued to grow in their observance of Torah until they could bear the full yoke of the Lord.²⁵

“...if you are able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord, you will be perfect; but if you are not able to do this, do what you can." (Didache 6:1)

"Being a Jew means nothing, and being a Gentile means nothing. What matters is the keeping of God's commandments."²⁶

Citations and References

[1] m.Menachot 3:7

[2]  b.Menachot 34b-35b; Orach Chayim 32-39

[3] Orach Chayim 37:2

[4] b.Menachot 37b

[5] b.Berachot 6a:19

[6] Genesis 1:14; 9:12–13; 17:11; Exodus 7:3

[7] Romans 2:25-29; Coll. 2:11

[8] Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy 22:12

[9] Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy 22:12

[10] b.Avodah Zarah 64b

[11] Mishneh Torah, Issurei Bi’ah 14:8

[12] b.Sanhedrin 56a; t.Avodah Zarah 8:4

[13] Mishneh Torah, Melachim 8:11

[14] Richard Elliott Friedman, “Gentile,” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 7, ed. David Noel Freedman (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 486.

[15] Some Posekim believe that the prohibition on Gentiles performing “sign commandments” only prohibits obligatory fulfillment, and not voluntary piety. See Kuntrus Acharon to Berachot 9b; Darkei HaHora’ah on Sanhedrin 58b; Meiri on Sanhedrin 58b

[16] Shoneh Halachot, siman 304

[17] Birkei Yosef Y.D. 291:3–4

[18] Rav Pe’alim vol. 2 Y.D. 44; Ben Ish Chai Year 2, Ki Tisa §14

[19] Yabia Omer 7 Y.D. 26; Yechaveh Da’at 4:42

[20] BeIkvei HaTzon, 2nd ed., siman 37; YU Torah shiurim “Bnei Noach and Mitzvot”

[21] Meshiv Milchama vol. 2, ch. 23

[22] Techumin 23 [5763], “A Noahide Who Wears Tzitzit and Lays Tefillin.”

[23] Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Pischa 17:32

[24] David C. Sim, “Gentiles, God-Fearers and Proselytes,” in Attitudes to Gentiles in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, ed. David C. Sim and James S. McLaren (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013), chap. 1, sec. 3.; Toby Janicki, God-Fearers: Gentiles and the God of Israel (Marshfield, MO: First Fruits of Zion, 2012), chap. 2, “One Law for All.”

[25] Acts 15:20-21, 21:19-26

[26] 1 Corinthians 7:19