How to lay Tefillin
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A Guide to Laying Tefillin & Morning Prayers
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Those who may not
have laid Tefillin in the past, and now would like to do so, below are seven
simple steps to guide you in fulfilling the Torah Mitzvot of the laying of the
Tefillin. Usually prayers and blessings are said in Hebrew, however to make it
simpler for those with little or no Hebrew, I have kept most of this guide in
English, but all blessings are available in Hebrew or Transliterated and in
English.
Please say the
Hebrew (Transliterations) first followed by the English in order that you will
understand what you are saying. Remember, when you feel like doing so, contact a
Rabbi for further instructions. I have decided to keep this guide relatively
short, but as you follow this guide, be assured that you will be fulfilling the
Torah Mitzvot of “Laying of the Tefillin”. I pray that this guide
will be both a blessing and of benefit to you! Blessed be HaShem (The
LORD).
1… Tallit
Before donning
the Tallit say:
Bless HaShem, O my
soul; HaShem my Elohim (G-d), for You are
great; You have robed Yourself with majesty and splendour; covered in light as
with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a curtain.
Hold the Tallit over your head and recite the Barucha (blessing):
“Baruch Ata HaShem Elo’hey’nu Melech Ha’Olam Asher Kid’shanu Be’mitz’va’tav Ve’tzi’va’nu Le’hit’a’tef Ba’tzi’zit.”
“Blessed are
You, HaShem our Elohim, King of the Universe, who has Sanctified us by Your commandments, and have commanded us to enwrap ourselves in
the fringed garment.”
2… Shel Yod - Part One
I have found that
it is easiest to lay Tefillin by standing at a table, so that you can set your
Tefillin bag in front of you. You are about to place the “Shel Yod” (hand-Tefillin) on the left arm.
Remove your watch and
rings, then, roll up your sleeves.
Continue standing
for the duration whilst the “Shel Yod” is placed on the part of the arm called in Hebrew
the “kibbores.” You
can locate the “kibbores” by
making a muscle on the left arm: where the arm bulges is the “kibbores” and it is there that we shall lay
the “Shel Yod” when the time comes.
Take
the “Shel Yod”
(hand-Tefillin) out of the bag, making sure not to
shake it out. Leave the “Shel Rosh” (head-Tefillin)
still inside the bag at this stage. Completely unwind the straps and remove the
cover. Note the shape of the “Shel Yod,” it’s base is wider than the “bayis” - the cubic box, and the upper part of the
base forms a slot through which the strap has been threaded.
It is proper to
kiss the Tefillin before putting it on (this may be done by directly kissing
it, or with the corner of your Tallith),
as the Word of HaShem Elohim is sweet.
Hold
the “Shel Yod”
in your right hand in such a way that the “bayis” is facing upwards, the slot (ma'abarta) is the end nearest your body and the knot should
be on the side nearest your body. Pull the strap open and widen it to form a
large loop.
Pass your left arm
through the loop, being careful to maintain the “bayis” facing upwards, and the end with the slot facing the upper
arm. Slip the “Shel Yod” up the arm and rest it on the “kibbores.” Adjust it until it is positioned in such a
way that it faces inwards towards your body (opposite the heart).
Recite the Barucha:
“Baruch Atah HaShem Eloheynu Melech Ha Olam Asher Kid’sha’nu Be’mitz’votav Ve’tzi’va’nu Le’ha’ni’ach Tefillin.”
“Blessed are
You, HaShem, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us by His commandments, and Who commands us to lay Tefillin.”
Immediately, pull
the loop so that it closes tightly and locks the top of the “Shel Yod” in place. The
strap should be quite tight, so that it will not loosen during davening - but not to tight, of course, that it causes undue
discomfort! It is most likely that until you acquire the expertise that comes
with practice, when you close the loop the “Shel Yod”
will move out of place: put it back in place and tighten the loop again - and
again and again until you manage to get it right!
Take the strap in
your right hand near to the “Shel Yod,” with the blackened side uppermost. Wind the
strap underneath your arm and then over the top TOWARDS YOUR BODY - one twist
above the elbow and seven twists, evenly spaced, between the elbow and the
wrist. These twists should also be quite tight, so that they will not loosen
whilst davening as you move
your arm - but not so tight that they cause real discomfort. Wind the remainder
of the strap around the palm of your hand so that it will not hinder you during
the next stage.
3… Shel Rosh
Take the “Shel Rosh” (head-Tefillin) out
of the bag, loosen the strap completely, and remove the cover.
Again, It is proper to kiss the Tefillin before putting it on.
You will note that
there are differences between the “Shel Rosh” and the “Shel Yod.”
Firstly, the “bayis” of
the “Shel Rosh”
is divided into four compartments, whereas the Hand-Tefillin is completely smooth. Secondly, the strap of
the “Shel Rosh”
is knotted into a loop, which has two ends and not one.
Hold the strap of
the “Shel Rosh” (head-Tefillin) with
both hands in such a way, the loop is very wide and the two loose ends are
hanging downwards, make sure the
knotting is in the middle.
Recite
the Barucha:
“Baruch Atah HaShem Eloheynu Melech Ha-olam Asher Kid’sha’nu Be’mitz’vo’tav Ve’tzi’va’nu al Mitz’vos Tefillin. Baruch Shem Ka’vot Mal’chu’to le’olam va’ed.”
“Blessed are
You, HaShem, King of the Universe, Who has sanctified us by Your commandments, and Who commands us concerning Tefillin. Blessed be
your Holy Name forever.”
Immediately after
completing this blessing - with no interruption - lower the “Shel Rosh” onto your head.
Arrange the Tefillin on your head as follows:
The double knot
that makes the straps into a loop must be at the bottom of the nape of the
neck: there is a natural indentation there. The “Shel Rosh” itself should be
placed on the forehead in such a way that the lower edge of the Tefillin lies on the hairline, or at the place where the
normal hairline would be.
Make
sure (use your fingers or a small mirror, or both) that the blackened
side of the strap faces outwards all around the head. Pull the two free ends of
the strap over each shoulder and stretch them downward with a gentle tug,
making sure that the blackened side is outward facing here as well.
4… Shel Yod – Part two
Making a “Sign” on the
hand. Unwind the strap that you wound round
the palm of your hand as far as the wrist. We are now going to make
a “sign” – the Hebrew letters Shin, Dalet, and Yod,
which make up the word “Shaddai,” Almighty.
Hold your left hand stretched out palm downward. (If the strap around your
arm has become loose, you did not wind it tightly enough: do it
again!) Bring the strap from the wrist underneath the hand (across
the down-facing palm) as far as the second finger from the thumb. Wind the
strap round this finger three times - once beneath the lower joint and twice
above it, crossing over each other above the joint forming an X shape.
Now bring the
strap under the palm of the hand and wind it over the third finger from the
thumb, across the back of the hand to the angle formed where the thumb joins
the hand. We have already created the letters Dalet and Yod on the palm and the finger – do not stop to check!
We are now going
to create across the back of the hand the shape of the letter Shin, something
like this: \|/. Bring the strap under the palm of the hand as far as where the
back of the hand joins the wrist (on the side of the little finger) and
then across the back of the hand to the angle formed where the thumb joins the
hand.
Now bring the
strap under the palm of the hand to the middle of the hand and over the centre
of the back of the hand back to the angle formed where the thumb joins the
hand. Check that you have now formed on the back of your hand the shape of the
Hebrew letter “Shin” - something like this: \|/. If there
is yet more strap “left over” wind it continuously and
neatly along the central arm of the “Shin” until there is
just enough left to tuck the end in firmly underneath, in the palm of the hand.
Recite the Barucha:
“Ve’ey’ras’tich li Le-olam. Ve’ey’ras’tich li Be’tze’dek Uv’mish’pat Uve’che’sed Uv’ra’cha’mim. Ve-ey’ras’tich li Be’e’mu’nah, Ve’ya’dat es HaShem.”
“I shall
betroth you to Me for ever; I shall betroth you to Me in
equity, in justice, in love and in tenderness; I shall betroth you to Me in
faithfulness, and you shall know HaShem.”
5… Short Shacharis & “Shema”
(Morning blessings and Torah readings)
Blessed are You
HaShem, our Elohim, King of the Universe, Who fashioned man with wisdom and
created within him many openings and many cavities. It is obvious and known
before Your Throne of Glory that if but one of them be ruptured or blocked, it
would be impossible to survive and stand before You.
Blessed are You HaShem, Who heals all flesh and
acts wondrously.
Blessed are You,
HaShem, our Elohim, King of the universe, Who has
sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to engross ourselves
with the words of Your Torah. Please, HaShem our Elohim, sweeten the words of
Your Torah in our mouth and in the mouth of Your people,
the family of Israel. May we and our offspring and the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, all of us, know Your name and study Your
Torah for its own sake. Blessed are You, HaShem, Who teaches Torah to His
people Israel.
May HaShem bless
you and safeguard you. May HaShem illuminate His countenance for you and be
gracious to you. May HaShem turn his countenance to you and establish peace for
you.
Blessed are You,
HaShem our Elohim, King of the universe, Who removes
sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids. And may it be Your will, HaShem, our Elohim, and the Elohim of our forefathers, that You
accustom us to study Your Torah and attach us to Your commandments. Do not
bring us into the power of error, nor the
power of transgression and sin, nor into the power of challenge, not into the
power of scorn. Let not the evil inclination dominate us. Distance us from an
evil person and an evil companion …
Attach us to the
Good Inclination and to good deeds and compel our Evil Inclination to be
subservient to You. Grant us today and every day grace,
kindness, and mercy in Your eyes
and in the eyes of all who see us, and bestow beneficent kindnesses upon us.
Blessed are You, HaShem, Who bestows beneficent kindness upon His
people Israel.
6… The Shema Yisroel
Therefore, we are
obliged to thank you, praise You, glorify You, bless, sanctify, and offer
praise and thanks to Your Name. We are fortunate, how good is our portion, how
pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our heritage. We are fortunate for we come
early and stay late, evening and morning, and proclaim twice each day:
Write them on the
doorposts of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of
your children may be many in the land that HaShem swore to give your
forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”
Davarim (Deut) 11:13-21
PRAYER’S:
“HaShem, our
Elohim, I pray that You will
continue to protect Your people Israel. HaShem, be with them who proclaim
the “Shema” and keep Your Torah. Keep them safe our Elohim, and let
them not be destroyed.”
“Shema Yisroel HaShem Elohenu, HaShem Echad - Baruch Shem Kavod Mal’chu’to Le’olam Va’ed.”
“Hear O Israel,
HaShem Our Elohim, HaShem is One - Blessed is the Name of His glorious Kingdom
forever.”
“And you
shall love HaShem your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your being. And these words that I command you this day, shall be on
your heart, and you shall teach them meticulously to your children, and you
shall speak of them in your house, and as you walk in your ways, and when you
lie down, and when you wake. And you shall bind them for a sign on your arm,
and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on
the door-posts of your house, and on the gates.” Davarim (Deut) 6:4-9.
“If you
faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today, to love HaShem your Elohim
and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will send
rain upon your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you
may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields
for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. Be careful, or you will be
enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then HaShem's anger will burn against you, and He will shut the
heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you
will soon perish from the good land HaShem is giving you. Fix these words
of Mine in your hearts and minds; tie
them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to
your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along
the road, when you lie down and when you get up …”
7… Remove the Tefillin and Tallit
The Tefillin are
removed after prayers in the reverse order of placing them on. Firstly, undo
the “Sign on the hand,” the strap around the middle finger is
unwound and is rewound around the palm.
Next remove the
“Shel Rosh”
from the head, rewind the straps, and place it back in the bag.
Then remove the
“Shel Yad” from the arm. Put the cover back on the “Shel Rosh” and wind the strap securely, and place it
in the bottom of the bag. Now put the cover back on the “Shel Yad,” wind the
strap securely and place it in the bag in such a way, as it will immediately
come to hand when you next open your bag.
One of the reasons
we should lay Tefillin is, that throughout the entire day, the Tefillin might
have the effect that the mind and the emotions will be devoted to HaShem.
Therefore, laying Tefillin is one of the great mitzvah’s the Almighty has
given us, and whilst reminding of His greatness, it brings a joy in our hearts!
“Behold, the days
come, saith 
,
that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst
for water, but (a hunger) of hearing the words of .” Amnos
- Amos 8:11. (JPS).
There will be some
Rabbis who will say that this is not a comprehensive service for the laying of
the Tefillin and thus not suitable. Well, let me say this, let’s get you
started and grow little by little. But please in due course go and consult with
your, or a Rabbi, but at least by then you will have familiarised yourself with
the Tefillin and the saying the blessing’s etc, you will feel more
inclined and be more comfortable to speak with him. Sadly some Rabbis can be
somewhat harsh, especially that Jewish cult known as ‘Chabad- Lubavicher’s’ and their Rabbis have invaded the vast majority of Synagogues worldwide. But,
nevertheless, go and learn and above all, know what it is to be a Jew, who
loves the Almighty, the Elohim of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov! But
more so study the Torah and continue to read all of the Tanakh,
not just the Parashat, for the Torah/Tanakh is packed with treasures for our
lives!
Please Note: On many pages of
this site, I will show the four letter blessed *“Memorial Name” of the Almighty in Ivrit - - YHVH, which we
usually pronounce as “Adonai” or “HaShem”. At all times treat the most blessed Name with sanctity and whenever we see
the Name, we should say “blessed be His Sanctified Name.”
*“This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” Shemot
- Exodus 3:15.
A regular Prayer
“Atah Hu Adonai L'Vadecha”
“You alone are ”
Remember: If we walk according to The Torah’s Mitzvot, be assured we will
be blessed.
The
whole earth is full of his glory
Please remember our motto seen on the image
above: “The More Torah, the More Life”
For יְהוָה - Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name, is the one who gave us our Life!
Shalom, may Elohim bless you and keep
well and close to Him!
Dr. Rabbi Reuven ben-Avraham-Goossens. PhD.
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In Conclusion, a Question to Deepen
the Conversation:
Which part of this Tanach study or possibly a
particular line within it, has touched
you the most? And how do you feel about spending more time on a more
regular time Tanakh study? I pray that you are you doing well as a faithful
Hebrew, and אֱלֹהִים - Elohim willing you
are upholding as many of our blessed Mitzvoth’s?
I am well aware that the modern world sadly
contains far too many deviations as well as problems that seem to get in the way. Yet worse
than that, sadly there are far too many enticements, which can so easily throw
many off track. Thus, if
there are various struggles that may be taking place in your life at this or
any time, I am well aware that it sadly it often may have a sad and a cruel
effect upon your life? Remember this, pray for peace, and then work
on keeping as calm as possible and learn to improve your life, for אֱלֹהִים is always ready to help you! This
site is also for those who need to return to our blessed and wonderful faith,
thus work on your faith and pray and always seek אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance!
And remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be He, said ...
“Return unto Me,
and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה - the LORD
of hosts”. Mal’a’chi 3:7. MEC).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your
Sabbath Rest, thus Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה
(the LORD your God); walk in My statutes,
and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall
be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - YaHVaH
Elohim”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel 20:19-20. (JPS).
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motto is as follows;
“The
More Torah, the More Life”,
For our Elohim is the One who gave us our ... Life!
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom (Peace) of צְבָאוֹת-
יְהוָה(the LORD of hosts) be with you, and please always uphold our
blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well
as the ‘מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Te’fee’lah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
Rabbi,
Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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