Wearing Phylacteries
(The Horizontal Society, appendix 9)
A fundamental act of Jewish devotion consists in ‘wearing’ (Hebrew: lovesh; Judeo-Arabic: libes; Judeo-Spanish: vestir) the ‘phylacteries’ (tefillin, singular tefilla) every weekday. One is placed on the arm and another on the forehead; see Berakhot l4b and Sha ‘are Teshuba #153. p. 16b. The phylactery of the arm is designated ‘sign’ (Ex 13:9, 16). This is not the place to launch a full-fledged analysis into Biblical semiotics. Within the limits of our subject, it would suffice to note that in Hebrew semiotics a ‘sign’ conveys both ‘difference’ and ‘meaning.’ More precisely: meaning through difference; see Golden Doves, pp. xxiv—xxv, 83. A ‘sign’ is either recognized or not, and it cannot be subjected to analysis or division; see Golden Doves, pp. 77—78. (Hence, the four sections of the Tora it contains are written on a single parchment, and its folder is not divided, see below). The phrase ‘le-ot’ - ‘for a sign’ - appears three times in Scripture. The function of these signs is to identify the Jew to others, (the circumcision, Gn 17:11; the phylactery on the arm Ex 13:9, 16: Dt 11:18; and the Sabbath, Ex 20:12, 20): cf. R. Se’adya Gaon, Commentary on Exodus, ed. and tr. Y. Ratzaby (Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook, 1998), pp. 187—188. Cyrus Gordon. Adventures in the Near East, (London: Phoenix House. 1957). p. 78, noted that the ‘seal’ was used for identification purposes. Notably, le-ot of the phylactery of the arm parallels the ‘ensign’ that the Jewish monarch wore attached to his arm: see Sanhedrin 2lb and the quotation from Philo in Section III, n. 126.
The focus of this appendix is the second phylactery, to be placed on the forehead. ( Read more... )
A fundamental act of Jewish devotion consists in ‘wearing’ (Hebrew: lovesh; Judeo-Arabic: libes; Judeo-Spanish: vestir) the ‘phylacteries’ (tefillin, singular tefilla) every weekday. One is placed on the arm and another on the forehead; see Berakhot l4b and Sha ‘are Teshuba #153. p. 16b. The phylactery of the arm is designated ‘sign’ (Ex 13:9, 16). This is not the place to launch a full-fledged analysis into Biblical semiotics. Within the limits of our subject, it would suffice to note that in Hebrew semiotics a ‘sign’ conveys both ‘difference’ and ‘meaning.’ More precisely: meaning through difference; see Golden Doves, pp. xxiv—xxv, 83. A ‘sign’ is either recognized or not, and it cannot be subjected to analysis or division; see Golden Doves, pp. 77—78. (Hence, the four sections of the Tora it contains are written on a single parchment, and its folder is not divided, see below). The phrase ‘le-ot’ - ‘for a sign’ - appears three times in Scripture. The function of these signs is to identify the Jew to others, (the circumcision, Gn 17:11; the phylactery on the arm Ex 13:9, 16: Dt 11:18; and the Sabbath, Ex 20:12, 20): cf. R. Se’adya Gaon, Commentary on Exodus, ed. and tr. Y. Ratzaby (Jerusalem: Mossad Harav Kook, 1998), pp. 187—188. Cyrus Gordon. Adventures in the Near East, (London: Phoenix House. 1957). p. 78, noted that the ‘seal’ was used for identification purposes. Notably, le-ot of the phylactery of the arm parallels the ‘ensign’ that the Jewish monarch wore attached to his arm: see Sanhedrin 2lb and the quotation from Philo in Section III, n. 126.
The focus of this appendix is the second phylactery, to be placed on the forehead. ( Read more... )