Is the Rashbam a black sheep in Orthodox thought? How can we reconcile a seemingly unorthodox approach to one of orthodoxy's greatest thinkers? Please note- all translations are taken from Sefaria, and are subject to editing by the co-hosts when deemed appropriate.  Below is the verse the Rashbam is commenting onוְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃“And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching of the LORD may be in your mouth—that with a mighty hand the LORD freed you from Egypt.Below are the Rashbams we are referring to. לאות על ידך - לפי עומק פשוטו: יהיה לך לזכרון תמיד, כאלו כתוב על ידך. כעין, שימני כחותם על לבך.לאות על ידך, according to the simplest meaning: [an exhortation that this memory should be with you permanently], as if the subject matter had literally been inscribed on your hand. We find a similar syntax in Song of Songs 8,6 שימי כחותם על לבך, “place it on your heart as if it had been engraved there like a seal,”2בין עיניך - כעין תכשיט ורביד זהב שרגילין ליתן על המצח לנוי.בין עיניך, like a precious jewel which one places on one’s forehead as a decoration The 4 approaches discussed are:1. The Rashbam holds that at the giving of the Torah, Tefillin were completely metapahorical and the Sages implemented a pragmatic approach later on.2. The Rashbam was responding to Karaites who claimed the Tefillin went on the hand literally (Mottie Cohen)3. At that point in the narrative in Exodus, it was metaphorical because the narrative had not reached Sinai yet. 4. The lesson one should have in mind when wearing Tefillin is similar to the one in Song of Songs. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Tefillin, King David, and  the Last Airbender. What do they all have in common? Listen in and find out! Contact us at [email protected] The questions we were discussing (and that you could think about);1. What specific idea from our delving into the history and evolution of Tefillin stood out most to you and why? 2. If you could witness any sage or historical figure put on Tefillin (and for these purposes we will assume everyone did from the Revelation), who would it be and why?3. What advice would you give the average Jew in terms of their relationship with Tefillin going forward?4. If it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Tefillin were not worn until the times of at least the first monarchy, how would that shape your view of the tradition?5. If you don’t mind sharing a personal idea that you have on Tefillin that you think of often when engaging in it, what would it be?  This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

(cont’d from previous episode)- The family put the tefillin on dad and made him recite the appropriate blessings and various customs surrounding it. His condition improved! The dad was healed within a day! The family scoffs at the rebellious son. The son briefly explained the idea that correlation does not equal causation! But he decided, why not just use the sources below to prove Tefillin does not function for healing purposes. The family is astounded, especially when they read the Talmud condemning those people as idol worshippers! What to do now? The son simply suggests listening to this episode so that the family can “delve deeper” into their Jewish observance. Join them for the ride alongside your co-hosts, Dovid Brown and Dovidchai.Contact us at [email protected] Google Image search for Tefillin (to clarify, it’s the boxes the people are wearing, not the people themselves who are tefillin)- https://www.google.com/search?q=tefillin&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiH2Kf8qNXrAhUKMd8KHTdlAVoQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=tefillin&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1D-Dlj-DmC2D2gAcAB4AIABAIgBAJIBAJgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=-z9VX8fuGIri_Aa3yoXQBQ&bih=1041&biw=2133NOTE- The English is from Sefaria’s translation, accessible at Sefaria.org and going to the corresponding source and commentary. The translation was subject to some modification by the hosts if / when deemed appropriate. And please, just because the sources are listed down here, do not let that prevent you from fact-checking us. We appreciate learning new information, it benefits everyone! Reminder that we divide history into 4 periods;Pre-Revelation (0-1312 BCE)Revelation until the 1st Monarchy in Sovereign Israel (1312 BCE-10th Century BCE)1st Monarchy in Sovereign Israel until the destruction of the 2nd Temple2nd Temple’s destruction until the 21st CenturyPre Revelation (0-1312 BCE) [TIMEFRAME 00:50-10:15]Broader WorldAmuletsHAMSA- Egypt/Mesopotamia- The now known “hamsa” (hand of Miriam) amulet) has its origins in ancient Mesopotamia. It is believed that the Israelites associated the hamsa with Hashem’s “mighty hand and outstretched arm”. Known to be worn in Ancient Egypt by women for help with childbirth. Also known to be worn to heal snakebites. There is speculation that this idea of amulets in Egypt was taken from Ancient Mesopotamians. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HamsaIsraelite WorldTalmud Sotah 17a- Probably clearest proof that Tefillin was not a commandment given AT LEAST until the Revelationדרש רבא בשכר שאמר אברהם אבינו (בראשית יד, כג) אם מחוט ועד שרוך נעל זכו בניו לב' מצות חוט של תכלת ורצועה של תפלין Rava further taught: As reward for that which our Patriarch Abraham said to the king of Sodom: “That I will not take a thread nor a shoe strap nor anything that is yours” (Genesis 14:23), distancing himself from anything not rightfully his, his children merited two mitzvot: The thread of sky-blue wool worn on ritual fringes and the straps of phylacteries.As heard from my cousin- He claimed that Chabad is of the opinion that in the times of the Patriarchs, they were on such a level that any physical item touched by them would remain sanctified until they had let go of it. They had no tefillin. After the Revelation however, there needed to be objects that were imbued with sanctity via divine decree for humans had not possessed such power.Revelation Until 1st Monarchy (1312 BCE- Late 11th, Early 10th Century BCE) [10:15-14:14] Broader WorldThis was when totems were worn as necklaces and there were the proverbial charms to ward off evil.Israelite WorldTractate Tefillin/ Shabbat 96aאלא האי תנא הוא דתניא מיכל בת כושי היתה מנחת תפילין ולא מיחו בה חכמיםRather, we must say that it is this tanna who maintains that Shabbat is a time for phylacteries, as it was taught in a Baraita: Michal, daughter of Kushi, [King Saul], would don phylacteries, and the Sages did not protest against her behaviorThe Silver Scrolls (Ketef Hinnom)- A monumental discovery of two tiny silver scrolls, dating back to the 7-6th Century BCE, that bear a striking resemblance to the Priestly blessing we have in the Torah and that we say daily. Scholars suggest that this is perhaps the early iterations of the parchment placed in Tefillin. The most that this shows is that perhaps the text placed in Tefillin early on differed from our current ones, and that the idea of the Totafa mentioned in Exodus and Deuteronomy were taken in a different physical manifestation, the heart and neck (necklace of silver scrolls). Other scholars dismiss this as way too big of a leap, failing to see the correlation between the priestly blessings and the Tefillin. The scholars who do not find it that big a leap view it as an apotropaic function. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketef_Hinnom See: Cohn, Yehudah Benjamin. Tangled up in Text: Tefillin and the Ancient World pp 49-50. Brown University, 2008.The 1st Monarchy until 2nd Temple Destruction (10th Century BCE- 1st Century CE) [TIMEFRAME 14:14-23:42] Broader WorldAncient Rome- Amulets were worn not for piety or healing primarily, but rather to imbue the wearer with certain godlike powers. Some of them contained substances such as sulfur to prevent “evil” (disease). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amulet Israelite WorldShabbos 130a-תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: כׇּל מִצְוָה שֶׁמָּסְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמָן עֲלֵיהֶם לְמִיתָה בִּשְׁעַת גְּזֵרַת הַמַּלְכוּת, כְּגוֹן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּמִילָה — עֲדַיִין הִיא מוּחְזֶקֶת בְּיָדָם, וְכׇל מִצְוָה שֶׁלֹּא מָסְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמָן עָלֶיהָ לְמִיתָה בִּשְׁעַת גְּזֵרַת הַמַּלְכוּת, כְּגוֹן תְּפִילִּין — עֲדַיִין הִיא מְרוּפָּה בְּיָדָם.“It was taught in a Baraita that Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in praise of the observance of the mitzva of circumcision: Any mitzva for which the Jews sacrificed their lives at the time of the decrees of the wicked empire, such as the prohibition of idolatry and the mitzva of circumcision, is still steadfastly observed. And any mitzva for which the Jews did not sacrifice their lives at the time of the decrees of the wicked empire, such as phylacteries, is still casually observed, meaning that they are not as careful in its fulfillment as they should be.”The Shlah (Isiah Horowitz, a 16th Century Czech Sage)- The above Gemara speaks of Tefillin in relation to other commandments such as ShabbosPhilo and Josephus seem to differ as to whether tefillin was metaphorical or physical objects. Philo seems to view the concept of phylacteries metaphorically, while Josephus views it physically.Philo- “The law says it is proper to lay up justice in one’s heart, and to fasten it as a sign upon one’s head, and as frontlets before one’s eyes, figuratively intimating by the former expression that one ought to commit the precepts of justice, not to one’s ears, which are not trustworthy, for there is no credit due to the ears, but that most important and dominant part, stamping and impressing them on the most excellent of all offerings, a well approved seal; (138) and by the second expression, that it is necessary not only to form proper conceptions of what is right, but also to do what one has decided upon without delay. For the hand is the symbol of actions, to which Moses here commands the people to attach and fasten justice, saying that it shall be a sign, of what indeed he has not expressly stated, because it is not a sign as I conceive of one particular thing, but of many, and I may also say, of everything with which the life of man is concerned. (139) And by the third expression, he implies that justice is discerned everywhere as being close to the eyes.” (The Works of Philo by C. D. Yonge, Hendrickson Publishers, 1993, pp.629-30)Josephus- “Let every one commemorate before God the benefits which He bestowed upon them at their deliverance out of the land of Egypt, and this twice every day, both when the day begins and when the hour of sleep comes on, gratitude being in its own nature a just thing, and serving not only by way of return for past, but also by way of invitation of future favours. They are also to inscribe the principle blessings they have received from God upon their doors and shew the same remembrance of them upon their arms; as also they are to bear on their forehead and their arm those wonders which declare the power of God, and his goodwill towards them, that God’s readiness to bless them may appear everywhere conspicuous about them.” Antiquities, Book IV, Chap. VIII, 13 (translated by William Whiston, Kregel Pub. 1960)Maimonidies Mishneh Torah Laws of Foreign Worship Section 11 Paragraph 12הַלּוֹחֵשׁ עַל הַמַּכָּה וְקוֹרֵא פָּסוּק מִן הַתּוֹרָה. וְכֵן הַקּוֹרֵא עַל הַתִּינוֹק שֶׁלֹּא יִבָּעֵת וְהַמַּנִּיחַ סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה אוֹ תְּפִלִּין עַל הַקָּטָן בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּישַׁן. לֹא דַּי לָהֶם שֶׁהֵם בִּכְלַל מְנַחֲשִׁים וְחוֹבְרִים אֶלָּא שֶׁהֵן בִּכְלַל הַכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה רְפוּאַת גּוּף וְאֵינָן אֶלָּא רְפוּאַת נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג כב) "וְיִהְיוּ חַיִּים לְנַפְשֶׁךָ". אֲבָל הַבָּרִיא שֶׁקָּרָא פְּסוּקִין וּמִזְמוֹר מִתְּהִלִּים כְּדֵי שֶׁתָּגֵן עָלָיו זְכוּת קְרִיאָתָן וְיִנָּצֵל מִצָּרוֹת וּמִנְּזָקִים הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר:“He who delivers a prayer of charm upon a wound and reads also a verse of the Torah thereon, likewise one who reads a Verse so that a babe shall suffer no fear, or who puts a Torah scroll or phylacteries upon a child so that he might fall asleep, such are not alone included among the enchanters and charmers but are even included among those who deny the Torah, for they are employing the words of the Torah as a cure for the body, whereas they are not so but only remedies for the soul even as it is said: "And they will (shall) be life for thy soul" (Pro. 3.22). But a normally healthy person who reads Verses of the Torah or chapters of the Psalms, so that the righteousness of reading it shield him to escape suffering and accidents, lo, this is permitted”2nd Temple Destruction until 21st Century (1st Century CE until now) [TIMEFRAME 23:42-END] Broader WorldChristianity- The famous Christ on a cross has been used since virtually the origin of Christianity.Islam- Banned amulets as paganismChina- Taoists use parchments inscribed with specific Chinese calligraphy to ward off evil spirits called “fulu”Japan- Same as Taoist but instead of fulu, it is called ofuda. There are obviously nuanced differences between the 2, but that is not the focus of this episode.Thailand- Has perhaps the widest array of amulets that stem from the still upheld observance of animism, which as you may remember from the last episode, is the belief that every physical thing has a spiritual counterpart.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amulet Israelite WorldTangled up in Text: Tefillin in the Ancient World- Cohn, Yehudah Benjamin. Tangled up in Text: Tefillin and the Ancient World pp 2. Brown University, 2008.The author wishes to argue that;Before the Hellenistic period, the verses we now associate with Tefillin were not associated with ritual.Tefillin were invented in the second century and functioned as an amuletTefillin had important magic functions that explained certain aspects of Halakha. The author associates this with the practice of Mezuza.ETC…Talmud Berkhot 23a/b-אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה: כִּי הֲוָה אָזְלִינַן בָּתְרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, כִּי הֲוָה בָּעֵי לְמֵיעַל לְבֵית הַכִּסֵּא כִּי הֲוָה נָקֵיט סִפְרָא דְאַגָּדְתָּא — הֲוָה יָהֵיב לַן, כִּי הֲוָה נָקֵיט תְּפִילִּין — לָא הֲוָה יָהֵיב לַן, אָמַר: הוֹאִיל וּשְׁרוֹנְהוּ רַבָּנַןנִינְטְרַן. אָמַר רָבָא: כִּי הֲוָה אָזְלִינַן בָּתְרֵיהּ דְּרַב נַחְמָן, כִּי הֲוָה נָקֵיט סִפְרָא דְאַגַּדְתָּא — יָהֵיב לַן, כִּי הֲוָה נָקֵיט תְּפִילִּין — לָא יָהֵיב לַן, אָמַר: הוֹאִיל וּשְׁרוֹנְהוּ רַבָּנַן, נִינְטְרַן.“Rabba bar bar Hana said: When we would walk after Rabbi Yoḥanan, we would see that when he sought to enter the bathroom while holding a book of aggada, he would give it to us. When he was holding phylacteries, he would not give them to us, as he said: Since the Sages permitted to hold them, they will protect me. Although there were people on hand to whom he could have handed the phylacteries, he kept them to protect himself from danger. Rava said: When we would walk after Rabbi Naḥman, we would see that when he was holding a book of aggada, he would give it to us. When he was holding phylacteries, he would not give them to us, as he said: Since the Sages permitted to hold them, they will protect me.”Medrash Numbers Rabba 12:3- "יִפֹּל מִצִּדְךָ וגו', רַב יִצְחָק אָמַר הַיָּד שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹלֶטֶת עַל מִצְוָה אֶחָת, זוֹ מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין, כְּתִיב בָּהּ: יִפֹּל מִצִּדְךָ אֶלֶף, שֶׁנִּמְסַר לָהּ אֶלֶף מַלְאָכִים לְשָׁמְרוֹ, אֲבָל הַיָּמִין שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹלֶטֶת בְּמִצְווֹת הַרְבֵּה, וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ, רְבָבוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים נִמְסָרִים לָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ, אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר יִמָּסְרוּ לָךְ, אֶלָּא יִפֹּל, אִם בָּאִים אֶלֶף מַזִּיקִים הֵם נוֹפְלִים מִן הַצַּד שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹלֶטֶת עַל מִצְוָה אַחַת, וְאִם בָּאִים הֵם רִבּוֹא מַזִּיקִין הֵם נוֹפְלִים לִפְנֵי הַצַּד שֶׁהִיא שׁוֹלֶטֶת בְּמִצְווֹת הַרְבֵּה".Summary- Wearing the tefillin imbues one with 1000 angels that protect him from harmTractate Tefillinנשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורין מן התפילין כל קטן שהוא יודע לשמור את תפיליו חייב בתפילין מעשה בטבי עבדו של רבי גמליאל שהיה מניח תפילין מיכל בת שאול היתה מנחת תפילין אשתו של יונה היתה עולה לירושלם:“Women, slaves and minors are exempt from [the commandment of] tefillin. A minor who knows how to take care of his tefillin is subject to the law of tefillin. It is related that Ṭabi, R. Gamaliel’s slave, used to put on tefillin; Michal, Saul’s daughter, used to put on tefillin; Jonah’s wife used to make the festival pilgrimages to Jerusalem.”העושה תפלתו עגולה סכנה שאין בה מצוה נותנה על מצחו או על פיסת ידו הרי זו דרך המינות ציפה זהב ונותנה על נקלה שלו והוא בית יד הרי זו דרך החיצונים בית:“If a man makes his head-[tefillah] round, this is a dangerous practice which does not carry with it [the fulfilment of] the commandment. To put [the head-tefillah] on one’s forehead or [the hand-tefillah] on the palm of one’s hand is in the manner of heresy. To overlay them with gold or put [that of the hand] on one’s neḳlah, which means a sleeve, is the manner of the outsiders.”See Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah on Tefillin for more on thisMaimonides Guide for the Perplexed Part 3 Chapter 32 Paragraph 3ואשוב אל כונתי ואומר כי כאשר היה זה המין מן העבודה - רצוני לומר ה'קרבנות' - על צד הכונה השניה והצעקה והתפלה וכיוצא בהם ממעשי העבודות יותר קרובות אל הכונה הראשונה והכרחיות בהגיע אליה - שם בין שני המינים הפרש גדול והוא שזה המין מן העבודה - רצוני לומר הקרבת הקרבנות - אף על פי שהוא לשמו ית' לא חויב עלינו כמו שהיה בתחלה - רצוני לומר שנקריב בכל מקום ובכל זמן ולא שנעשה היכל באשר יזדמן ושיקריב מי שיזדמן "החפץ ימלא ידו" אבל נאסר כל זה עלינו והושם בית אחד "אל המקום אשר יבחר יי" ואין מקריבים בזולתו "פן תעלה עולותיך בכל מקום אשר תראה" ולא יהיה 'כהן' אלא זרע מיוחד - כל זה הענין - למעט זה המין מן העבודות ושלא יהיה ממנו אלא מה שלא גזרה חכמתו להניחו לגמרי. אבל התפילה והתחינה היא מותרת בכל מקום וכל מי שיזדמן. וכן ה'ציצית' וה'מזוזה' וה'תפילין' וזולתם מן העבודות הדומות להם:“I now return to my theme. As the sacrificial service is not the primary object [of the commandments about sacrifice], whilst supplications, prayers, and similar kinds of worship are nearer to the primary object, and indispensable for obtaining it, a great difference was made in the Law between these two kinds of service. The one kind, which consists in offering sacrifices, although the sacrifices are offered to the name of God, has not been made obligatory for us to the same extent as it had been before. We were not commanded to sacrifice in every place, and in every time, or to build a temple in every place, or to permit any one who desires to become priest and to sacrifice. On the contrary, all this is prohibited unto us. Only one temple has been appointed, "in the place which the Lord shall choose" (Deut. 12:26); in no other place is it allowed to sacrifice: comp. "Take heed to thyself, that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest" (ibid. 5:13); and only the members of a particular family were allowed to officiate as priests. All these restrictions served to limit this kind of worship, and keep it within those bounds within which God did not think it necessary to abolish sacrificial service altogether. But prayer and supplication can be offered everywhere and by every person. The same is the case with the commandment of ẓiẓit (Num. 15:38); mezuzah (Deut. 6:9; 11:20); tefillin (Exod. 13:9, 16); and similar kinds of divine service.”Maimonides Mishneh Torah Laws of Tefillin Law 20אֵין כּוֹתְבִין תְּפִלִּין וּמְזוּזָה אֶלָּא בִּכְתָב אַשּׁוּרִית. וְהִתִּירוּ בַּסְּפָרִים לִכְתֹּב אַף בִּיוָנִי בִּלְבַד. וּכְבָר נִשְׁקַע יְוָנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם וְנִשְׁתַּבֵּשׁ וְאָבַד לְפִיכָךְ אֵין כּוֹתְבִין הַיּוֹם שְׁלָשְׁתָּן אֶלָּא אַשּׁוּרִית.“Phylacteries and Mezuzoth may only be written in square Hebrew script. Permission was also given to write scrolls of the Law in Greek characters but not in those of any other foreign tongue. The ancient Greek script has gone out of use, been corrupted, and become obsolete. Hence, at the present day, all three religious articles, —Scroll of the Law, Tefillin and Mezuzah, —are only written in the square Hebrew script”Menachem Mendel Shneerson in 1967- Spearheaded the movement to reinvigorate the observance of Tefillin throughout the world.https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/timeline_cdo/aid/514829/jewish/1967.htmScientific DiscoveriesLeft and Right Brain Correlation to head strapshttps://www.discoveryexpresskids.com/blog/are-you-right-side-dominant-or-left-side-dominant-find-outOccipital Lobe (where the knot of Tefillin rests) is responsible for processing images. The frontal lobes (where the tefillin box rest) are believed to construct the images we see.https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Know-Your-Brainhttps://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160510124822.htmThese areas on the brain are where our tefillin is placed, this is “בין עיניך” (between your eyes). The Jewish tradition holds that while our tefillin may not have always contained all the minutiae of law as we have nowadays, the tefillin’s placement never changed. An interesting thing to note as well is that just as the straps of the head tefillin go from left to right and right to left, so too our brain hemispheres are set up in the same way. Just a powerful thing to keep in mind. Maimonides’ words have a more powerful connection than previously thought. He claimed that “The sanctity of phylacteries is a high degree of sanctity. As long as phylacteries are on a man's head and arm, he is humble and God-fearing, is not drawn into frivolity and idle talk, does not dwell on evil thoughts but occupies his mind with thoughts of truth and righteousness”- Mishneh Torah Tefillin Mezuzah and Torah scroll Chapter 4:25. The Tefillin really are symbolic of one’s entire being, mind and body.Tefillin has been found to condition the heart to have higher blood flow and thus prevents cardiovascular problems.https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpheart.00347.2018?journalCode=ajpheart This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Quick everyone! Dad is sick, grab the Tefillin so we can use their magical healing powers to reinvigorate him! A dissenting voice from across the room yells, “how about taking him to the doctor instead”? The family looks in disapproval at their son who “doesn’t understand the powers Tefillin holds” and tell him to shush. Little did they know, he does understand. He understands better than most what tefillin are for. How, you might ask? Because he listened to the Genuine Judaism Podcast’s Tefillin trilogy, of which this episode is first. Join co-hosts Dovid Brown and Dovidchai as they, as always, take you on a journey through the history of Jewish tradition! Contact us at [email protected] Google Image search for Tefillin (to clarify, it’s the boxes the people are wearing, not the people themselves who are tefillin)- https://www.google.com/search?q=tefillin&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiH2Kf8qNXrAhUKMd8KHTdlAVoQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=tefillin&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1D-Dlj-DmC2D2gAcAB4AIABAIgBAJIBAJgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=-z9VX8fuGIri_Aa3yoXQBQ&bih=1041&biw=2133 NOTE- We mixed up some of the authorities who said the information. None of our information is inaccurate as far as we can tell, but we mixed up some names. Below are all the proper authorities and their explanations. The English is from Sefaria’s translation, accessible at Sefaria.org and going to the corresponding verse and commentary. The translation was subject to some modification by the hosts when deemed appropriate. Tefillin, or phylacteries, are black leather boxes with straps attached that Jewish males from the age of 13+ place around their head and wrap around their arm for the morning prayers. Inside these boxes are 4 compartments, each containing passages from Scripture. 2 of the passages are focused on the Exodus from Egypt, and 2 are focused on the ritualistic Shema prayer that is found in the Hebrew Bible. All mention the Tefillin. Interestingly, tefillin were not actually referred to as Tefillin until around the 2nd Century CE. If you look throughout all of the Hebrew Bible or attempt to Ctrl F (search) the text for the word Tefillin, you will not find it mentioned once. Rather it is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as “אות & טוטפות” (sign & charm). 1st Verse Exodus 13:9 (Timeframe 7:10- 19:28) - וְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת ה' בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ ה' מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ “And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching of Hashem may be in your mouth—that with a mighty hand Hashem freed you from Egypt.” Rashi (The Sage Shlomo Yitzchaki, an 11th Century French Sage)על ידך ולזכרון בית עיניך. שֶׁתִּכְתֹּב הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַלָּלוּ וְתִקְשְׁרֵם בָּרֹאשׁ וּבַזְּרוֹעַ:“On your hand and as a reminder on your forehead”- meaning, that you shall write these paragraphs and bind them upon the head and upon the arm. Rashbam (Samuel son of Meir, a 12th Century French Sage)לאות על ידך - לפי עומק פשוטו: יהיה לך לזכרון תמיד, כאלו כתוב על ידך. כעין, שימני כחותם על לבך.“As a sign on your hand”- According to the simple meaning, it should be a constant remembrance for you, AS IF it was written on your hand. We find a similar syntax [in Song of Songs 8:6] “place it on your heart as if it had been engraved there like a seal.”Ibn Ezra (Abraham son of Meir ibn Ezra, a 12th Century Spanish Sage)והיה לך. יש חולקין על אבותינו הקדושים שאמר כי לאות ולזכרון. על דרך כי לוית חן הם לראשך וענקים לגרגרותיך. גם וקשרתם לאות על ידיך כמו קשרם על לוח לבך תמיד גם וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתך. כמו כתבם על לוח לבך. ומה שיהיה לאות ולזכרון. שיהיה שגור בפיך כי ביד חזקה הוציאך ה' ממצרים. ואין זה דרך נכונה כי בתחלת הספר כתוב משלי שלמה. והנה כל מה שהזכיר הוא דרך משל. ואין כתוב בתורה שהוא דרך משל חלילה. רק הוא כמשמעו. על כן לא נוציאנו מידי פשוטו. כי בהיותו כמשמעו איננו מכחיש שקול הדעת. כמו ומלתם את ערלת לבבכם. שנצטרך לתקנו לפי הדעת. וא''ר משה הכהן כי יד ברוב המקרא היד השמאלית. אף ידי יסדה ארץ וימיני טפחה שמים. ידה ליתד תשלחנה. ודברי הקבלה חזקים ואין צריכין חזוק“And this shall be for you”-There are those who dispute our holy ancestors, and say that “being a sign and a reminder” has the same meaning as: “For they are a graceful wreath upon your head, a necklace about your throat” (Proverbs 1:9). [They] also [suggest] that “tie them as a sign upon your arm” has the same meaning as: “Bind them upon the tablet of your heart always” [Proverbs 6:9]. [They] similarly [understand] “write them on the doorposts of your house” as the same in meaning to “Write them on the tablet of your heart” [Proverbs 3:3]. In that case, what would “a sign” and “a reminder” mean? That it will be flowing in your mouth, “For with a strong-arm God brought you out of Egypt.” However, this is an incorrect approach. For at the beginning of the book [of Proverbs] it states, “The Proverbs of Solomon.” Therefore, [the readers should expect] that everything mentioned in the book is a proverb [not literal]. However, the Torah is not a book of proverbs—God forbid!—so that this verse must retain its literal meaning, and we will not remove it from its meaning. For its literal meaning doesn’t contradict any logical principle, as is the case for “and you shall circumcise your hearts” [Deuteronomy 10:16], the understanding of which needs to be adjustedRamban (Nachmanides, a 13th Century Spanish Sage)- והיה לך לאות על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך שיעורו והיה לך לאות על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך כי ביד חזקה הוציאך ה' ממצרים למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך ופי' שתכתוב על ידך ועל בין עיניך יציאת מצרים ותזכור אותה תמיד, למען שתהיה תורת ה' בפיך לשמור מצותיו ותורותיו כי הוא אדוניך הפודך מבית עבדים:And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching of the LORD may be in your mouth." The verse is teaching us: “And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching of the LORD may be in your mouth." And its explanation is: You should write [verses] on your hand and between your eyes of the Exodus from Egypt [and thereby] always remember it "in order that the Teaching of the LORD may be in your mouth" to observe his commandments and teachings for he is your Master who took you out of the house of bondage.Aderet Eliyahu (Yosef Hayim/Chakham Yosef Chaim, a 19th Century Iraqi Sage), quoting the Hida (Haim Yosef David Azulai son of Yitzchak Zecharia, an 18th Century Israeli Sage)-והיה לך לאות על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך. יובן בס"ד ע"ד שכתב הגאון חיד"א זלה"ה במדבר קדמות דתפלין של יד מציל משפיכות דמים ושל ראש מציל מן הגאוה ע"ש. והנה ידוע מ"ש רז"ל כל המתגאה חכמתו מסתלקת ממנו ע"ש. והשתא יובן שפיר מה שסמך תפלין של ראש שהוא לזכרון בין עיניך למ"ש למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך ר"ל תניח זכרון בין עיניך הוא תפלין של ראש שמציל מן הגאוה למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך שלא תסתלק חכמתך ממך בשביל הגאוה אלא תמיד תהיה תורת ה' בפיך כי חכמתך משתמרת אצלך. גם מ"ש תורת ה' יובן שבא לרמוז שתהיה זוכה לאסוקי שמעתתא אליבא דהלכת' והיינו שתכוין לאמיתה של תורה כי מי שהוא עניו זוכה לכוין על האמת ולז"א למען תהיה תורת ה' דייקא היא אמיתה של תורה בפיך:“And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead”- This verse can be understood (with Hashem’s help) with that which was written by the genius Hida in his work “Midvar Kadamos”. [The Hida writes] “Tefillin of the arm saves from murder, tefillin of the head saves from arrogance.” The sages have taught “anyone who becomes arrogant, his wisdom departs from him”. Through these statements we can understand why the Torah connects Tefillin of the head to [the latter part of the verse which states] “so that the word of Hashem in your mouth”. The Torah is saying to place on our heads (which save from arrogance) in order to retain our Torah!  Since protection from arrogance it imperative to retaining Torah, and the Tefillin of the head protects from arrogance- It is found that the head tefillin is responsible for retaining our Torah! Chizkuni ((Hezekiah son of Manoah, 13th Century French Sage)-והיה לך לאות על ידך: כל זה תאמר לבנך. והיה לך לאות וגו׳ כרך אחד של ד׳ פרשיות  ‎“it shall be a symbol for you on your hand” all of this is part of what you are to tell your son. It is inscribed on the first parchment inside the phylacteries.לך לאות הדין נותן להיות לך לאות תחלה ואחר כך לאחרים, היינו ולזכרון בין עיניך וזהו שנאמר וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה׳‎ נקרא עליך, ואמר מר אלו תפילין שבראש.“for you as a symbol;” logic dictates that first and foremost the phylacteries are to serve as historical reminder for you (sing.) on your arm (where not everyone can see it, but once you have put on phylacteries as a historical reminder for yourself, it must also serve as such for all the other Jews, (and gentiles) i.e. you must wear another one of the phylacteries on your forehead to trumpet this message to all who see you, i.e. בין עיניך, literally: “between your eyes.” Thus, will be fulfilled what is written in Deuteronomy 28:10: וראו כל עמי הארץ כי שם ה' נקרא עליך, “and all the nations of the earth will see that the name of the Lord has been proclaimed upon you.”2nd Verse (Timeframe 19:30-27:19)וְהָיָ֤ה לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יָ֣דְכָ֔ה וּלְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּחֹ֣זֶק יָ֔ד הוֹצִיאָ֥נוּ יְהוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִםAnd so it shall be as a sign upon your hand and as TOTAFOT on your forehead that with a mighty hand the LORD freed us from Egypt.Rashi- ולטוטפת. תְּפִלִּין; וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָעָה בָתִּים קְרוּיִין טטפת – "טט" בְּכַתְפִּי שְׁתַּיִם, "פת" בְּאַפְרִיקִי שְׁתַּיִם (סנהדרין ד'). וּמְנַחֵם חִבְּרוֹ עִם "וְהַטֵּף אֶל דָּרוֹם" (יחזקאל כ"א), "אַל תַּטִּיפוּ" (מיכה ב'), לְשׁוֹן דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן, שֶׁהָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָם קָשׁוּר בֵּין הָעֵינַיִם, יִזְכֹּר הַנֵּס וִידַבֵּר בּוֹ:“Totafot”- this denotes the Tephillin; and because they consist of four houses (compartments) they are called טטפת, for טט denotes “two” in Katpi [an ancient language] and פת in Afriki [another ancient language] denotes “two״ (Sanhedrin 4b). Menachem ben Seruk, however, placed it in the same section (gave it the same meaning) as, (Ezekiel 21:2) “And speak (הטף) to the south״; and as, (Micah 2:6) “speak ye (תטיפו) not”; so that טטפת would be an expression denoting “speaking”, and corresponds to ולזכרון (in v. 9 where it really replaces טוטפת), because whoever sees them (the Tephillin) bound between the eyes will remember the miracle (so that they become a זכרון, a reminder) and will speak about it (so that they become a טטפת. something that causes one to speak about the miracle).Ramban (Nachmanides, a 13th Century Spanish Sage)- ובעבור כי הקב''ה לא יעשה אות ומופת בכל דור לעיני כל רשע או כופר, יצוה אותנו שנעשה תמיד זכרון ואות לאשר ראו עינינו, ונעתיק הדבר אל בנינו, ובניהם לבניהם, ובניהם לדור אחרון והחמיר מאד בענין הזה כמו שחייב כרת באכילת חמץ (לעיל יב טו) ובעזיבת הפסח (במדבר ט יג), והצריך שנכתוב כל מה שנראה אלינו באותות ובמופתים על ידינו ועל בין עינינו, ולכתוב אותו עוד על פתחי הבתים במזוזות, ושנזכיר זה בפינו בבקר ובערב, כמו שאמרו (ברכות כא.) אמת ויציב דאורייתא, ממה שכתוב (דברים טז ג) למען תזכור את יום צאתך מארץ מצרים כל ימי חייך, ושנעשה סכה בכל שנה: וכן כל כיוצא בהן מצות רבות זכר ליציאת מצרים והכל להיות לנו בכל הדורות עדות במופתים שלא ישתכחו, ולא יהיה פתחון פה לכופר להכחיש אמונת האלהים. כי הקונה מזוזה בזוז אחד וקבעה בפתחו ונתכוון בענינה כבר הודה בחדוש העולם ובידיעת הבורא והשגחתו, וגם בנבואה, והאמין בכל פנות התורה, מלבד שהודה שחסד הבורא גדול מאד על עושי רצונו, שהוציאנו מאותו עבדות לחירות וכבוד גדול לזכות אבותיהם החפצים ביראת שמו:“And since the Holy One, blessed be He, will not do a sign and wonder in each generation in front of the eyes of each evildoer or heretic, He commanded us that we should always make a memorial and a sign to that which our eyes saw. And we should copy this thing for our children, and their children for their children, and their children for the last generation. And [the Torah] was very strict about this, such that it made one liable for cutting off, for eating of chamets (Exodus 12:15), and for leaving the Pesach sacrifice (Numbers 9:13). And it required that we write all that was shown to us of signs and wonders upon our arms and upon our eyes, and also to write them at the entrances to houses in mezuzot. And [it required] that we mention it with our mouths, in the morning and in the evening, as the sages said (Berakhot 21a), "[The blessing that mentions the leaving of Egypt and begins,] 'true and solid' is [an obligation from] the Torah," from that which is written (Deuteronomy 16:3), "in order that you remember the day of your leaving the land of Egypt all the days of your life." And [it required] that we make a Sukkah booth every year. And so [too], many commandments in memory of the leaving of Egypt, are similar to these. And all of it is to be a testimony for us for all of the generations about the wonders, that they not be forgotten; and that there not be an opening for the heretic to speak and reject faith in God. As one who buys a mezuzah for one zuz and affixes it to his entrance and has intent for its matter, has already conceded to [God's] innovation [of the Earth] and to the knowledge of the Creator and His supervision, and also to prophecy. And [such a person] believes in all of the outlines of the Torah, besides conceding that the kindness of the Creator to those who do His will is very great - as He took us out of Egypt, from that slavery to freedom and great honor in the merit of their forefathers that desired to fear His name. And therefore they said (Avot 2:1), "Be careful with a light commandment as with a weighty one," since they are all very desirable and beloved - as through them a person concedes to his God all the time.”Kli Yakar (Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz, a 15th Century Polish Sage)-וכן הוא בשני ידות האדם, כי יד שמאל החלושה והיא כהה כנגד הלב שבו משכן החכמה, כי המקום השכלי שבלב גורם שידו כהה כי היד עסקנית בתשמישי החומר, אבל יד ימין במקום הכבד כי בו משכן הכח המתאוה ואינו מתנגד אל היד כי שם עיקר כחה, אבל במקום משכן השכל שם היד כהה, וכשהוא אומר כאן והיה לאות על ידכה כאילו אמר שיהיה לאות על לבך כי הלב סבה לכהות היד, כי טעם התפילין הוא להיות לאדם לזכרון במקום משכן השכל שבמוח ושבלב, ואמר בשל ראש שיהיו בין עיניך כי עינא ולבא תרי סרסורי דחטאה נינהו (ירושלמי ברכות פ"א הל"ה) על כן שני מקומות אלו צריכין לדבר המזכיר אותם על מציאת הש"י ויכלתו ועי"ז ישובו מאון.דבר אחר, לכך הזכיר יד כהה להורות שלא בכח יגבר איש כי אם לה' המלחמה, לפי שיד האדם כהה וחלושה מלעשות גדולה או קטנה אם לא כי יד ה' עשתה זאת המחזיק בידו, כמ"ש (תהלים טז ח) שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד וגו', כי מתחילה היה דוד מצטער על הנחת הלב ביד שמאל והכבד בצד ימין כאילו היה רצון האל שכח המתאוה יהיה עיקר והשכל שבלב טפל כמו שיד ימין עיקר והשמאל טפל, ואח"כ אמר שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד ואז יד שמאלי כנגד ימין ה', ובזה אני בוטח כי מימיני בל אמוט שלא יהיה כח בתאוה שבימין למוטט אותי מן דרך הישר, לפי שימין ה' רוממה ליתן עוז ותעצומות אל הלב השכלי שכנגדו כשפני לנגד ה', לכן שמח לבי בראותי כי ה' סומך ידי, וזהו שמסיים ואמר נעימות בימינך נצח, משמע ולא בימיני לפי שהכל תלוי בימין ה' כי היא כנגד יד כהה שלי, וע"כ צוה ה' להניח התפילין אשר שם ה' חקוק בהם על יד כהה להורות שיד ה' החזקה הימנית היא הנותנת כח ליד כהה זו, ז"ש כי בחוזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים היינו יד ה' הימנית החזקה אשר היא כנגד יד שמאל שבאדם ובה הוציאנו ה', ובהיות פני כנגד ה' אז ימינו כנגד יד כהה, ולהורות נתן בלבם שאין שום מעשה תלוי בפעולת האדם כ"א בעזר השם ית'.So it is with the two hands of man, because the left hand is weaker. and it is weak because of its proximity to the heart, which is the source of intellect. (This is therefore the primary example of the intellect controlling the physical forces in man). However, the right hand is next to the liver which is the source of desire. The liver does not oppose the physical force in any way, because that is the source of its strength. The place in which the intellect dwells (the heart) makes the hand weak. Therefore when the verse says: והיה לאות על ידכה it is as if it is says that it should be a sign on your heart, because the heart is the reason that his hand is weak. Indeed, this is the reason of the Tefilin should be put on the arm, (to remember that the whole purpose of the exodus from Egypt is to teach this concept), and the Shel Rosh should be between the eyes, because the heart and the eyes are the two agents of sin (as seen in the Yerushalmi). Therefore these two places need something to remind them about the existence of G-d and his capacity, and through that will return from sin.Another explanation is as follows: It mentions the weaker hand to teach us that man will not overcome (anything), but that G-d is the one who battles in any war. (Wearing Tefilin on the left weaker hand illustrates that) a man's hand is weak and he is unable to do anything with it unless G-d will help and strengthen his hand. This is the meaning of the verse in Psalms (תהלים טז ח) I place G-d opposite me always, He will never move from my right hand). At first, King David was upset that the heart should be on the left hand side, and the liver on the right hand side of a human being. This would indicate that G-d created man in such a way that his desires should be the main force, and his intellect subservient to his desires. Afterwards, David states: G-d is opposite me - his right hand supports my left hand. It is through that I am confident that I will never be moved - that the strength of his desires will never move him from the straight path. this is because the hand of G-d provides power and energy to the heart (intellect) which is opposite him as he stands in front of G-d. It is for this reason that he states afterwards: "Therefore my heart rejoices" to see that G-d is supporting my left hand. David ends the psalm stating: the pleasantness of your right hand is eternity" - not in my right hand, because the intellect is supported by the right hand of G-d which is opposite my left hand. Therefore, G-d commanded us to put on Tefilin, where the name of G-d is engraved on them on the weaker hand, to teach us that the strength of G-d's right hand gives our left hand strength. This is the meaning of the verse:כי בחוזק יד הוציאנו ה' ממצרים. G-d's right hand opposite man's left hand took us out of Egypt. This in turn teaches that no deed is dependent upon man's action, rather with the help of G-d.  3rd Verse Deuteronomy (6:8) (Timeframe 27:20-29:39)-וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃.”“Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as TOTAFOT on your forehead” Ibn Ezra (Abraham son of Meir ibn Ezra, a 12th Century Spanish Sage)וקשרתם לאות על ידך. מפורש:Bind them as a sign upon your arm literally.לטטפת. אין למלה הזאת ריע במקרא והמכחשים אמרו שהוא מגזרת והטף אל דרום וזה לא יתכן כי שרש הטף נטף וזה חסר נו״‎ן וכפול הטי״‎ת:frontlets [Hebrew: ṭoṭafot] Scripture contains no related words. Although the Dissenters have said the word comes from “preach” [Ezekiel 21: 2], this is unlikely, since the triliteral root of “preach” is n-ṭ-f, while this word is missing the nun and has two ṭet ’s.Rabbeinu Bachya (Bahya ben Asher ibn Halawa, a 13th-14th Century Spanish Scholar)- והיו לטוטפות בין עיניך. למעלה ממצחו במקום המוח שהוא מקום השכל“they shall be TOTAFOT between your eyes.” The words “between your eyes,” are not to be taken literally [to mean put it between your eyes] but mean that they are to be placed on the forehead opposite the seat of the brain, seeing that it is the seat of our intelligence.Rav Bahya ibn Paquda (an 11th Century Spanish Sage)-וילמד ממה שצוה בו האל את המלך באמרו (דברים יז) וכתב לו את משנה התורה הזאת על ספר וגו׳ ‎‎והיתה עמו וקרא בו כל ימי חייו וגו׳ ‎‎ואמר (יהושע א) לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך וגו׳ ‎‎ואמר (דברים ו) והיו הדברים האלה אשר אנכי מצוך היום וגו׳ ‎‎ואמר וקשרתם לאות על ידך וגו׳ ‎‎וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתך. וחזק הענין בציצית באמת (במדבר טו) והיה לכם לציצית ואמר (שם) למען תזכרו.Let one learn from what G-d has commanded a king (of Israel) in saying: "And it will be, when he sits upon his royal throne, that he shall write for himself this Torah on a scroll...And it shall be with him always, and he shall read it all the days of his life [so that he may learn to fear the L-ord, his G-d, to keep all the words of this Torah and these statutes, to do them]" (Devarim 17:18), and "This book of the Torah shall not leave your mouth; you shall meditate therein day and night [in order that you observe to do all that is written in it, for then will you succeed in all your ways and then will you prosper]" (Yehoshua 1:8). And also (to every Jew in the Shema): "And these words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart" (Devarim 6:6), and "you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be Totafos between your eyes" (Devarim 6:8). Etc…  4th Verse (Timeframe 29:40-End)וְשַׂמְתֶּם֙ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֣י אֵ֔לֶּה עַל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וְעַֽל־נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּ֨ם אֹתָ֤ם לְאוֹת֙ עַל־יֶדְכֶ֔ם וְהָי֥וּ לְטוֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֵיכֶֽםTherefore, impress these My words upon your heart and on your soul: bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as TOTAFOT on your forehead”. Rashi (The Sage Shlomo Yitzchaki, an 11th Century French Sage)ושמתם את דברי. אַף לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּגְלוּ הֱיוּ מְצֻיָּנִים בַּמִּצְווֹת, הַנִּיחוּ תְּפִלִּין, עֲשׂוּ מְזוּזוֹת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ לָכֶם חֲדָשִׁים כְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ירמיהו ל"א) הַצִּיבִי לָךְ צִיֻּנִים (ספרי): ושמתם את דברי AND YE SHALL PLACE MY WORDS [UPON YOUR HEART] — Even after you have been banished make yourselves distinctive by means of My commands: lay Tephillin, attach Mezuzoth to your doorposts, so that these shall not be novelties to you when you return. Similarly does it state, (Jeremiah 31:21) “Set thee up distinguishing marks” (Sifrei Devarim 43:34). Sforno (Obadiah ben Jacob Sforno, a 16th Century Italian Sage)-ושמתם את דברי אלה על לבבכם להתבונן בם:“to understand them through intensive study;”ועל נפשכם לקיימם ברצון:“so that you will observe them willingly.” Chizkuni ((Hezekiah son of Manoah, 13th Century French Sage)-על לבבכם אצל לבבכם כמו וסכות על הארון, ונתת על הכפורת, והוא ששנו רבותינו שתהא שימה כנגד הלב. “in your hearts;” the word על usually translated as “on, above, etc.,” also appears quite a few times as meaning “next to, beside,” the author cites Exodus 40,3 as an example where the Torah writes: וסכותה על הארון, which is translated as: “you shall screen the ark,” i.e. the dividing curtain before or beside the Holy of Holies screens the Ark from view. In our verse the meaning would be that G-d’s word shall always be close to our hearts. [He says this in the context of his previous comments about exile I think].  This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Can G-D give Himself a cold He can't cure? We have no idea! But human beings have ailments and remedies. Does G-D want us to take them, or is prayer alone what will save you? Join co-hosts Dovid Brown and Dovidchai Abramchayev, along with a special guest; Benyamin Simkhayev, to discover more about the Jewish outlook on medicine. Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Hey God, cohosts of Genuine Judaism here. How does this whole prayer thing work? Do we just ask You for stuff, or is it more of a "pray to Me to live situation"? Join us in an analysis of how "this whole prayer thing works", and what prayer is all about! Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

What happened to the good old days when prayer was just offering up some animals on an altar? Well, a lot actually! Join co-hosts Dovidchai Abramchayev and Dovid Brown for a deeper understanding of prayer.Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Ever heard of the Gishbanda Temple of Ningishzhida? Well neither did co-hosts Dovid Brown and Dovidchai Abramchayev, until some research on prayer throughout history. Come and discover the evolution of prayer along with us. We hope your prayers will be more meaningful afterwards!Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Join us on a journey through the history of the tradition of Shabbos. You know about the laws of Shabbos but now get ready for the spirit and how it evolved!From Pre-Revelation until the modern era, to know the history of Shabbos is a must to gain a deeper appreciation of the tradition that hovers above others. Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Join co-hosts Dovidchai Abramchayev and Dovid Brown as they discuss what shabbos means to them, exchange personal stories, and give some ideas on how to make Shabbos more meaningful. Contact us at [email protected] This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate