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Tefillin

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Small black leather boxes containing Torah verses, worn by Jewish men during weekday morning prayers.

Detailed Definition
Tefillin (phylacteries) are strapped on the arm and head as a literal fulfillment of the commandment to bind God's words as a sign on one's hand and as a reminder between one's eyes (Deuteronomy 6:8). In poetry, tefillin symbolize the binding of the mind and heart to God's will. They represent the physicality of faith, the discipline of prayer, and the integration of divine law into one's very actions and thoughts. The image can evoke devotion, tradition, and the tangible connection between the body, the text, and the divine.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Jewish poetry, Tefillin bind word to body: “Leather boxes—Tefillin, Torah wrapped on arm and head”; In mystical verse, Tefillin unite heart and mind: “Knot at nape—Tefillin, covenant tied in daily act”; In contemporary poetry, Tefillin is resistance: “Worn in diaspora—Tefillin, defiance of assimilation”; Poets describe Tefillin’s intimacy: “Morning ritual—Tefillin, whispering Shema to my pulse.”
Additional Notes
Tefillin (phylacteries) are worn during weekday morning prayers by observant Jewish men (and some women in egalitarian communities), containing four scriptural passages from Exodus and Deuteronomy; their placement on the arm (near the heart) and head signifies the binding of divine commandments to thought and action; in poetic metaphor, tefillin can represent the intimate covenant between human will and divine law.
Also Known As
Phylacteries
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