Aligning with God
Understanding the Mitzvah of Tefillin through the Lens of Parashas Ekev
Over the last 150 years, we have been privileged to be guided by many impactful leaders. Among these, Rav Kook and the Lubavitcher Rebbe stand out, their names evoking strong responses from us, each for unique reasons and each resonating differently with individuals. Indeed, their impact is still reverberating today.
Despite their differences, one shared passion of both Rav Kook and the Lubavitcher Rebbe was the mitzvah of tefillin. Rav Kook wrote his first sefer, Chevesh Pe'er, about the mitzvah of tefillin. Similarly, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, in the tense times preceding the Six-Day War, urged everyone to wear tefillin, continuing this advocacy afterwards, insisting it would bring spiritual salvation. He emphasized the mitzvah of tefillin as it provides a gateway for Jews to attain a spiritual stake in the afterlife. Wearing tefillin not only reaffirms their Jewish identity but also ignites a spiritual curiosity, potentially leading to a deeper exploration of their faith.1
What is it about tefillin which was so important to these great men?
Tefillin is perhaps one of the most fascinating mitzvos in the Torah. On the one hand the details of mitzvah are abundant and exacting. On the other hand, it is rarely discussed in the Torah, and when it is, it is called Totafos, not tefillin.
The halachos of tefillin primarily stem from a tradition passed down from Moshe, who received it directly from Hashem at Har Sinai. More recently, this mitzvah has gained a renewed popularity, largely owing to the efforts of the Chabad movement, as noted above. In a modern twist, 'Telfies', or Tefillin Selfies, have started trending on social media. Further, WhatsApp groups have been established to promote the mitzvah and motivate young adults to wear tefillin, complete with awards and incentives.
This was not always the case though.
Historically, obtaining properly made tefillin was a difficult task. Either they were improperly crafted, or they were not worn in the correct manner. Today, we're fortunate to have access to the highest quality tefillin, but this wasn't always the case. Many sofrim, lacking scruples, created faulty tefillin, resulting in their invalidity. Some groups incorrectly wore their tefillin on their forehead, taking the mitzvah of "Bein Eynecha", or "between your eyes" literally, out of lack of belief in Chazal, while individuals did so due to ignorance.
The proper placement for the tefillin of the head is above the hairline, or where it used to be. Although our Parashah mentions that tefillin should be "between your eyes", the Gemara clarifies that this doesn't literally mean the bridge of the nose. Rather, it refers to the space above the hairline that aligns with the area between the eyes, a halacha that is confirmed in the Shulchan Aruch2.
One may ask, why didn't the Torah simply say "above the hairline" instead of "between the eyes", if it didn't intend a literal interpretation? We understand through our Mesorah that the correct location is indeed above the hairline. However, what is the implied significance of the phrase "between the eyes"?
The Ksav VeKabalah3 suggests a fascinating explanation, which has been verified by ophthalmologists. The eye, while being the organ of sight, requires connection to the brain to function. Nerves link the right eye to the left part of the brain and the left eye to the right part of the brain, enabling a unified visual perception instead of two separate images. The optic chiasm, where the nerves from both eyes intersect before connecting to the brain, is precisely where the tefillin are placed on the head.
Thus, "bein eineichem", or "between your eyes", implies this optic chiasm – the meeting point of the nerves from both eyes before they connect to the brain. This is exactly where the brain processes the combined visual input from the left and right eyes.
Rav Kook, in his anonymously published work "Chevesh Pe’er" (1891), harshly criticized those Jews who improperly wore their tefillin out of ignorance and habit. He asserted that those wearing tefillin incorrectly were as if they never fulfilled this mitzvah at all. He referenced the Gemara4, identifying those who never don tefillin as the residents of Gehennom. (קרקפתא דלא מנח תפלין) Furthermore, according to the Gemara5, someone who recites Shema without tefillin is akin to bearing false testimony against themselves. They declare their obligation to wear tefillin in the Shema but fail to wear them.
One might assume that this kuntrus, emphasizing that wearing tefillin below the hairline invalidates the mitzvah, would have been accepted without dispute, as the sources seem clear. Indeed, just a few years prior in 1884, The Chofetz Chaim, Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan had written in the "Mishnah Berurah" to place the tefillin higher on the head, away from the hairline, for added precaution.6
Yet, five years later, Rabbi Ze’ev Wolf Turbowitz of Kraz disputed "Chevesh Pe’er" in the first of his collected responsa, Tiferes Ziv. He argued that as long as the majority of the tefillin is positioned correctly, it's acceptable, since we can follow the majority. This argument was later supported by the Satmar Rav, who felt people should not use mirrors to ensure their tefillin is straight, but instead rely on the majority of it being in the right place7.
In response to Rabbi Turbowitz’s criticism, Rav Kook (revealed as the author of "Chevesh Pe’er") issued a comprehensive rebuttal, "Kelil Tif’eret," published in the journal "Torah mi-Zion" (Jerusalem, 1900).8
Rav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern writes that prosecuting angels are always looking for reasons to accuse Jews and they focus on improperly worn tefillin. He asks why certain tzaddikim, when their tefillin fall out of place, don't rush to correct it. He explains beautifully that they deliberately do so to invoke heavenly leniency for those who wore their tefillin improperly, providing them some protection from Divine judgement.9
Rashi opens his commentary on this week’s portion by explaining the rather strange choice of the words that begin this week’s Parashah.
“Vehaya ekev tishmi’un” — “And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them…” Moshe is continuing his final sermon to the Jewish people with the promise that if they follow God’s directives as are spelled out in the Torah, the people will be blessed with the “kindness that He swore to your forefathers”
“Ekev,” the word translated here as “because,” is not a word typically used in the Torah, and for this Rashi addresses it. The words actually has a dual meaning. It also, and more typically, means “heel.” Rashi notes that if the people heed “even the lesser commandments which a person sometimes treads on with his heels,” they will be blessed.
Rashi says the pasuk is teaching us the importance of each and every singular mitzvah. The pasuk is reminding us how we should not “step over” a mitzvah we find less attractive, reasonable, or understandable.
Interestingly, last week's Parashah, Va’eschanan, and the haftorah, Nachamu, both touched on similar concepts. The former mentions the mitzvah of tefillin while the latter assures us that all things crooked, or Ekev, will be rectified during the time of Geula.
One might ask, why repeat these themes? The answer may lie in the connection between these two parashiyos, both discussing tefillin, and the idea of Ekev. This connection suggests a deeper meaning, linking the concept of correcting what's crooked with the observance of often-neglected mitzvahs.
I would like to suggest that the mitzvah we frequently neglect, the one that holds immense potential blessings, is the proper observance of wearing our Tefillin. The repetition of these themes, thus, serves as a reminder to prioritize this important mitzvah.
What's the underlying importance of how we position our tefillin?
My father, Rav Yaacov Haber, explained that tefillin serves as a kind of crown. Unlike a bodily part that Hashem created for us, we are placing a crown onto the body, acting as a vessel through which Hashem showers us with His divine abundance, or Shefa.
Our tefillin is positioned on that part of the head that was soft when we were newborns, the meeting place between the brain and the forehead. This spot is likened to the skylight of the Ark, through which we receive the Shefa. Rav Moshe Shapiro taught that this very location is the dwelling of the Neshama, the soul.
In the 1940’s neurologist Paul D. MacLean formulated the triune brain model10, in which he proposed three independent, conscious structures in the forebrain: the reptilian complex (controlling primal instincts), the paleomammalian complex (managing emotions), and the neomammalian complex (overseeing rational thought). This model indicates a constant battle for control over the body among these structures.
The neocortex and the reptilian brain often conflict, as the conscious thought generated by the neocortex can suppress the primitive thoughts generated by the reptilian complex. This suggests that the interactions between these brain sections are more competitive than cooperative. It is important to note that this is not the only model of brain functionality, the Adaptive brain model tells us that all these areas are interdependent11
When our tefillin are accurately positioned, our entire functionality harmonizes. With this alignment, we can appropriately recite the Shema, acknowledge Hashem as our Creator, and become a suitable vessel to receive the Shefa.
Tefillin is a zchus for us as a people.
Tefillin are a special privilege linking us to divine wisdom and aligning us with Hashem. The Gemara12 relates that Hashem, too, metaphorically wears tefillin, indicating a mutual connection between Hashem and His people.
Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wears tefillin? As it is stated: “Hashem has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength”
“The arm of His strength,” His left hand, refers to tefillin, as it is stated: “Hashem gave strength to His nation” , in the form of the mitzva of tefillin. As it is written: “And all the nations of the land shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you, and they will fear you” It was taught in a baraisa that Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol says: This is a reference to the tefillin of the head, upon which the name of Hashem is written in fulfillment of the verse: “That the name of Hashem is called upon you.”
The tefillin of the arm corresponds to the avodah of the heart, to prayer. Personal avodah of the heart, which expresses one's individual connection to Hashem through the pouring out of his heart to Him, should remain in the private domain of the relationship between each person and his Maker.
The tefillin of the head are visible to all, it represents our crown, signifies our affinity and union with Hashem. It corresponds to the avodah of the mind and the brain through the study of Torah, which is Hashem’s wisdom. It has to be perfectly aligned.
The Gemara continues:
Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said to Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin: What is written in the tefillin of the Master of the world? Rav Ḥiyya bar Avin replied: It is written: “Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?”
Hashem “wears” tefillin to connect Him, in a sense, to the world, the essence of which is the nation of Israel, the Jews.
Hashem’s tefillin also gives expression to two aspects of the connection between Hashem and His people Israel, the tefillin of the arm and the tefillin of the head, as is mentioned in that Gemara. The tefillin of the arm reveals Hashem’s desire for the tefillos of His people, so that He might provide them with His shefa. The tefillin of the head reveals the essential connection between Hashem and Israel through His wisdom and Torah. The Jews, the Torah, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu are one.13 This is the highest level of kavana through tefillin.
The Jewish people and Hashem are connected to each other. By the fact that we wear tefillin, we are connected to Hashem, and by Hashem wearing tefillin, He is connected to us.
The tzaddik, Rav Dov Kook of Teveria takes this a step further, he teaches that the tefillin of Hashem come from the Simcha of Yisrael. When a Jew is in aveilus, he does not put on tefillin.14 In response, Hashem says, so to speak, I cannot put on my tefillin, when My people are in pain. When we put on tefillin, Hashem mirrors us and puts on tefillin too and declares the uniqueness of His people. 15
May we merit to always be fully aligned with Hashem and always in Simcha and thereby speed up the day when the crooked will become straight permanently and the brachos of this Parashah will be fulfilled.
For further reading, see: https://derher.org/wp-content/uploads/56-Iyar-5777-06.pdf
OC 27
Shemos 13;15
Rosh Hashanah 17
Berachos 14
27:9 in the Be’ur Halachah
See also Divrei Chaim 2;6 and Tzitz Eliezer 12:6-2. Also this noteworthy post https://aspaqlaria.aishdas.org/2005/02/17/tefillin-mirrors
Rav Kook reasons that we must distinguish between the essential commandment (“‘etsem ha-mitsvah”) and the action of the commandment (“ma‘aseh ha-mitsvah”). The fact that one does not recite an additional blessing does not necessarily mean that the commandment (“‘etsem ha-mitsvah”) is still being fulfilled. What it does imply, is that the action of the commandment (“ma‘aseh ha-mitsvah”) is ongoing. The blessing addresses renewed action (“ma‘aseh ha-mitsvah”). In a case where only a minority of the Tefillin has been displaced, the action required to readjust it does not warrant a blessing. “And the Turei Zahav holds that since in the entire Torah, ‘rubo ke-khulo,’ once most of the action has been nullified, the action as a whole is nullified, but if most of the action remains, even though the commandment has been nullified, still the action exist https://seforimblog.com/2019/03/when-rav-kook-was-the-kanai-zealot-and-his-opponent-the-melits-yosher-advocate/
Likutei Yam Hachochma on Hilchos Tefilin page 64
Berachos 6
Zohar, Vayikra, Acharei Mos 73a-b
On Shabbos and Moadim, we are inherently connected to Hashem and therefore we don’t need to wear tefillin.
This was amazing!!! Thanks, Shui!
Wow, what a beautiful and interesting piece.