WHY

Now we're going analyze four תורה texts and think about why the תורה commands us to wear תפילין.

The obligation of תפילין, as explained by the תלמוד, is mentioned four times in the תורה: twice when recalling יציאת מצרים (the Exodus from Egypt): שמות יג:ט and שמות יג:טז; and then twice in the שמע passages: דברים ו:ח and דברים יא:יח

Let's start by reading these four texts and then looking up the translations in a תנך. After you read each text out loud with a friend, look up the translation in your תנך.

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שמות יג:ט
וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל יָדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ לְמַעַן תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת יְהֹוָה בְּפִיךָ כִּי בְּיָד חֲזָקָה הוֹצִאֲךָ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם

 

Stop and look this text up in a תנך before you continue. See if you can match up the bolded words from the Hebrew to their proper translation.

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שמות יג:טז
וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל יָדְכָה וּלְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהֹוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם

 

Stop and look this text up in a תנך before you continue. See if you can match up the bolded words from the Hebrew to their proper translation.

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דברים ו:ח
וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ

 

Stop and look this text up in a תנך before you continue. See if you can match up the bolded words from the Hebrew to their proper translation.

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דברים יא:יח
וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל יֶדְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם

 

Stop and look this text up in a תנך before you continue. See if you can match up the bolded words from the Hebrew to their proper translation.

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Taken what you've learned about these four texts, add your voice to the discussion below. You can respond to my questions and then comment on other students' posts.