PARSHA MATH
TEFILLIN AND NUMBERS
The Letters The שshin appears on the Tefillin in two forms: on the left side of the one worn on the head, the letter is embossed with four splays , while on the right side of the one used for the arm, the standard three-headed version of the שshin is used. The two forms infer the two kinds of Divine wisdom, the revealed and the concealed. The four-headed shin appears nowhere else The Knots There is a knot on the head Tefillin straps. The knot that goes at the base of the skull is shaped like a דdalet. The arm Tefillin straps have a knot formed like a יyod.. Together the שshin, דdalet, and יyod form the name ( ש-דיAlmighty). The Number Four The Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) is like the Tefillin worn on the hand [whose box has only one compartment], while the four other books (of the Five Books of Moshe) are like the Tefillin worn on the forehead whose parchments are rolled individually and set in four different chambers. This analogy also reminds us of the fingers on our hand. Four fingers are similar and one is different and fatter (the thumb). The Purim Connection Esther 8:16 The Jews had light, gladness, joy, and honor. Chazal, when analyzing this pasuk (verse), derive that the word honor refers to Tefillin. Chazal have instructed us to fulfill four mitzvos on Purim. They are: PURIM TEFILLIN Devarim 6:4-9 Reading the Megillah Yoke of Heaven Devarim 11:13-21 Sending food presents to our friends Material blessings Shemot 13:1:10 Distributing gifts to the poor Matzah – bread of the poor Shemot 13:11-16 Eating a Purim meal Redemption of the first born with shekalim The Configuration of the Head Tefilin The Baal Tikkun Tefillin, Rabbi Avraham of Zuns'heim, a Rishon, says that the configuration of the Tefillin shel rosh (head) corresponds to the encampment of the Jews in the desert. There are a total of twelve stitches closing the Tefillin, three on each side of the central cube. This corresponds to the twelve tribes encamped in the desert, three on each side of the central area. In the center, we have the cube that houses the script, the parashiyot, of the Tefillin. The cube corresponds to the ark and the script to the luchot (saphire tablets) which were inside. The ark had on its lid the two Keruvim (Cherubim) whose wings were spread aloft. The Keruvim with their wings spread aloft, loosely had a configuration similar to the letter shin - .שThe cube of the Tefillin which houses the script of four paragraphs of the Torah which mention the mitzva of Tefillin, has two letters shin on the outside, similar to the ark and the two Keruvim. Rabbi Avraham adds that these last two similarities are alluded to in the verse in Tehilim (119,162), Soss anochi. Soss is spelled Sin Sin - .שש These are the two Keruvim and also the two Shins on the Tefillin housing. The letters Sin and Sin, symbolize the two Keruvim. www.parshapages.com www.parshaforkids.blogspot.com
PARSHA MATH
The Gematria Of Tefillin
Tefillin תפלין 570 = Nun = 50 + Yud = 10 + Lamed = 30 + Peh = 80 + Sav = 400 One should note that any challenge to not wear their Tefillin comes from Yetzer Ra, meaning evil inclination. Hashem, "The" Creator, "The" King should rightly receive a definite article, but my personal tester - my Yetzer Ra - should NOT! The Gematria for Yetzer Ra is 570. Yetzer Ra יצר רע 570 = Ayin = 70 + Reish = 200 = Reish = 200 + Tzaddi = 90 + Yud = 10 We should also note that the G-d given responsibility of Yetzer Ra is to test us. Our father Avraham Aveinu was tested "Ten" {times}. He passed each test, thank G-d! The Gematria for ten is 570. Eser עשר 570 = Reish = 200 + Sin = 300 + Ayin = 70 Unfortunately there are times in life where we are forced to face an evil man, an evil person. To say they are unpleasant to deal with does not come close to the level of frustration they attempt to invoke. That individual is NOT Yetzer Ra. That person is a Rasha, meaning evil / wicked. There is a difference between the two. One is a tester sent to test and strengthen us, the other is a destroyer sent to ruin us, G-d forbid! We deal with both in the same manner. We don our royal crown. We don our Tefillin. Our Tefillin is the sign that we are obedient to our King, Hashem, and His commands and His Torah. We wrap our weaker hand and arm with Tefillin as a form of "SPIRITUAL ARMOR" and by fulfilling the commandment of Tefillin we defeat Yetzer Ra and the Rasha, thank G-d. The Gematria for Rasha is 570. Rasha רשע 570 = Ayin = 70 + Shin = 300 + Reish = 200
www.parshapages.com www.parshaforkids.blogspot.com