A Heinz related memory.  57 years ago, my grandmother (my father’s mom) bought me a beautiful set of tfilin (phylacteries).

These glorious black boxes with their straps are worn every morning that is not a holiday.    For the duration of the morning prayers.  (Some folks wear them during the afternoon prayers; they are forbidden for evening prayers.)

Now, tfilin is plural.  The singular version is tfila.   Which is the word for prayer, as well.  We have a tfila that is placed on the upper arm (the left- if one is a righty; the right -if one is a lefty), with the straps wrapped around our forearms and hands.  The other tfila is placed above the forehead, with the straps falling down the sides of our head.

The wrapping of the straps follows various different conventions; I follow my family’s tradition,  which spells out one of  Hashem’s name twice- Shadai.  שshin  ד dalet י yud.  The Shin is on my palm and my middle finger.  The Dalet is on my palm and the way I hold my hand,.  and the Yud is on the ring finger and middle finger.

These tfilin were commanded to us by Hashem to serve as a ‘sign’ and ‘remembrance’ that Hashem took us out of Egypt to serve as a free nation.  (The quote is second book of the Tora, Shmot or Exodus, the 13th Chapter.)

For 57 years, these signs and mementos confirm the bond I have with Hashem.  The prayers we say when we put them on makes this very clear.

Before starting the hand tfila:  Blessed are you, Hashem,  God of the Universe, who blesses us with his commandment to wear the tfilin.  And, then we place the straps down our arm- leaving the results incomplete, by stopping at our palm.

Then, before we don the tfila of the head:  Blessed are you, Hashem,  God of the Universe, who blesses us with his commandment about the commandments of tfilin.

Once in place over the forehead, as we adjust the straps, we add:  Blessed is the glory of Hashem’s kingdom for ever and ever.

And, then, the most endearing prayer.   As we wrap the tfila about our fingers, we symbolically are married to one another.

We are betrothed forever, We are betrothed bound by our lovingkindness, mercy,  justice,  and righteousness.  We are betrothed in complete faith and knowledge of Hashem.

These versers have been made into a song (composed) by Craig Taubman.  I (and my family) have a lifelong affection for his tunes and his insight.  You will note that this prayer is the same one we say to one another when we marry.

While I donned the tfillin first today, it was because my grandmother wanted mt to start wearing them 6 months before my bar mitzvah and on the special fast day that augurs in Purim- the Fast of Esther.  The fast reminds us we fasted and prayed to revert the slaughter of the Jews scheduled for the full moon of Adar.  (Now it’s known as the holiday of Purim.)

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