What Are Phylacteries?
Reflecting on the Sixth Sunday of Easter: Three Days after Sunday (Year B)
Scripture
Psalter: Psalm 93
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 11:18-21
Gospel: Mark 16:19-20
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Prayer
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer)
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Reflection
“You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth (Deuteronomy 11:18-21).
Phylacteries, known as tefillin in Hebrew are a set of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah. These are worn by observant Jewish men during weekday morning prayers. The practice is rooted in several Torah passages where Jews are commanded to bind these words as a sign upon their hands and between their eyes.
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