Why do Jews wear black boxes to pray? | Tefillin Explained

Why do Jews wrap their heads and arms in leather straps and little black boxes, called tefillin? Why are they such an important part of Jewish prayer? Zak Lenik decides to find out. In speaking with experts in "spiritual technology," Hasidic thought, and kiruv (bringing Jews closer to Judaism), Zak discovers that tefillin are more than just little boxes made of cowhide. They are in fact the secret to Jewish mindfulness and magical perspective.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:30 How to wear (don) tefillin
01:13 Why are tefillin important?
01:35 Tefillin as spiritual technology, reorienting the day
02:23 Tefillin as a physical object
02:55 Integration of the spiritual into the physical
03:50 How are tefillin made?
04:51 What is written on the scrolls in the tefillin?
06:30 The Shema
07:03 Why is tefillin strapped to the head and arm specifically?
08:11 Tefillin as manifesting intentions
09:18 Why the emphasis on binding/restriction?
09:40 Tefillin as a symbol of marriage with God
10:32 Tefillin as a source of magic and enchantment
12:52 Chabad mission of tefillin
13:26 Tefillin as an ancient tradition
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Image/footage credits:
Yeshiva World News
TrueTube
Uzi Moses
MosesandZippora
Yossi Farro
Shutterstock
Artgrid
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