One of the differences between the way
tefillin are described in our section of
Va'eschanan and earlier on, in the portion
Bo, is the following:
In Bo the verse states,[580] "And it shall be as a sign on your hand and as totafos between your eyes." In other words, there is but one thing -- "it," stated in the singular and referring to the theme of the Exodus -- that serves both "as a sign on your hand" and "as totafos between your eyes."
Here, however, the verse uses the plural -- "You shall bind them as a sign ... and they shall be as totafos..."[581] This is because here the verse is not referring to the singular event of the Exodus, but to the four Torah sections, the parshiyos, that speak of the mitzvah of tefillin.
This explains why Rashi in Bo interprets totafos as referring to the four batim that house the parshiyos, while in Va'eschanan he explains it as referring to the parshiyos themselves:
The Exodus is mentioned in the sections of "Kadeish" and "VeHayah Ki Yiviacha," but not in the parshiyos "Shema" and "VeHayah Im Shamoa." "It shall be as ... totafos between your eyes" stated in Bo, alluding as it does to the singular Exodus, cannot possibly then be referring to the four parshiyos, inasmuch as the parshiyos "Shema" and "VeHayah Im Shamoa" do not mention the Exodus at all. So Rashi interprets totafos mentioned in Bo as referring to the four batim.
According to Rashi's explanation in Bo we arrive at something completely novel: Only when "Shema" and "VeHayah Im Shamoa" were imparted during the fortieth year in the desert did the tefillin contain four parshiyos. According to Rashi, until then although there were only two parshiyos, "Kadeish" and "VeHayah Ki Yiviacha." Nevertheless the tefillin was comprised of four batim -- two containing parshiyos and two empty and waiting for parshiyos! For, Rashi maintains, even without parshiyos, the multitude of batim heightens the memory of the Exodus.
Here, however, where the plural form is used, we cannot possibly say that totafos refers to the batim. For since the verse refers to the four parshiyos, we must perforce say that the resulting transformation of the four parshiyos into "totafos" -- "they (the parshiyos) shall be as totafos" -- refers to the four parshiyos themselves and not to their batim.
There are two primary segulos (special spiritual properties) that tefillin possess vis-a-vis its effect on the nations:
- "All the nations of the earth shall behold that G-d's name is proclaimed upon you and they shall fear you -- This refers to the head-tefillin."[582] This is to say, when the nations behold the Divine Name (that wholly transcends nature)[583] found within the Jewish people through their donning tefillin, they will so fear them that they will not even entertain thoughts of going to war against them.
- "Through the performance of tefillin... the [Jewish] warriors will see the fulfillment of "he will tear off his arms together with his head."[584] I.e., when for whatever reason nations do go to war against the Jewish people, those nations are vanquished in the merit of tefillin.
The difference between these two aspects of
tefillin is the following: With regard to "tearing arms and head," there the hand-
tefillin and head-
tefillin have two distinct effects, in a manner of "measure for measure" -- "tearing the head" through the merit of the head-
tefillin, "tearing the hand" through the merit of the hand-
tefillin. In this instance the hand-
tefillin and head-
tefillin are two distinct entities.
This is not the case with regard to "they will fear you -- this is the head-tefillin." In this instance there is but the singular effect of the head-tefillin, with the hand-tefillin merely adding more "power" to the head-tefillin.[585]
This is alluded to by the fact that in Bo the head-tefillin and hand-tefillin are considered as one thing, while in Va'eschanan they are considered as two:
When the Jewish people departed Egypt, the plan was for Moshe to lead them into Eretz Yisrael. Had this actually taken place, then (since "Moshe's 'face' was as [luminous as] the 'face of the sun'"[586]) the entry into Eretz Yisrael would have been entirely supernatural,[587] and the Seven Nations wouldn't have done battle with the Jewish people.
Thus, in Bo the hand-tefillin come together with the head-tefillin, for with regard to "they shall fear you" the hand-tefillin are not a separate entity unto themselves.
However, here, when it was already known[588] that entry into the land would be not be accomplished by Moshe but by Yehoshua (whose "'face' was [but as luminous] as the 'face of the moon'"[589]) and it would be necessary to wage war -- "tearing arms and head" -- then the hand-tefillin are an entity unto themselves, for while the head-tefillin accomplish "tearing the head," it is specifically the hand-tefillin that accomplish "tearing the arms."
Based on Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IX, pp. 49-56
Notes:
- (Back to text) Shemos 13:16.
- (Back to text) Devarim 6:8.
- (Back to text) Berachos 6a.
- (Back to text) See Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah, ch. 7.
- (Back to text) Hilchos Ketanos of the Rosh, Hilchos Tefillin ch. 15.
- (Back to text) See Tzofnas Paneiach on the Rambam, Hilchos Tefillin 4:4.
- (Back to text) Bava Basra 75a; Sifri and Rashi on Pinchas 27:20.
- (Back to text) See Likkutei Sichos, Vol. IX, first Sicha of Devarim.
- (Back to text) Devarim 3:28.
- (Back to text) Sources cited in fn. 7.
Devarim