Aligning with God
Over the last 150 years, we have been privileged to be guided by many impactful leaders. Among these, Rav Kook and the Lubavitcher Rebbe stand out, their names evoking strong responses from us, each for unique reasons and each resonating differently with individuals. Indeed, their impact is still reverberating today.
Despite their differences, one shared passion of both Rav Kook and the Rebbe was the mitzvah of?tefillin. Rav Kook wrote his first sefer, Chevesh Pe'er, about the mitzvah of?tefillin. Similarly, the Rebbe, in the tense times preceding the Six-Day War, urged everyone to wear?tefillin, continuing this advocacy afterwards, insisting it would bring spiritual salvation.
What is it about?tefillin?which was so important to these great men?
Tefillin?is perhaps one of the most fascinating mitzvos in the Torah. On the one hand the details of mitzvah are abundant and exacting. On the other hand, it is rarely discussed in the Torah, and when it is, it is called Totafos, not?tefillin.
The halachos of?tefillin?primarily stem from a tradition passed down from Moshe, who received it directly from Hashem at Har Sinai. More recently, this mitzvah has gained a renewed popularity, largely owing to the efforts of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and his shluchim. In a modern twist, 'Telfies', or Tefillin Selfies, have started trending on social media. Further, WhatsApp groups have been established to promote the mitzvah and motivate young adults to wear?tefillin, complete with awards and incentives.
This was not always the case though.
Historically, obtaining properly made?tefillin?was a difficult task. Either they were improperly crafted, or they were not worn in the correct manner. Today, we're fortunate to have access to the highest quality?tefillin, but this wasn't always the case. Many sofrim, lacking scruples, created faulty?tefillin, resulting in their invalidity. Some groups incorrectly wore their?tefillin?on their forehead, taking the mitzvah of "Bein Eynecha", or "between your eyes" literally, out of lack of belief in Chazal, while individuals did so due to ignorance.
The proper placement for the?tefillin?of the head is above the hairline, or where it used to be. Although our Parashah mentions that?tefillin?should be "between your eyes", the Gemara clarifies that this doesn't literally mean the bridge of the nose. Rather, it refers to the space above the hairline that aligns with the area between the eyes, a halacha that is confirmed in the Shulchan Aruch
One may ask, why didn't the Torah simply say "above the hairline" instead of "between the eyes", if it didn't intend a literal interpretation? We understand through our?Mesorah?that the correct location is indeed above the hairline. However, what is the implied significance of the phrase "between the eyes"?
The?Ksav VeKabalah?suggests a fascinating explanation, which has been verified by ophthalmologists. The eye, while being the organ of sight, requires connection to the brain to function. Nerves link the right eye to the left part of the brain and the left eye to the right part of the brain, enabling a unified visual perception instead of two separate images. The optic chiasm, where the nerves from both eyes intersect before connecting to the brain, is precisely where the tefillin are placed on the head.
Thus, "bein eineichem", or "between your eyes", implies this optic chiasm – the meeting point of the nerves from both eyes before they connect to the brain. This is exactly where the brain processes the combined visual input from the left and right eyes.
Rav Kook, in his anonymously published work "Chevesh Pe’er" (1891), harshly criticized those Jews who improperly wore their?tefillin?out of ignorance and habit. He asserted that those wearing?tefillin?incorrectly were as if they never fulfilled this mitzvah at all. He referenced the Gemara, identifying those who never don?tefillin?as the residents of Gehennom. (?????? ??? ??? ?????) Furthermore, according to the Gemara, someone who recites Shema without?tefillin?is akin to bearing false testimony against themselves. They declare their obligation to wear?tefillin?in the Shema but fail to wear them.One might assume that this?kuntrus, emphasizing that wearing?tefillin?below the hairline invalidates the mitzvah, would have been accepted without dispute, as the sources seem clear. Indeed, just a few years prior in 1884, The Chofetz Chaim, Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan had written in the "Mishnah Berurah" to place the?tefillin?higher on the head, away from the hairline, for added precaution.
Yet, five years later,?Rabbi Ze’ev Wolf Turbowitz of Kraz?disputed "Chevesh Pe’er" in the first of his collected responsa, Tiferes Ziv. He argued that as long as the majority of the?tefillin?is positioned correctly, it's acceptable, since we can follow the majority. This argument was later supported by the Satmar Rav, who felt people should not use mirrors to ensure their?tefillin?is straight, but instead rely on the majority of it being in the right place
In response to Rabbi Turbowitz’s criticism, Rav Kook (revealed as the author of "Chevesh Pe’er") issued a comprehensive rebuttal, "Kelil Tif’eret," published in the journal "Torah mi-Zion" (Jerusalem, 1900).
Rav Yitzchak Meir Morgenstern writes that prosecuting angels are always looking for reasons to accuse Jews and they focus on improperly worn?tefillin. He asks why certain tzaddikim, when their?tefillin?fall out of place, don't rush to correct it. He explains beautifully that they deliberately do so to invoke heavenly leniency for those who wore their?tefillin?improperly, providing them some protection from Divine judgement.
Rashi opens his commentary on this week’s portion by explaining the rather strange choice of the words that begin this week’s Parashah.
“Vehaya ekev tishmi’un”?— “And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them…” Moshe is continuing his final sermon to the Jewish people with the promise that if they follow God’s directives as are spelled out in the Torah, the people will be blessed with the “kindness that He swore to your forefathers”
“Ekev,”?the word translated here as?“because,”?is not a word typically used in the Torah, and for this Rashi addresses it. The words actually has a dual meaning. It also, and more typically, means “heel.” Rashi notes that if the people heed “even the lesser commandments which a person sometimes treads on with his heels,” they will be blessed.
Rashi says the pasuk is teaching us the importance of each and every singular mitzvah. The verse is reminding us how we should not “step over” a mitzvah we find less attractive, reasonable, or understandable for those that are “rational”.
Interestingly, last week's Parashah, Va’eschanan, and the haftorah, Nachamu, both touched on similar concepts. The former mentions the mitzvah of?tefillin?while the latter assures us that all things crooked, or?Ekev, will be rectified during the time of Geula.
One might ask, why repeat these themes? The answer may lie in the connection between these two parashiyos, both discussing?tefillin, and the idea of?Ekev. This connection suggests a deeper meaning, linking the concept of correcting what's crooked with the observance of often-neglected mitzvahs.
I would like to suggest that the mitzvah we frequently neglect, the one that holds immense potential blessings, is the proper observance of wearing our Tefillin. The repetition of these themes, thus, serves as a reminder to prioritize this important mitzvah.
What's the underlying importance of how we position our?tefillin?
My father,?Rav Yaacov Haber, explained?that?tefillin?serves as a kind of crown. Unlike a bodily part that Hashem created for us, we are placing a crown onto the body, acting as a vessel through which Hashem showers us with His divine abundance, or Shefa.
Our?tefillin?is positioned on that part of the head that was soft when we were newborns, the meeting place between the brain and the forehead. This spot is likened to the skylight of the Ark, through which we receive the Shefa. Rav Moshe Shapiro taught that this very location is the dwelling of the?Neshama, the soul.
In the 1940’s neurologist Paul D. MacLean formulated the triune brain model, in which he proposed three independent, conscious structures in the forebrain: the reptilian complex (controlling primal instincts), the paleomammalian complex (managing emotions), and the neomammalian complex (overseeing rational thought). This model indicates a constant battle for control over the body among these structures.The neocortex and the reptilian brain often conflict, as the conscious thought generated by the neocortex can suppress the primitive thoughts generated by the reptilian complex. This suggests that the interactions between these brain sections are more competitive than cooperative. It is important to note that this is not the only model of brain functionality, the Adaptive brain model tells us that all these areas are interdependent
When our?tefillin?are accurately positioned, our entire functionality harmonizes. With this alignment, we can appropriately recite the Shema, acknowledge Hashem as our Creator, and become a suitable vessel to receive the Shefa.
The Rebbe emphasized the mitzvah of?tefillin?as it provides a gateway for Jews to attain a spiritual stake in the afterlife. Wearing?tefillin?not only reaffirms their Jewish identity but also ignites a spiritual curiosity, potentially leading to a deeper exploration of their faith.
Tefillin?is a zchus for us as a people.
Tefillin?are a special privilege linking us to divine wisdom and aligning us with Hashem. The Gemara relates that Hashem, too, metaphorically wears?tefillin, indicating a mutual connection between Hashem and His people.
Rabbi Avin bar Rav Adda said that Rabbi Yitz?ak said: From where is it derived that the Holy One, Blessed be He, wears?tefillin? As it is stated: “Hashem has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength”
“The arm of His strength,” His left hand, refers to?tefillin, as it is stated: “Hashem gave strength to His nation” , in the form of the?mitzva?of?tefillin. As it is written: “And all the nations of the land shall see that the name of Hashem is called upon you, and they will fear you” It was taught in a baraisa that Rabbi Eliezer HaGadol says: This is a reference to the tefillin of the head, upon which the name of Hashem is written in fulfillment of the verse: “That the name of Hashem is called upon you.”
The?tefillin?of the arm corresponds to the avodah of the heart, to prayer. Personal avodah of the heart, which expresses one's individual connection to Hashem through the pouring out of his heart to Him, should remain in the private domain of the relationship between each person and his Maker.
The?tefillin?of the head are visible to all, it represents our crown, signifies our affinity and union with Hashem. It corresponds to the avodah of the mind and the brain through the study of Torah, which is Hashem’s wisdom. It has to be perfectly aligned.
The Gemara continues:
Rav Na?man bar Yitz?ak said to Rav ?iyya bar Avin: What is written in the tefillin of the Master of the world? Rav ?iyya bar Avin replied: It is written: “Who is like Your people, Israel, one nation in the land?”
Hashem “wears”?tefillin?to connect Him, in a sense, to the world, the essence of which is the nation of Israel, the Jews.
Hashem’s?tefillin?also gives expression to two aspects of the connection between Hashem and His people Israel, the?tefillin?of the arm and the?tefillin?of the head, as is mentioned in that Gemara. The?tefillin?of the arm reveals Hashem’s desire for the?tefillos?of His people, so that He might provide them with His shefa. The?tefillin?of the head reveals the essential connection between Hashem and Israel through His wisdom and Torah. The Jews, the Torah, and?Hakadosh Baruch Hu?are one. This is the highest level of kavana through?tefillin.
The Jewish people and Hashem are connected to each other. By the fact that we wear?tefillin, we are connected to Hashem, and by Hashem wearing?tefillin, He is connected to us.
The tzaddik,?Rav Dov Kook of Teveria?takes this a step further, he teaches that the?tefillin?of Hashem come from the Simcha of Yisrael. When a Jew is in aveilus, he does not put on?tefillin. In response, Hashem says, so to speak, I cannot put on my?tefillin, when My people are in pain. When we put on?tefillin, Hashem mirrors us and puts on?tefillin?too and declares the uniqueness of His people.?
May we merit to always be fully aligned with Hashem and always in Simcha and thereby speed up the day when the crooked will become straight permanently and the brachos of this Parashah will be fulfilled.
For footnotes please see https://shui.substack.com/p/aligning-with-god