Jewish 101: Tfillin & Tzitzit

What Are Tefillin and Tzitzit?

Tefillin and tzitzit are two physical expressions of faith that come directly from the commandments in the Torah. Both serve as daily reminders of God's word—not just to read it, but to live it visibly and intentionally.

Tefillin

Tefillin are small black leather boxes, each containing scrolls with four passages from the Torah: Exodus 13:1–10, Exodus 13:11–16, Deuteronomy 6:4–9, and Deuteronomy 11:13–21.

These texts speak of remembering God's commandments, binding them on our hands and between our eyes, and teaching them to our children.

Observant Jewish men traditionally wear tefillin during weekday morning prayers. One box is strapped to the arm, pointing toward the heart, and the other is placed on the forehead, above the eyes, symbolically linking thought and action to the commandments.

Tzitzit

Tzitzit—fringes, or tassels—are commanded in Numbers and Deuteronomy. God instructed the children of Israel to attach fringes to the corners of their garments as a constant reminder to follow his commandments and remain set apart.

In ancient times, clothing typically had four corners, so this command was woven into daily life. But as clothing and styles changed, a special garment was created to preserve the commandment: the tallit, a rectangular prayer shawl with fringes at its four corners.

Today, many religious men wear a tallit katan, a small version worn under their clothing throughout the day, and a tallit gadol, the large prayer shawl worn during morning prayers and on special occasions.

The structure of the fringes—including the number of knots and windings—was standardized over time and is rich in symbolic detail.

Tefillin and Tzitzit in the Time of Yeshua

In the time of Yeshua, both tefillin and tzitzit were well-established practices. He refers to them in Matthew 23:5, where he criticizes religious leaders who enlarged their tefillin and lengthened their tassels—not for keeping the practice, but for using it to show off.

His sharp words weren't against the practice itself. Rather, he spoke out against pride, hypocrisy, and the enlargement of outward signs of faith to seek attention or status. There is no indication in the New Testament that Yeshua rejects these customs. As someone raised in a Torah-observant Jewish context, it is likely that he followed the same practices as his contemporaries.

Summary

In summary, tefillin and tzitzit should be seen as outward reminders that appeal to inner attitudes of faith and express themselves practically: to love God with heart, soul, and strength, and to walk in his ways with humility and faithfulness.