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| Halachot | Construction | Symbolism | Script Putting on the tefillin | Caring for Tefillin. |
Two types of "Shin"
The three-headed "shin" symbolizes the Patriarchs -Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov.
The four-headed "shin" symbolizes the four Matriarchs - Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel, and Leah.
The merits of the Patriarchs is on the right.
The merit of the Matriarchs is on the left.An additional explanation:
The numerical value of the shin is 300.
Twice 300 = 600.
The two shins together form the word ’shesh,' which means six (= 6), thus giving us 606. When we add the seven heads of the two shins, we reach the number 613 - the number of commandments in the Torah.
When we lay tefillin, we thus remember that we desire to fulfill all 613 commandments.
An Allusion to the Resurrection of the Dead
The strips of parchment that cover the Biblical passages, the hair, and the tendons ( the special thread used to sew the passage of the bayit, made from the tendons of ritually-clean animals) - in all this we may see an intimation and a symbol of the resurrection of the dead, as follows:
The body of the verses written within (= the script) - symbolizes the body of a man:
The parchment on which the verses are inscribed - symbolizes our flesh.
The thread used for sewing the tefillin - symbolizes the tendons of our body.
The strips of parchment on which the verses are inscribed - symbolize our clothing.
All this intimates that those who fear Heaven and lay tefillin will merit life after death.
The connection between tefillin and the seven blessings of the marriage service.
The tefillin symbolize the eternal bond between Israel and our Father in Heaven. In Shir HaShirim ("The Song of Songs"), which is described by Rabbi Akiva as the "Holy of Holies," the Nation of Israel is compared to a bride - the bride of the "groom," the Holy One, blessed be He. We therefore bind our tefillin around our arm seven times, reminding us of the seven blessings in the marriage ceremony - the bond between the bride and her groom.
The straps that are bound around the middle finger indicate the ring that the groom places on his bride’s finger under the wedding canopy.
The weak hand
The reason that tefillin are laid on the weaker hand is to teach us that “not by force shall man triumph," because war belongs to G-d. Man’s hand is too feeble and weak to accomplish anything, whether it be important or insignificant. Therefore did G-d command us to lay tefillin - on which His Name is engraved - on our weaker hand. The Hand of G-d gives strength to this feeble hand.