Phylacteries Poem by gershon hepner

Hand-written, not made in a factory,
one’s placed upon the forehead where,
anterior, the fonatenelle lies bare
for the most capital phylactery.
The other on the weaker arm is placed,
the left for most, and covered, hidden.
The words which in a box are written
are Bible texts, thus by the arm embraced.

The order of the texts is subject to
dispute between grandfather and
grandson. The pious now demand
two pairs of boxes, and thus do
both as the grandfather decided,
and as the grandson whose dispute
was recognized as valid, his repute
so great that many by him still are guided.

The argument is hard to understand.
Another grandson said the law
is metaphorical. He wore
phylacteries on both his head and hand,
but thought the text means: “Keep within your mind
the words.” If this is right, why wear
an extra pair? A single pair
is more than what you literally must bind.

Inspired by a passage in Haim Sabbato’s The Dawning of the Day (New Milford, CT.: Toby Press,2004) , translated by Yaacob Dweck, describing how the hero Ezra buys an extra pair of tefillin when he learns about the dispute between Rashi and RabbenuTam regarding the correct order of the texts in them, and is chided for doing so because in the opinion of some people only the most pious people should wear two pairs. “According to the law, a simple man is not worthy to put on Rabbenu Tam tefillin, only a man who has repaired the sins of his youth and is celebrated for his piety can wear them” (pp.49–57) .


4/29/08