What is tefillin all about?
Tefillin, the boxes that a Jew is obligated to wear everyday, are one of the three fundamental
signs that a Jew is the son of G-d.
The other two are:
Shabbat
Circumcision
All these symbolic activities show that G-d is running the world.
Shabbat is the testimony that a Jew believes in G-d's creation of the world in 6 days and on the 7th day He rested by avoiding certain melachot (activities forbidden on the Sabbath day such as erasing, cutting, planting, writing, painting, etc.).
The Berit Milah (circumcision) is a testimony that began with our forefather, Avraham, who accepted this commandment at the age of 99 and made all his household circumcise themselves. This shows the uttermost belief in G-d since an individual gives over his entire being, flesh and blood to G-d and states: G-d is running the world, my body and my life.
The Tefillin are another form of showing those around that G-d is the Creator of the World. The Ramban in last week's Parasha writes that before the exile from Egypt people in the world did not believe in G-d fully (he categorizes the non-believers into 3 groups). When Hashem caused the nation of Israel to escape Egypt, He literally showed the entire world His power since it was above nature for them to leave the most powerful country (and that they saw in astrology that the stars testified that Israel were going to be slaves forever).
After the exile Hashem commanded Moshe to make these Tefillin and place inside them four portions from the Torah that talk about Hashem, His miracles, the miracle of the exile from Egypt and other Mitzvot like learning and teaching Torah, placing a Mezuzah on the doorpost, etc. The Tefillin are placed above the hairline and by the muscle bulge on the bicep to symbolize Hashem's Torah subjugating the mind and the heart to follow in the way of Hashem.
G-d willing with this CLD we will get the strength to continue posting and reviving theCLD experience.
