“Tefillin” and Heavenly Jerusalem

1. Tefillin
2. Holiness and the square/cube

Tefillin 

The passages of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and Deuteronomy 11:13-21 enjoin Israel to bind “these words” (the commitment to love God wholeheartedly) upon the head, and upon the heart. In reference to this command, descriptor words such as “Totafot”and “Ot” (physical sign) indicate a call to a physical action. Rather than just a poetic sentiment, the text suggests the literal placement of an object on the body. 

“Ot” (sign) is always used in reference to a visible marker, or manifestation. “Totafot” appears in Exodus 13:16, and in Deuteronomy 6:8, translated into English as “frontlets [Totafot] between your eyes.” Totafot is as foreign a word in English as it is in Hebrew. It’s etymology indicates a synthesis of two words of different origin:

“The word tat in the language of the Katfei [coptic] means two, and the word pat in the language of Afriki also means two, and therefore totafot can be understood as a compound word meaning: Four.” – Talmud Tractate Menachot 34b

The value of four, as communicated by the word “Totafot” is a reference to the four compartments that would hold four small parchments of scripture (one for every time scripture commands “these words” to be placed on the head or heart). These four compartments are sealed in a black cube, equipped with leather straps. Through the donning of two cubes (today they are known as “tefillin”) the Israelites would in the most literal fashion perform the commandment to “place these words as Totafot between your eyes” and “as a sign [Ot] on your hand.”

Tradition preserves 31 “Halachos” (legal directives) originating with Moses. Of the 31 directives, 8 points of Halacha define the shape, construction of the Tefillin, and other related details. While the ancient community of Israel may have been privy to the rationale behind the cube and the various specifications, due to the course of time, much of it has been lost. Still, in every generation, Jewish leadership is adamant against any departure from the Halachah of Moses:

“Tefillin are square. It is the Halachah [given] to Moses from Sinai!” – Talmud Megillah 24b

Holiness and the square/cube

When Aaron and the seventy elders were permitted to ascend Mount Sinai with Moses, the Lord greeted their arrival by appearing in the form of a man. Underneath his feet, in response to the Lord’s presence, the terrain is transformed into Sapphire:

“Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the Elohim of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself.” (Exodus 24:9-10).

Sapphire appears in association with an appearance of the Lord one other time in scripture, found in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel beholds “an appearance of the likeness of the glory of YHVH.” A divine figure is seen sitting on a throne of Sapphire (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

After witnessing a manifestation of the Lord, Moses and his entourage celebrate with a ceremonial meal. Soon after, Moses is called to receive the tablets:

The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” – Exodus 24:12

Given the proximity of this command to the reference of sapphire, it is almost certain that the tablets were fashioned from the sapphire stone mentioned only two verses prior. In addition to carving the tablets, according to Exodus 32:16, the tablets themselves were also “the work of God.” The tablets were therefore supernatural in origin, and blue in color “clear as the sky itself.” Considering the association that the Lord himself makes with an appearance of his glory and sapphire blue, it now makes sense why the color blue would be used as a reminder to obey the Lord:

The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. – Numbers 15:37-39

Why does the Torah enjoin us regarding techelet [blue]? Because techelet resembles sapphire, and the Tablets were made of sapphire, to tell you that as long as Bnei Yisrael gaze upon this techelet they are reminded of what is inscribed on the Tablets and observe the commandments, therefore it is written, ‘And you shall see it [the techelet string] and remember all of the commandments of G-d and you shall do them.’ – Mishnat Rabbi Eliezer, Chap. 14

According to tradition, not only were the ten commandments made of sapphire and blue in color, but they were square in shape!

And as for the tablets, their length was six handbreadths, their width was six handbreadths, and their thickness was three handbreadths. – Talmud, Bava Batra 14a

In modern measurements this is around 18″ x 18″ x 9″. If tradition is correct, since the tablets were not as deep as they were wide and long, they were not perfect cubes. Nonetheless, they were square and resembled cubes.

The Holy of Holies

During the construction of the tabernacle, Moses was cautioned not to deviate from the “pattern” of instruction that was given to him. Every detail had a purpose and significance. If even the most trivial of details had to be carried out without mistake, how much more importance should we attribute to the most Holy space in the tabernacle? The Holy of Holies had a unique design: it was a perfect cube.

The Temple of Solomon expanded the size of the Holy of Holies, yet retained the cubic structure. It was 20 cubits in length, width, and height (1 Kings 6:19-20).

Jerusalem during the Messianic age

In Ezekiel, the chapters chapters 40 – 48 describe in great detail the Temple destined to stand during the Messianic age. In addition, it also reveals distribution of land to the tribes, and the unique boundaries assigned to the city of Jerusalem during this time. A portion of the land, referred to as “the special portion” (Ezekiel 48) is confined within the boundaries of a square. This land would go to the Priests (Zadokites), Levites, and workers/farmers. However, embedded within the “special portion” is yet a smaller square shaped territory: Jerusalem.

Heavenly Jerusalem

In Revelation 21, heavenly Jerusalem descends allowing for the first time, heaven to meet with earth. The dimensions of the city given in 21:16 should not come as a surprise:

“The city was shaped like a cube, because it was just as high as it was wide. When the angel measured the city, it was about fifteen hundred miles high and fifteen hundred miles wide.”

The parallels between heavenly Jerusalem and the Tefillin are numerous:

• Heavenly Jerusalem is a cube, and the Tefillin are cubes
• Twelve gates providing entrance to the city are mentioned: three on each of the four sides (12-13). Tefillin are sewn together with twelve stitches; three on each side.
• Just as the Tefillin rests above the head as a sign of dedication to YHVH, the citizens of Heavenly Jerusalem have the name of YHVH written upon their forehead (22:4).
• The last passage that is written and placed into the Tefillin (Deuteronomy 11:21) states : “as the days of the heavens are upon the earth.” It’s amazing that within the Tefillin is a statement referring to this event of Heaven (Heavenly Jerusalem) descending to meet with earth.
• The placement of the Tefillin (especially at the head) is a parallel of Heavenly Jerusalem as a cube, descending to make contact with the earth in Israel. This evokes the image of the earth itself, appearing as if to don Tefillin!

The Tefillin when worn, represented the individual’s allegiance to the Lord, and their hope of deliverance from sin. The Holy of Holies in the Temple was a type of Tefillin, as a sign of the Nation’s allegiance to the Lord and their hope of National blessing and restoration. In the same way, heavenly Jerusalem will descend as a type of Tefillin not just for Israel, but for the world, representing the entire earth submitting to the rule of the Sovereign Lord of both heaven and earth. On that day the Lord will bring about complete transformation and restoration, removing all trace and impact of sin and imperfection.