PHYLACTERY, a term applied in Matt. xxiii. 5 to the tefillin of the Jews on the assumption that these were amulets (cPvXaKriipta), against physical evil. Tefillin, either from to attach, or Y?p, whence prayer, are certain Pentateuchal texts which, in accordance with Exod. xii. 16 and Deut. vi. 5-9, were to be worn as constant reminders of God during the daily avoca tions. Hence they were not used on Sabbaths and festivals, as the day itself was a reminder and the schools and markets were closed. The idea of such an outward sign is common. The modern habit of wearing a cross on a watchchain may be compared. Ro mans had tablets for memoranda hanging from the wrists. Isaiah xlix. 16 evidently denotes this custom. Possibly the origin is to be sought in tattooing. Tefillin are worn on the hand and head, the verses being enclosed in leather boxes fixed in position by leather thongs. The hand phylactery has one compartment, in which the texts figure on one parchment, the head phylactery having four such compartments, each with one text. The extracts
are Ex. xiii. o :II-16 ; Deut. vi. xi. BIBLIOGRAPHY.-For further details, illustrations and historical and critical views, see Jewish Encyclopedia, s.v. For the prayers and meditations, see S. Singer's Authorized Daily Prayer Book, pp. 19 sqq. For certain Jewish objections see A. Asher's Collected Writings, pp. 8o-89 (1916, privately printed). Linked with Tefillin are the Mezuzah (door text) and cicith (fringes). The former is a text containing Deut. vi. 4-9 rolled in a glass or metal tube on the right-hand of each door, so that everyone who enters or leaves shall think of God (see Jew. Enc. s.v. Singer, op. cit., p. 292). The latter (see Jew. Enc. s.v. Fringes) is based on Numbers xv. 37-41, which ordains the knotted tassel as a mnemonic.