“Just like you’re excited now, about your brand new Tefillin, so too should you be excited about them every day for the rest of your life!”

 I imagine that if one searched for, “Top three Berachot given to Bar Mitzvah boys,” this would be in the running. I would also imagine that many of us, to some degree, put on Tefillin habitually, without that initial “Bar Mitzvah boy excitement.” How can we re-kindle that feeling? 

The Oznayim L’Torah (13:9) highlights two ways that Tefillin can save us from common sources of frustration: one by wearing the Tefillin Shel Yad, and one by wearing the Tefillin Shel Rosh.

Initially, the Tefillin Shel Yad are described as an, “אות על ידך” – “a sign on your hand.” Later, the word for “hand” is spelled slightly differently, as, “ידכה,” from which Chazal derive that one must wear Tefillin on his, “יד כהה” – “weaker hand.”

 This nuance teaches us another lesson as well. Many of us fall prey to the illusion that our successes are the result of our innate abilities and superior talents. This is, of course, not true, and sometimes Hashem sends us experiences which remind us how dependent we are on His help. However, we need not wait for those moments. The Tefillin Shel Yad offer us a gentle, daily reminder of this healthy realization: although my hands may seem strong and capable, in reality, they are “יד כהה” – “weak,” and dependent on Hashem. 

The Tefillin Shel Rosh are introduced as a “זכרון בין עיניך” – “a reminder [on your head] between your eyes.” Later, they are described as, “טטפות.” Many of us are visited by unwanted thoughts of negativity, our find ourselves ruminating over distracting nonsense. Wearing Tefillin on our heads has the powerful effect of slowly impacting our minds, and these “טטפות” gradually “יטיפו,” “drip” into our brains thoughts of Emunah in Hashem and His miraculous guidance of the world. These patterns of thought provide us the healthy outlook for which we pine. 

Next time we put on Tefillin, we should grab the opportunity to reframe our attitude regarding our “hands” and abilities, and allow our minds to absorb awareness of Hashem!