Sefer Devarim – The 42 Stages of Every Jew and the Hand Tefillin

Sefer Devarim – The 42 Stages of Every Jew and the Hand Tefillin

The Gemara, in tractate Chagigah, on the fifth folio, tells us about one of the great holy Sages of the Tannaim, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah. Incidentally, the Arizal (may his merit protect us) loved to pray specifically at his kever in Tzfat, and having been there, one truly feels the holiness of the place. Once, Caesar arranged a debate between Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah and non-Jews who distorted the Jewish faith in every possible way. They presented themselves as knowledgeable sages and intelligent men, but he defeated them in every debate. The Gemara relates that one day Caesar seated a certain apikoros before Rabbi Yehoshua so that he would attempt to refute the Jewish faith. The apikoros said: “The Creator has abandoned you, cast you off, forgotten you, and destroyed the Temple. He is no longer with you.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah stood up and made a sign toward his head. The man did not understand what it meant, but nodded his head, pretending that he understood. The people standing near Caesar noticed that the apikoros did not understand what Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah was hinting at or what he meant by pointing to his head. They said to the king: “The man Caesar relies upon understands nothing; he is merely pretending. He is an empty and unserious person. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah gave him a hint, but he did not understand and only nodded, pretending that he did.” Caesar summoned Rabbi Yehoshua and asked him: “Explain to me what the debate was about and what you answered him.” Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah told Caesar that the man had said that G-d had abandoned the Jews. By turning his head, he indicated that G-d had removed the crown from the head of the Jewish people and taken away their greatness and wealth. Rabbi Yehoshua then gave him a sign with his hand that G-d had indeed removed the glory from the head of the Jewish people, but had left the Hand. In other words, the Hand of G-d still watches over and protects the Jewish people. Our holy teachers say that this was a profound and fundamental debate. It is well known that we have two sets of Tefillin: the Head Tefillin and the Hand Tefillin. The Sephardic custom is to recite a blessing only when putting on the Hand Tefillin. Ashkenazim hold that these are two separate mitzvot—the donning of the Head Tefillin and the Hand Tefillin—and therefore recite a separate blessing over the Head Tefillin as well. However, since the Sephardic opinion also exists and we do not know which view is correct, the principle of “safek berachot lehakel” applies: we may not recite an unnecessary blessing, and accordingly we do not recite a blessing over the Head Tefillin. The four-letter Name of G-d is mentioned 21 times in the Head Tefillin; the Name of G-d is also written 21 times in the Hand Tefillin. Added together, this makes 42, corresponding to the 42 stages that every Jew passes through during his lifetime. Rabbi Shimshon of Ostropoli teaches that every Jew, from the day of his birth until the day of his death, passes through 42 stages, corresponding to the “42 masa’ot” (42 encampments) of the Jews in the wilderness. Some were more successful stages and others less so. Sometimes they remained in one place for a long time, and sometimes their encampment was very brief. The same is true of a Jew: life consists of 42 stages, some favorable and some less favorable, some more successful and some less so. The power of Tefillin helps every Jew pass through all 42 stages of his life. What is the difference between the Head Tefillin and the Hand Tefillin? The Head Tefillin symbolizes the greatness and strength of the Jewish people: “All the nations of the world will see that the Name of G-d is upon you, and they will fear you.” When all the nations of the world see the Head Tefillin, it instills humility toward the Jewish people in the hearts of all nations. Therefore, the Head Tefillin also supports a person throughout 21 stages and helps him overcome difficulties. Since the destruction of the Temple, the Head Tefillin has, as it were, been removed; it no longer adorns the head of the Jewish people. Until Mashiach comes, this beauty will not return to the world, nor will the honor and greatness of the Jewish people return. But G-d has not abandoned His people—He left them the Hand Tefillin. The Hand Tefillin remains with us even in galut; during this difficult and bitter time, Tefillin remains on the arms of the Jewish people. This symbolizes the 21 difficult stages that every Jew passes through, stages filled with suffering and disgrace. These 21 stages correspond to the 21 Names of G-d written in the Hand Tefillin. The non-Jew did not understand this. When he turned his head, he hinted to Rabbi Yehoshua that G-d had removed the Head Tefillin from us. But Rabbi Yehoshua signaled to him with his hand that the Hand Tefillin remained with us, and the man did not understand. The Hand Tefillin remains with the Jewish people throughout the entire exile and protects them in the darkest of times. When Caesar realized that the apikoros understood nothing and was merely pretending, he ordered him executed, while he praised and honored Rabbi Yehoshua. The holy Torah is divided into five books: Bereishit, Shemot, Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim. Tehillim 14:7 says: “Beshov Ha-Shem shvut amo...” – (when G-d returns the captivity of His people) – “Beshov”—the initial letters: Bet – Bereishit Shin – Shemot Vav – Vayikra Bet – Bamidbar. Ha-Shem gave us four passages in the Head Tefillin, each corresponding to one of these books of the Torah. But the Hand Tefillin corresponds to the Book of Devarim—the time when the Jewish people are in exile and distress. Sefer Devarim gives the Jewish people the opportunity to do teshuvah, when Ha-Shem will be “beshov”—returning. It gives us the ability to restore Bereishit, Shemot, Vayikra, and Bamidbar—to restore everything. Therefore, now, when we find ourselves in the period of “bein ha-metzarim” (between the straits), the period of which it is said, “all her pursuers overtook her amid distress,” this is a time when the accuser—the mekatrег—rages. It is a time of deadly diseases and baseless hatred, which destroyed the Temple; a time when people cause one another pain and suffering. Everyone thinks he may want whatever he wants and do whatever he wants. This is the time of the Hand Tefillin, in which 21 dark and silent periods that the Jews passed through in the wilderness are concealed. This will continue until the time of the Head Tefillin arrives, until Ha-Shem returns the captives, restores greatness to the head of the Jewish people, and the tikkun ha-olam (rectification of the world) is completed. In this way, we can understand the Rambam, who frightens us by saying that on Tisha B’Av we do not put on the Head Tefillin, but only the Hand Tefillin. Halachah states that both sets of Tefillin should be put on during Mincha. This is because the Head Tefillin represents Tiferet—greatness: “All the nations of the world will see that the Name of G-d is upon you, and they will fear you.” The Gemara says in tractate Berachot, on the sixth folio: “Rabbi Yitzchak said: From where do we know that G-d puts on Tefillin? It is stated: He swore by His right hand, by His mighty arm.” G-d puts on Tefillin—we put on the King’s crown and take hold of His scepter. It is said: “Moshe asked: Show me Your glory”—that is, Moshe Rabbeinu asked G-d to reveal Himself to him and allow him to see G-d. Ha-Shem answered him: “No man can see Me and live.” But Ha-Shem allowed Moshe to see Him from behind. And what did Moshe see? The knot of G-d’s Tefillin. The four passages of the Torah in the Head Tefillin symbolize the four senses located in the head: sight, hearing, taste, and smell. The four passages of the Torah in the Head Tefillin subdue the four senses in the head: Sight—not looking at forbidden things; Smell—not smelling or taking pleasure in what one should not; Taste—not eating what is forbidden; Hearing—not listening to lashon hara; The power of the Hand Tefillin, which contains only one passage—that is, the four passages of the Torah are written on a single parchment—symbolizes the sense of touch. The power of the Hand Tefillin is to subdue a person’s sense of touch, the ability to perceive through the touch of the hand. Now, because of our sins, we are in galut—we do not see G-d; He is concealed, and no one knows the truth. This is the time when we must learn ahavat chinam, forgive one another, humble ourselves, lower ourselves, and feel small in comparison with others. We must accept everything from G-d with love. We do not understand His calculations, the cheshbonot Shamayim, but we must understand that everything He does is for the best. If we try to understand Ha-Shem’s ways, we will not succeed; we will only experience pain, suffering, and sadness. Therefore, it is better to entrust everything to Ha-Shem and forgive everyone. We must strengthen Sefer Devarim as much as possible, since it is associated with the Hand Tefillin. Sefer Devarim rectifies the Hand Tefillin, the time of Galut. Then “G-d will return the captives of Zion, ‘beshov,’” restoring the books of “Bereishit, Shemot, Vayikra, and Bamidbar”—their greatness, honor, and glory—and “we will rejoice,” and “then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with song.” We must strengthen ourselves in faith, accept the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, and humble ourselves before Him. We must accept that everything the Kadosh Baruch Hu does is for the good and for mercy.   Sefer Devarim on Shabbat – 955 pesukim corresponding to the 955 gates of Prayer Sefer Devarim on Shabbat – 955 P'sukim Corresponding to the 955 Gates of Prayer     (based on a lesson by the Gaon Rabbi Yeshayahu Pinto)