Frontlets

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Frontlets or Phylacteries. Thrice mentioned in Old Testament: Totaphot ( Exodus 13:16;  Deuteronomy 6:8;  Deuteronomy 11:18). What Moses meant figuratively and in a spiritual sense, "a memorial," "that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth," the Hebrew (excepting the Karaites) take literally ( Exodus 13:9). Charms consisting of words written on papyrus folds, tightly sewed up in linen, were found at Thebes (Wilkinson). It is not likely God, by Moses, would sanction the Egyptian superstition of amulets. The key is in  Proverbs 3:3;  Proverbs 6:20-22;  Proverbs 7:3;  Song of Solomon 8:6.

The fringes were merely mnemonics; the phylacteries (which the Jews now call Tephillin , i.e. prayers, for they were worn at prayer to typify sincerity, but others explain ligaments) were parchment strips, inscribed with  Exodus 13:2-17;  Deuteronomy 6:4-9;  Deuteronomy 6:13-22 (by no means the most important passages in the Pentateuch, which fact is against the Jewish literalism), in prepared ink, rolled in a case of black PHYLACTERY. calfskin, attached to a stiffer leather, having a thong one finger broad and one cubit and a half long. (See Fringes .) Placed at the bend of the left arm, and the thong after making a knot was wound about the arm in a spiral line, ending at the top of the middle finger.

Those on the forehead were written on four cowhide parchment strips, and put into four little cells within a square one, on which the Hebrew letter Shin ( ש ) was written. The square had two thongs passing round the head, and after a knot going over the breast. Phylactery is from a Greek root, to keep or guard; being professedly to keep them in continual remembrance of God's law; practically it was used by many as an amulet to keep the wearer from misfortune. (See Earrings .) "They make broad their phylacteries" ( Matthew 23:5) refers not to the phylactery, which was of a prescribed size, but to its case, which the Pharisees made as ostentatious as possible. They wore them always, the common people only at prayers; and as Jehovah occurs in the Tephillin 23 times, but on the high priest's golden plate but once ( Exodus 28:36), the Tephillin) were thought the more sacred.

The Sadducees wore them on the palm, the Pharisees above the elbow. The Jews probably learned the use of such amulets from the Babylonians during the captivity, for no mention of the phylacteries occurs previously, nor indeed in the Old Testament at all. The carnal heart gladly substitutes an external formalism for an inward spiritual remembrance and observance of God's law, such as God required, with the whole inner and outward man. The Karaites, women, and slaves alone did not wear them. Boys at 13 years and one day become "sons of the commandments" and wear them. The rabbinical treatise Rosh Hashanah contains many of the puerile superstitions regarding them; compare Lightfoot, Hor.

Hebrew: "they must be read standing in the morning, when blue can be distinguished from green, sitting in the evening from sunset; both hands must be used in writing them; the leather must have no hole; the wearer must not approach within four cubits of a cemetery," etc., etc. Rabbis quoted  Isaiah 49:16;  Isaiah 62:8;  Deuteronomy 33:2, to prove that even God wore them! and  Isaiah 38:16 to show that the wearer thereby prolonged his days, but he who did not wear them should go to perdition. Jerome remarks the same superstition virtually crept in among weak Christian women "with diminutive Gospels, pieces of wood in the form of a cross (women in our day should take warning), and things of that sort, showing a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge."

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

We find in the law of Moses a precept concerning frontlets. ( Exodus 13:16;  Deuteronomy 6:8) And though we, under the glorious dispensation of the gospel, have no direction concerning them, yet it may not be improper, nor perhaps unprofitable, to notice them in a cursory way. The religious world hath been divided in opinion concerning what was intended by frontlets. Some have contended that the precept was not meant in the literal sense of the word, but only figuratively. By frontiers between the eyes, they say, was shadowed, that all the Lord commanded should be continually before their eyes, that they might never lose sight of his precepts. And in confirmation of this opinion, it is said, that before the church was carried into Babylon, they were not known. And we do not find a word in any of the prophets in respect to their neglect, or the use of them. That they were in use in the days of our Lord seems more than probable; for Jesus, speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees, said, "that they made broad their phylacteries." ( Matthew 23:5 ) It doth not appear, that our Lord condemned the use, but the abuse of them; and from the motive for which they wore them—to be seen of men. But those who accept the precept of Moses in the literal sense of the thing itself, not only believe, that the Hebrews wore frontlets, but have described the form and manner in which they were worn. The account is gathered from  Exodus 13:1-22, and from portions of the book of Deuteronomy. If the reader will consult those chapters, he will find four distinct precepts; which four precepts they say, were marked on four pieces of a kind of skin or parchment, and wore on their foreheads. The first was, "Sanctify unto me all the first-born," etc. ( Exodus 13:2-10) The second was, "When the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites," etc. ( Exodus 13:11-16) The third was taken from the book of Deuteronomy, "Hear; O Israel! the Lord our God is one Lord." ( Deuteronomy 6:4-5) And the fourth was taken from  Deuteronomy 11:13-21 "If thou shalt hearken diligently unto my commandments," etc.

The frontlets of the head were called by the Jews Tephila. It is said, that even in modern times the most devout of the Jews wear them in their devotions. What a blessedness is it, in the holy faith the believer in Jesus is called to, that our great High Priest bears the names and persons of his people on his breast and on his arm, and is himself the sweet and holy frontlet for all the redeemed. How beautiful and expressive the prayer of the church on this point. ( Song of Song of Solomon 8:6)

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

Leo of Modena thus describes them: The Jews take four pieces of parchment, and write, with an ink made on purpose, and in square letters, these four passages, one on each piece:

1. "Sanctify unto me all the first-born," &c,  Exodus 13:1-10 .

2. "And when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites,"

&c,  Exodus 13:11-16 .

3. "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord," &c,  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 .

4. "If you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments," &c,  Deuteronomy 11:13-21 . This they do in obedience to these words of Moses: "These commandments shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes." These four little pieces of parchment are fastened together, and a square formed of them, on which the letter ש is written; then a little square of hard calf's skin is put upon the top, out of which come two leathern strings an inch wide, and a cubit and a half, or thereabouts, in length. This square is put on the middle of the forehead, and the strings being girt about the head, make a knot in the form of the letter ד ; they then are brought before, and fall on the breast. It is called teffila-schel-rosch, or the tephila of the head. The most devout Jews put it on both at morning and noon-day prayer; but the generality of the Jews wear it only at morning prayer. Only the chanter of the synagogue is obliged to put it on at noon as well as morning.

It is a question, whether the use of frontlets, and other phylacteries, was literally ordained by Moses. They who believe their use to be binding, observe, that the text of Moses speaks as positively of this as of other precepts; he requires the commandments of God to be written on the doors of houses, as a sign on their hands, and as an ornament on their foreheads,  Exodus 13:16 . If there be any obligation to write these commandments on their doors, as the text intimates, there is the same for writing them on their hands and foreheads. On the contrary, others maintain that these precepts should be taken figuratively and allegorically, as denoting that the Jews should very carefully preserve the remembrance of God's law, and observe his commands; that they should always have them before them, and never forget them. Prior to the Babylonish captivity, no traces of them appear in the history of the Jews. The prophets never inveigh against the omission or neglect of them, nor was there any question concerning them in the reformation of manners at any time among the Hebrews. The almost general custom in the east of wearing phylacteries and frontlets, determines nothing for the antiquity or usefulness of this practice. The Caraite Jews, who adhere to the letter of the law, and despise traditions, call the rabbinical Jews bridled asses, because they wear these tephilim and frontlets. See Phylactery .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Frontlets.  Exodus 13:16;  Deuteronomy 6:8;  Deuteronomy 11:18;  Matthew 23:5. These "frontlets" [Old Testament] or "phylacteries" [New Testament] were strips of parchment, on which were written four passages of Scripture,  Exodus 13:2-10;  Exodus 13:11-17;  Deuteronomy 6:4-9;  Deuteronomy 6:13-23, in an ink prepared for the purpose.

They were then rolled up in a case of black calfskin, which was attached to a stiffer piece of leather, having a thong one finger broad and one and a half cubits long. They were placed at the bend of the left arm. Those worn on the forehead were written on four strips of parchment, and put into four little cells within a square case on which the letter was written. The square had two thongs, on which Hebrew letters were inscribed. That phylacteries were used as amulets is certain, and was very natural.

The expression "they make broad their phylacteries,"  Matthew 23:5, refers not so much to the phylactery itself, which seems to have been of a prescribed breadth, as to the case in which the parchment was kept, which the Pharisees, among their other pretentious customs,  Mark 7:3-4;  Luke 5:33, etc., made as conspicuous as they could. It is said that the Pharisees wore them always, whereas the common people only used them at prayers.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Thus described by Leo of Modena: the Jews take four pieces of parchment, and write with an ink made on purpose, and in square letters, these four passages, one on each piece: (1.) "Sanctify unto me all the first born," etc.,  Exodus 13:2-10 . (2.) "And when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites," etc.,  Exodus 13:11-16 . (3.) "Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord," etc.,  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 . (4.) "If you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments," etc.,  Deuteronomy 6:13-21 . This they do in obedience to the words of Moses: "These commandments shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes."

These four pieces are fastened together, and a square formed of them, on which the Hebrew letter Shin is written; then a little square of hard calf-skin is put at the top, out of which come two leathern strings. This square is put on the middle of the forehead, and the strings being girt about the head, are then brought before, and fall on the breast. It is called the Tephila of the head. The Most devout Jews put it on both at morning and noonday prayer; but it is generally worn only at morning prayer. See Phylacteries .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 13:1-10 13:11-16 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Deuteronomy 11:13-21  Exodus 13:9 13:16 Deuteronomy 6:8 Deuteronomy 11:18

By New Testament times, the frontlets were known as phylacteries (  Matthew 23:5 ). Jewish men wore phylacteries during prayer times, except on the sabbath and feast days.

Phylacteries were bound with thongs to the forehead, though some phylacteries were worn on the upper arm so that when a person crossed his arms the Scriptures contained in the phylactery would be close to the heart.

Jesus condemned individuals who called attention to themselves by wearing larger than usual phylacteries ( Matthew 23:5 ).

Gary Hardin

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 13:16 Deuteronomy 6:8 Exodus 12:2-10 13:11-21 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 11:18-21Phylactery

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

FRONTLETS . See Ornaments, 2; Phylacteries.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Frontlets. See Phylacteries.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

frunt´lets ( טוטפות , ṭōṭāphōth , from ṭūph , "to bind"): Ornaments worn on the forehead, particularly Phylacteries (which see), which were worn in this manner and also on the arms ( Exodus 13:16;  Deuteronomy 6:8;  Deuteronomy 11:18; compare also  Exodus 13:9 ).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Frontlets [PHYLACTERY]