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Post by alon on Jan 25, 2015 1:37:25 GMT -8
Oy vey voy! I just saw this thread after I have been wrapping tefillin for several years now. As it is with some things that I have taught in the past...I now have to disagree with many of the statements I made previously in this thread and correct myself . I often learn the hard way. Sometimes I have to fully explore the other side before I can truly see its errors.
I want to commend R Reuel for not only his ability to change his mind, but for having the courage to put it out there and correct past teachings. Too many people, once they've said something it is set in stone and they'll never change. For those in positions of authority the temptation is that when they do change their minds, they just let past teachings slide. So I appreciate the correction.
I just made a set of 1st Cen. tefillin. They are based on the ones found at Qumran. A picture can be found here:
toldotyisrael.wordpress.com/2011/11/06/probing-the-earliest-origins-of-tefillin-phylacteries-part-i/
I'll try and get a photo of mine, but no promises.
It is halacha for us (at Synagogue Beit Aveinu) to say the Amidah at 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and we are encouraged to wear tefillin. I have several "backorders" for these, including one for the rabbi and one to be given to one of the founders of the modern Messianic movement when he goes to Israel next (I think in April). So no pressure to get it right ... !
Dan C
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Miykhael
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To proclaim the Good News of Salvation for our Messiah's return draws near!!!!
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Post by Miykhael on Jan 26, 2015 0:38:02 GMT -8
B"H
We did not make our own, but purchased ourTefillin. Tell you they're not cheap to buy good ones (800.00 We have seen them as high as 1800.00) Just like a wedding band they are not cheap.
Miykhael
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Post by alon on Jan 26, 2015 1:26:25 GMT -8
B"H We did not make our own, but purchased ourTefillin. Tell you they're not cheap to buy good ones (800.00 We have seen them as high as 1800.00) Just like a wedding band they are not cheap. Miykhael
I'll tell you too, since starting this I have come under just a continuous attack from the enemy. And I have to admit, I haven't generally handled it well. But in the end I've just come back to God is God and He doesn't allow anything that would harm me; and it is a confirmation I'm doing something good if I'm getting hammered for it. But my blood pressure, normally between 110 and 120 systolic was 158 at my checkup last week.
Any way, I need a trip to either Spokane or Tacoma to get more leather ... or I could pay shipping, but I like to see what I am buying. I get pretty selective for these.
Dan C
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Miykhael
Junior Member
To proclaim the Good News of Salvation for our Messiah's return draws near!!!!
Posts: 73
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Post by Miykhael on Jan 26, 2015 20:45:41 GMT -8
B”H
You can spend as little or as much on tefillin, it’s the condition of the Heart.
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Post by alon on Jan 26, 2015 21:49:31 GMT -8
B”H You can spend as little or as much on tefillin, it’s the condition of the Heart.
Dan C
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Post by alon on Jan 27, 2015 19:20:35 GMT -8
I used mine for the first time today. Can't say the earth shook or God tapped me on the shoulder, but it was good all the same. And yes, I did feel closer to God, which is kind of the point. Last weeks par'shah ended with this:
Shemot 13:16 (OJB) And it shall be for an ot (sign) upon thine hand, and for totafos (ornaments, frontlets, bands, phylactery) between thine eyes; for by chozek yad Hashem brought us forth out of Mitzrayim.
Exodus 13:16 This will serve as a sign on your hand and at the front of a headband around your forehead that with a strong hand ADONAI brought us out of Egypt."
Jews today wear theirs on their biceps and on top of their heads. Ours go on the hand and on the forehead, just between the eyes. I made a leather keeper for the shel rosh, so it doesn't have to be tied each time. I am in the process of making a leather bag for my teffilin so it can be more easily stored. It also uses up some of the excess leather instead of wasting it. I'm going to have to get with Rav S for more instruction, but it is good to be moving forward with another mitzvah.
Dan C
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Post by alon on Jan 28, 2015 0:18:48 GMT -8
I notice that many Messianic women wear tzitzit- do they also lay tefillin? Do most Messianics males use tefillin? Also, since tefillin is not explicitly discussed in the  (how make make them, how wear them, etc etc) do Messianics frequently rely upon the Oral Law to "fill in" these gaps?
We relied on artifacts found at Qumran as well as Jewish tradition and Talmud to make and use ours. We do use them somewhat differently however, as we lay the packet in our hand and the packet on our forehead goes between and just above the eyes.
Dan C |
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Post by alon on Jan 28, 2015 21:28:38 GMT -8
Moderator Note: the thread "The Tefillin" started by Kip has been combined with this one in order to keep the forum better organized.
Dan C
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Post by alon on Mar 30, 2015 18:29:42 GMT -8
Well, I have between 30 and 40 ft. of strap soaking right now (I forgot to measure it). I need to get a few more tefillin with bags ready before Rabbi goes to Israel in two weeks. So pray for me as it is a difficult task for an older guy like me- arthritis and other health issues. But I do enjoy it.
One thing, I am under almost continual attack when I am doing these. It forces me to pray pretty much continually, which is not a thing I am used to. So either the Rabbi or God knew what they were doing when I was asked to make them ...
I'm getting the process down better now too, which helps. But it is still very tedious work.
Honestly, between my health and the attacks I was getting discouraged and not working on them like I should. But there's that trust thing as well as my commitment both to God and to the Rabbi. So I need to just get with it and get them done. I also have other commitments for things like Bible bags (one for my wife, so that needs to get done pronto (as the Spanish Jews say  ).
Any way, if you should remember please keep me in your prayers, as we all should keep each other in prayer anyhow. But specifically pray I don't loose my temper or anything when working on these, and that things would continue to work out when I'm working on them.
I should tell you that the other day my hand slipped while working on them and I thought I'd ruined the piece. Worse, it was the last cut for that set! I lost it a little, but God in His mercy showed me that actually that slip improved the set, and now I incorporate the cut in all of them (only a little more deliberate and controlled). So God is good- I just need to remember that when my natural propensity for mayhem and destruction takes over.
Dan (aching from crawling slowly on the floor cutting straps from a round of leather) C
edit: the leather I'm working with doesn't help. It is an oil tanned leather which is stretchy as rubber. Not only that, but every cut releases stresses in the leather and the work piece actually deforms! This is mostly a problem with the bags. Imagine trying to cut a rectangular piece while looking into a carnival mirror and you'll get an idea. But I attack it on its terms and things generally work out.
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Post by Elizabeth on Mar 31, 2015 8:17:51 GMT -8
I don't know much about the project you are working on, but will be praying it is as much a blessing to you as it is the people you are making it for.
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Post by alon on Mar 31, 2015 19:30:03 GMT -8
I have stamped hundreds of projects with very few mistakes, most so minor as to be inconsequential. And I've stamped dozens of stamps for the tefillin project and all came out good except for literally more than the No. of good stamps on this project I've stamped out the word "tefillin" and ruined every one of them! This is just an area that the enemy has me bound up in. Sorry if this sounds too Pentecostal (being a recovering Baptist it sounds that way to me); but DAWG! It just gets to a person after literally days wasted on this! So the bags going to Israel will just be basic because I can't seem to get one thing (a thing that should be no problem!) done right. Disapointing, but I trust God the tefillin will turn out ok. I estimate about 35' of strap on the rack right now-hard to say because I cut them over width this time to size them better when straightened out. We'll see in a couple of days. Baruch haShem.
P.S. just to keep things in perspective- we just got an Amber Alert from Seattle and three people were just shot at a gas station in the county. Kind of makes my problems with the leather stamps look trivial.
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Miykhael
Junior Member
To proclaim the Good News of Salvation for our Messiah's return draws near!!!!
Posts: 73
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Post by Miykhael on Mar 31, 2015 21:10:07 GMT -8
B”H
That is why we let someone that is gifted in making them for us, since we don’t have that gift. Save the person from all kinds of frustration.
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Post by alon on Mar 31, 2015 21:53:34 GMT -8
B”H That is why we let someone that is gifted in making them for us, since we don’t have that gift. Save the person from all kinds of frustration.
It's like for months I couldn't remember the word "discernment" when I prayed; and we're talking MONTHS ... but finally I just prayed through it and only once since (and that was yesterday) have I had trouble remembering the word "discernment."
Another part of the frustration is with my medical conditions and the meds as well I am not working at even half my capacity. I can deal with that, but not just this continual failure in ONE thing! At least that is just on a round I was going to put on the bag, and not the tefillin themselves.
Rant over ... 
Dan C
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Post by alon on Apr 26, 2015 17:33:10 GMT -8
Rav S used a set of our tefillin at the Wall in Jerusalem. His were actually made by another congregant and a good friend of his who recently died. He said he immediately got everyone's attention, and they just stared, not even blinking. But there was no incident. Not sure I'd have the courage to try that. But then, I'd be spotted for a goy in Jews clothing pretty quick! Still, it could have went either way there for him. Ours are different, for sure.
Dan C
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Post by garrett on Apr 27, 2015 6:20:29 GMT -8
Rav S used a set of our tefillin at the Wall in Jerusalem. His were actually made by another congregant and a good friend of his who recently died. He said he immediately got everyone's attention, and they just stared, not even blinking. But there was no incident. Not sure I'd have the courage to try that. But then, I'd be spotted for a goy in Jews clothing pretty quick! Still, it could have went either way there for him. Ours are different, for sure.
Dan C What do you mean by "incident?". Was he doing something controversial? Also, do you still pray/daven with tefillin? I would like to have phylacteries but have no idea how I could ever afford them in the near future. |
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