Does Tefillin enhance communication with God?

If Tefillin is considered a mandatory practice during prayer among orthodox jews as a way of enhancing the covenant and communication with God. Why is it that Christians who also include the old testament don't use Tefillin? Is is because non-jews don't have a covenant with God - I thought that was baptism?

I would be interested in hearing more about this practice from other members. Personally I am unsure of the whole rite.

"The Tefillin are two small perfectly square black boxes (Batim) made of the leather of a Kosher hide, with black leather straps (Retsuot) attached to them. The straps and boxes must be dyed black with a special dye.


Each weekday morning (Sunday through Friday), Jewish men are required to wear Tefillin. One Tefillin Box (the "Head Tefillin") is placed upon the head, above the forehead, so as to rest upon the cerebrum. The other Tefillin box ("Hand Tefillin") is tied on the left arm so that it rests against the heart, and the suspended leather strap is wound around the left hand, and around the middle finger of that hand.

If for some reason it was impossible to wear Tefillin in the morning, one may still be put on later in the day, but not after sunset.

Tefillin are not worn on the Sabbath or on most Jewish holidays. On the fast day of Tisha Be'Av, and on that day only, they are put on during the afternoon instead of the morning service.

The English term for the Hebrew word Tefillin is "Phylacteries," although most Jews tend to use the Hebrew term (Tefillin).

Putting on Tefillin is the first Mitzvah Jewish males assume upon their Bar Mitzvah (the 13th Jewish Birthday)."

Tefillin





[edit on 28-1-2009 by Mynaeris]

The answer is simple, but the reception of the answer is difficult.

Answer: A person who is Born Again needs no symbols, potions, candles, incense or drugs to communicate with God because God lives within that person and communicating is just as natural as breathing.

Difficult Reception Reasons:
A Jew doesn't believe that Jesus the Christ is God and that Jesus was cricified for our sins.

A Christian is a person with a belief system where the Christ is the center of the Christian's life. To be a Christian takes works.

A Born Again person needs no works to become Saved, and needs no works to remain Saved. But a Born Again person isn't automatically a Christian. The Born Again person can become perverted, an alcoholic, adulterous and even a murderer.

Conclusion: Christians who need crosses, potions and holy water to communicate with God don't know God.

Perhaps this will be way off topic but could this be mimicry of ancient astronauts?

The box on the head and the box on the arm.... It seems to me that this is similar to some of the things that pilots ware currently.

A communication device and some sort of digital display on their arm?

Think about where this may have descended from.

reply to post by Wildbob77



You may be onto something there. Some kind of cargo cult mentality? Ancient jews coming into contact with aliens? Very interesting - it would also explain lots of the dialogues with "God"

"A cargo cult may appear in tribal societies in the wake of interaction with technologically advanced, non-native cultures. The cult is focused on obtaining the material wealth of the advanced culture through magical thinking, religious rituals and practices, believing that the wealth was intended for them by their deities and ancestors"