‖ tefillin, n. pl.
(tiːˈfɪliːn)
Also tephillim, -in.
[Rabb. Heb. t'phillīm, Aramaic t'phillīn, heteroclite pl. of t'phillāh prayer.]
A name for Jewish phylacteries, or (quot. 1863) for the texts inscribed on them: see phylactery 1.
| 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage ii. xv. 162 This peece of worke they call Tephillim, to put them in mind of often prayer. 1842 Bonar & M'Cheyne Miss. to Jews 1 July (1843) 237 There were about thirty in the synagogue, all wearing the Tallith or shawl with fringes, and the Tephillin or phylacteries, because this was the hour of morning prayer. 1863 Smith's Dict. Bible III. 1167/2 (Scribes) Repeating their Tephillim, the texts inscribed on their phylacteries. 1865 Chambers's Encycl. VII. 519/2 Certain strips of parchment, inscribed with certain passages from the Scripture.., enclosed in small cases, and fastened to the forehead and the left arm (Tefillin)..in use with the Jews..are..called in the New Testament phylacteries. 1967 C. Potok Chosen i. iii. 61, I got the tefillin and prayer book out of the drawer of the night table and began to put on the tefillin. Ibid., When I finished praying, I took off the tefillin and put them and the prayer book back in the drawer. 1978 J. Sacks in P. Moore Man, Woman & Priesthood iii. 33 They [sc. women] are not obliged, as men are, to put on the phylacteries (tefillin) or the fringed garment (tzitzit). |