[Ashk. Heb., Eng. tuh-fil-in; Seph. Heb. tuh-fee-leen] 
| the phylacteries. |
| te·fil·lin (tə-fĭl'ĭn, -fē-lēn') pl.n. Judaism The phylacteries. [Hebrew təpillîn, pl. of təpillâ, prayer, from Hebrew hitpallēl, to pray; see pll in Semitic roots.] |
tefillin
in Jewish religious practice, one of two small, black leather, cube-shaped cases containing Torah texts written on parchment, which, in accordance with Deuteronomy 6:8 (and similar statements in Deuteronomy 11:18 and Exodus 13:9, 16), are to be worn by male Jews of 13 years and older as reminders of God and of the obligation to keep the Law during daily life. The name phylactery is derived from the Greek phylakterion, meaning amulet.
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