Monday, August 11, 2008

Tefillin and Mezuzot

Hallo!

My name is Nissan ben Avraham.

I was born 50 years ago in the island of Majorca, on the Mediterranean Sea, in a family from the so-called "xuetes" (shoo-ay-tays), or Descendants of the Jews coerced to convert to Christianity some 600 years ago.

Thirty years ago I made my way back to Israel and to the former religion of my forefathers.

After twelve years of studies, I achieved the title of Rabbi from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.


* * *

One of the themes learned was that of the SCRIBE.

The SCRIBE is a man who has finished the studies that allowed him to transcribe the Holy Scriptures.

The Holy Scriptures to be transcript are mainly four: the MEZUZA, the TEFILLIN, the SEFER TORAH and the MEGILLAT ESTHER.

A MEZUZA (plural: MEZUZOT) is a piece of parchment in which are written two chapters of the Holy Scriptures: Deut 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. The rolled parchment is placed into a box and fixed to the doorways of the house. Every door but the restroom one must have its MEZUZA. The MEZUZA has been from generations the distinctive of the Jewish houses. Price for one mezuza USA$ 50.



The TEFILLIN are two black boxes containing four chapters of the Pentateuch (Deut 6:4-9 and 11:13-21 and Ex. 13:1-10 and id. 11-16) written in some pieces of parchment. The boxes are attached to the left arm and to the head during the Morning Services of the working days. From the age of Bar Mitzva, the young man must wear the TEFILLIN, and it is the duty of his father to buy a pair of them to his son. Price for the parchments of the TEFILLIN USA$ 290. The full set (with the boxes complet) for USA$ 700.


The SEFER TORAH is the Holy Book of the Law, or the Scroll of the Pentateuch. It contains 245 collumns of 41 lines written in 45 parchments. Usually the parchments have the size of 50x100 cm. but they can be of different size. A SEFER TORAH can be donated to your synagogue in the memory of one of your beloved ones. Price of one SEFER TOR A - USA$ 30,000.

The MEGILLAT ESTHER is a Scroll with the Book of Esther. Ussually written in a parchment with 20 collumns of 21 lines. The MEGILLAT ESTHER is read at the synagogue for the Festival of Purim. It is a nice present for a friend, for your father or for a bridegroom. The price for one MEGILLAT ESTHER is USA$ 1,200.

There are three types of writing: The Sephardic, the Ashkenazi and the Chassidic, and you can order in any of them.

No comments: