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Shin on Tefillin

What is the reason and source for the ‘Shin’ on the Tefillin Shel Rosh. As well why is there a Shin on one side with 3 parts and the other Shin has 4?

Answer:

The shin on the tefillin is halachah le-Moshe mi-Sinai, as the Mishnah in Menachos (35b) writes. Rashi (34b) explains that the shin is part of the Name Shakkai, which is formed together with the knot of the tefillin straps (adding a dalet and a yud to the shin engraved on the tefillin).

According to the Shimusha Rabba, the three-headed shin corresponds to the shin in the Torah text, whereas the four-headed shin corresponds to the shin on the luchos: In order to form a shin with three heads, one needs to hew out four heads. See also Ritva, Teshuvos 77.

Several additional explanations are given by different commentaries, in particular among kabbalists.

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1 Comment

  1. Three-headed Shin is Lashon-Qodesh.
    Four-headed Shin is Poenician-Shin in the form of W (which has four legs).
    Rambam says both languages are cosher to write as Torah-scroll as Tefillin-Parshiyoth. Right?

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