Frontlets
What Are Frontlets?
Frontlets are objects worn on the forehead, either as ornaments or as symbols of religious devotion. In the Bible, the term primarily refers to the practice of binding God's commandments on the forehead as a constant reminder of his law. The Hebrew word totaphoth appears in key passages where God instructs Israel to keep his words visible and central to daily life (Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; 11:18).
The Biblical Commands
The instruction regarding frontlets appears in three pivotal passages. In Exodus 13:9, 16, following the institution of the Passover and the consecration of the firstborn, God tells Israel that the remembrance of these events should be "as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes." In Deuteronomy 6:8, as part of the Shema (Israel's great confession of faith), Moses commands: "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes." Deuteronomy 11:18 repeats this instruction in the context of obeying God's commandments.
Literal or Figurative?
Scholars have long debated whether the command to wear frontlets was intended literally or figuratively. The broader context of these passages suggests a metaphorical meaning: God's words should be so central to a person's life that they govern everything they see (frontlets between the eyes) and everything they do (sign on the hand). The parallel instruction to write them on doorposts (Deuteronomy 6:9) could similarly be metaphorical.
However, by the Second Temple period (and perhaps earlier), the commands were taken literally, leading to the development of phylacteries — small leather boxes containing scripture passages, bound to the forehead and left arm during prayer.
Phylacteries (Tefillin)
Phylacteries, known in Hebrew as tefillin, are the practical fulfillment of the frontlet command. They consist of two small black leather boxes, each containing parchment scrolls inscribed with four passages: Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. One box is bound to the forehead (the shel rosh) and the other to the left arm near the heart (the shel yad), using leather straps.
Jesus referenced phylacteries in Matthew 23:5, criticizing the scribes and Pharisees who "make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long" to be seen by others. His concern was not with the practice itself but with the ostentatious display that replaced genuine devotion.
The Shema and Daily Devotion
The frontlet commands are embedded in some of the most important texts in the Hebrew Bible. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) begins with the declaration "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one," followed by the command to love God with all one's heart, soul, and might. The instruction about frontlets is part of a comprehensive vision of life saturated with God's word — teaching it to children, speaking it at home and on the road, binding it on the body, and writing it on doorposts.
Archaeological Evidence
Phylacteries have been found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, dating to the Second Temple period (2nd century BC to 1st century AD). These ancient tefillin are smaller than modern ones and contain slightly different text selections, showing that the practice was well established but not yet fully standardized. The discovery confirms that the literal interpretation of the frontlet command was widespread in Judaism before and during the time of Jesus.
Biblical Context
Frontlets are commanded in Exodus 13:9, 16, Deuteronomy 6:8, and Deuteronomy 11:18. These passages instruct Israel to bind God's words between their eyes as constant reminders of his law. Jesus referenced phylacteries in Matthew 23:5. The practice is connected to the Shema and the foundational commands of Israelite faith.
Theological Significance
Frontlets represent the biblical principle that God's word should permeate every aspect of life — governing what believers see, think, and do. Whether understood literally or figuratively, the command calls for total devotion. Jesus' critique of ostentatious phylacteries warns that external religious display must be matched by genuine inner devotion.
Historical Background
Phylacteries (tefillin) developed as the literal fulfillment of the frontlet command, likely becoming widespread during the Second Temple period. Ancient phylacteries found at Qumran among the Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the practice existed by the 2nd century BC. The tefillin tradition continues in observant Judaism today, with men wearing them during weekday morning prayers.