Introducing the Bnei Menashe Tefillin Project
Bnei Menashe men wearing Tefillin during prayers in India
Tefillin (phylacteries) is one of Judaism’s most ancient and revered commandments. A set of two small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah and worn by Jews on the arm and head during the weekday morning prayers, the source for the practice comes from Deuteronomy 6:8, which reads, “And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.”
When the Jewish people were exiled from the Land of Israel, they took with them the tradition of Tefillin. And when some of the exiled tribes continued their journey eastward from Assyria or Babylon, Tefillin served as a constant connection to the roots of their faith.
The Bnei Menashe, the children of Manasseh, were one of the ten tribes of Israel that eventually became “lost.” As they wandered through Persia and China before eventually settling in northeastern India, the Bnei Menashe have struggled for over 2,700 years to maintain Jewish tradition.
“Every Bnei Menashe man, from the age of 13 on up, has taken it upon himself to put on Tefillin once a day, just as Jews do all over the world,” explains Tzvi Khaute, Shavei Israel’s coordinator for the Bnei Menashe. “Without this, they feel as if they are completely cut off from their Jewish brethren.”
Until recently, though, Tefillin was a rare commodity in India. Indeed, there was simply no way for the Bnei Menashe to obtain Tefillin in the Indian states of Manipur and Mizoram where the majority of this lost tribe eventually made their homes. There are no Tefillin manufacturers in India, nor are there scribes to write out the words from the Torah in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. “Even among those Bnei Menashe who have the money to buy Tefillin, it is simply not available,” Khaute adds.
Shavei Israel has been working hard to change that. Over the last few years, we have distributed dozens of sets of Tefillin to the main Bnei Menashe communities. During morning services, the Bnei Menashe share the Tefillin, putting it on in rotation during the course of the Shaharit prayers.
It is time now to increase the number of Tefillin in the Bnei Menashe communities so that every man has his own set and can wear it for the full duration of the prayers as prescribed by Jewish law.
To this end, we have started a special appeal – the Bnei Menashe Tefillin Project – to purchase phylacteries for every Bnei Menashe boy and man in India – as well as some of the hundreds of Bnei Menashe who, with Shavei Israel’s help, have made aliyah in the last two years.
Tefillin
A set of Tefillin costs just $250. Your donation will enable the Bnei Menashe to fully participate in this time-honored tradition, strengthening the ties that bind the Bnei Menashe to their Jewish roots across both generations and oceans.
Tzvi Khaute is on his way to India right now, to participate in Shavei Israel’s annual training and educational seminar for Bnei Menashe “Fellows” who serve as representatives and teachers to the nearly 7,000 Bnei Menashe still remaining in India. He is bringing 55 new pairs of Tefillin with him on the plane this time, a task which has its own “traditions.” Airport security staff in India, Khaute explains, “do not know what Tefillin is, so I often have to go through some rigorous scrutiny.”
But it’s worth every question and answer. Let’s give Tzvi even more reason to explain the awesome history behind one of Judaism’s most sacred objects. Please visit the Donate page on the Shavei Israel website and make your generous contribution today.