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This morning in Shul a fellow asked me an interesting question regarding Tefilin. Both the Tefilin Shel Yad & Tefilin Shel Rosh have the same 4 Parshiyos written in them. What is the purpose of having these same 4 Parshiyos twice? Why not divide it between the 2 or why not have different Parshiyos in the 2 Tefilins? In other words, what is the purpose of the duplication of Parshiyos in the Tefilin?

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    Duplication? They are two separate Mitzvot.
    – Double AA
    Feb 19, 2015 at 15:15
  • @DoubleAA: But why the exact same Parshiyos? Feb 19, 2015 at 15:16
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    Why do you write the same thing on the Mezuza on each door? Write different things on different doors.
    – Double AA
    Feb 19, 2015 at 15:18
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    Knee jerk: 'al yadecha… bein einecha. Each mitzvah is given four times so we write each four times (it's not as if we'd cut off half of the pasuk for each parshah!) Feb 19, 2015 at 16:17
  • They both need to 'filter' I.e. religiously adjust things with Hashem's words, as per the Shlah HaKadosh. He says the shell rosh 'filters' what we see before it reaches our minds. Then on the way through the body to reaction through one's hand, it needs to be filtered again as it passes through one's heart which is 'ra mini'urav' on the way to the hand.
    – user6591
    Jul 19, 2015 at 15:07

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I feel like your friend may be overthinking this.

וקשרתם לאות על ידך והיו לטטפת בין עיניך

We are commanded to "tie them for a sign upon your hand and they should be as a badge between your eyes". The verse says "and" which means you need to put them in both places.

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  • I commented this 4 years ago ! I guess I should've answered, because it is as simple as your answer. +1 Mar 3, 2019 at 15:21

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