Denny, Deut 6:6-9 was God's instruction to His people, Israel, on how they needed to deal with the Law & Statutes that were given to them. So God first tells them, "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart" v6. So the important thing was for them to store up God's Law in their hearts & minds, as we would also do today with the Bible, however, since there was very little by way of 'hard copies' of the Law at that time, memory & regular rehearsal of the Law was paramount.
Yet, one thing that was set as a physical reminder to prompt them to find recourse to the Law & to God's Mercy on them, was to do what was required in vv 8 & 9: "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." This was a physical act to remind them, just as some today would 'tie a string around the finger or wrist'.
So portions of the Law were bound to the arm or placed in small 'packets' on their foreheads as their reminder to remember & observe God's Laws. The (mezuzahs) were also attached to the gates of their homes & passers by would touch it & repeat Psalm 121:8. I should say, that some feel that God did not intend for objects to be used but He spoke of them in the spiritual sense, i.e. to store them in their hearts. We don't have proof of how Israel in Moses' day actually carried out this command.
However, in Jesus' day, the Scribes & Pharisees changed the significance of this observance. Rather than promoting the keeping of God's Laws, they somewhat diverted the focus more onto themselves by making the small 'packets' much, much bigger, as well as making their garment tassels long & more conspicuous. Jesus derided them on their hypocrisy in this & other matters: Matthew 23:1-12. Today, the pious Jews usually wear their phylacteries, or tefillin, during prayer times only, so as to observe the commandment.
I think they are referring to the commandments expressed in chapter 5.
I need help and clarification on how to: "bind them for a sign upon thine hand.
Any help would be appreciated. God Bless.
Yet, one thing that was set as a physical reminder to prompt them to find recourse to the Law & to God's Mercy on them, was to do what was required in vv 8 & 9: "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." This was a physical act to remind them, just as some today would 'tie a string around the finger or wrist'.
So portions of the Law were bound to the arm or placed in small 'packets' on their foreheads as their reminder to remember & observe God's Laws. The (mezuzahs) were also attached to the gates of their homes & passers by would touch it & repeat Psalm 121:8. I should say, that some feel that God did not intend for objects to be used but He spoke of them in the spiritual sense, i.e. to store them in their hearts. We don't have proof of how Israel in Moses' day actually carried out this command.
However, in Jesus' day, the Scribes & Pharisees changed the significance of this observance. Rather than promoting the keeping of God's Laws, they somewhat diverted the focus more onto themselves by making the small 'packets' much, much bigger, as well as making their garment tassels long & more conspicuous. Jesus derided them on their hypocrisy in this & other matters: Matthew 23:1-12. Today, the pious Jews usually wear their phylacteries, or tefillin, during prayer times only, so as to observe the commandment.
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