Man Wearing Tallit and Tefillin

A devout Jewish man stands wrapped in a striped prayer shawl, with tefillin bound on his forehead, hand, and arm. The leather boxes and straps recall the command to keep the words of the Lord close to the heart, hand, and mind, a visible expression of covenant devotion and remembrance. His steady gaze and folded hands give the portrait the solemn character of morning prayer and meditation on the Torah. In Christian teaching, the image also connects to the world of Jesus and the apostles, where phylacteries and prayer garments were familiar signs of Jewish religious life. Useful for Bible studies on the Shema, Jewish worship customs, Old Testament devotion, or New Testament background. by Jeff Preston