What's Inside Tefillin? The Hidden Scrolls Explained
Tefillin look like simple black leather boxes from the outside, but the real mitzvah is hidden inside. Each box contains tiny handwritten parchment scrolls — the parshiyot — written by a certified Sofer STaM. Without these scrolls, the tefillin are just empty boxes. Here's what's inside and why it matters.
The four parshiyot
Both the shel yad (arm) and shel rosh (head) tefillin contain the same four Torah passages, called the parshiyot:
1. Kadesh Li (Shemot 13:1–10) — sanctifying the firstborn after the Exodus.
2. V'haya ki yeviacha (Shemot 13:11–16) — remembering the Exodus when entering the Land of Israel.
3. Shema Yisrael (Devarim 6:4–9) — the central declaration of G-d's oneness.
4. V'haya im shamoa (Devarim 11:13–21) — accepting the mitzvot and their rewards.
Three of these four passages explicitly mention the mitzvah of binding the words on the arm and as a sign between the eyes.
The difference: shel yad vs shel rosh
The shel yad (worn on the arm) contains all four parshiyot written on a single strip of parchment, rolled up and placed in one compartment inside the bayit (box).
The shel rosh (worn on the head) contains the same four parshiyot, but each one is written on a separate piece of parchment and placed in four separate compartments inside the bayit. The four compartments are visible from the outside as four vertical sections on the box.
This difference is hinted at in the verse — the shel yad is referred to in the singular ("a sign"), and the shel rosh in the plural ("frontlets").
How the parshiyot are written
Every letter is handwritten by a certified Sofer STaM (sofer = scribe, STaM = Sefer Torah, Tefillin, Mezuzot) using a quill, kosher black ink, and parchment from a kosher animal.
The Sofer must write the passages in order, without skipping or backtracking. Every letter must be formed perfectly — even a single broken or touching letter can render the tefillin pasul (invalid).
Before writing G-d's name, the Sofer recites a declaration sanctifying the writing. If this is skipped, the parchment is invalid.
Why you can't see what's inside
Once the parshiyot are rolled and placed inside the leather batim (boxes), the boxes are sewn shut with sinew from a kosher animal. You cannot open a pair of tefillin to inspect the scrolls without destroying the seal.
This is why having tefillin checked by a Sofer STaM is essential — only a trained scribe can carefully open the batim, examine every letter, and re-seal them properly.
Different traditions: Rashi vs Rabbeinu Tam
Most Jews wear tefillin written in the order set by Rashi (11th century). Some — especially Chassidic and very pious Sephardic Jews — also wear a second pair written in the order of Rabbeinu Tam (12th century).
The two orderings differ only in the arrangement of the four parshiyot. The text is identical; the sequence inside the boxes is different.
Why this matters when buying tefillin
When you buy tefillin, you're not paying for the leather boxes alone — you're paying for hours of expert handwritten work on the parchment inside. Cheap tefillin almost always cut corners on the parshiyot, the parchment quality, or the certification of the Sofer.
For a guide to what to look for, see What Is Tefillin? and our tefillin sale page.
Have your tefillin checked
Halacha recommends checking tefillin twice every seven years, and immediately if they've been exposed to heat, humidity, or moisture. In Miami's climate, more frequent checks are wise.
Rabbi Levi Backman, Certified Sofer STaM, opens, inspects, and re-seals tefillin in Miami. WhatsApp 845-729-1459 to schedule a check. Spanish-speaking; serves the Hispanic Jewish community across South Florida.
Talk to Rabbi Levi
Have a question about your mezuzot or tefillin? WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach him.
WhatsApp 845-729-1459