phylacter, philaterie, filaterie

[O. Fr. filatere, filatiere (Fr. phylactère ), from Lat. phylacterium, fylacterium, from Gr. phylaktérion = a preservative, an amulet, from phylakter =a watchman, a guard; phyla o to watch, to guard, to defend; Sp.filacteria; Ital. filateria.] 1. A charm, spell, or amulet worn as a preserva tive against disease or danger. 2. Judaism : Heb. the phil in =prayer-fillets. Small square boxes, made either of parchment or black calf-skin, in which are inclosed slips of vellum inscribed with pa ages from the Pent a teuch and which are worn to this day on the head and on the left arm by every orthodox Jew on week-days dur. ing the daily morning prayer. (1) The box of which the phylactery worn on the arm is made consists of one cell wherein is deposited a parch ment strip, with the following four sections written on it in four columns, each column having seven lines: IV. Deut. xi. 13-21. III. Deut. vi. 4-9. Phylactery for the Arm. II. Exod. xiii. 11-16. I. Exod. xiii. 1-10. These are re the pa ages which are interpreted as enjoining the use of phylacteries. 195 Almighty. The phylacteries are Phylactery for the Head. generally made an inch and a half square, and have long leather straps attached to them, with which they are fastened to the head and arm. They are worn during prayer and sacred medita tion. The hypocrites among the Pharisees made them more than ordinarily large, so that they might rebuke of our Savior (Matt. xviii. 25). 3. A in which the early Christians inclosed the release the death Lond. Encyc