Sources
As well as my books - www.kulmus.co.uk, over the years I have amassed quite a few books on sofrut, but as one would expect the majority of the halachic texts have not been translated from the Hebrew.
Below are a few of the useful sources I have gathered together, the Hebrew ones are at the bottom for the more adventurous amongs you. Under that I've added some more information about sayings and a glossary of terms that may help you through the site. Also a couple questions I've been posed though the years (however most of these seem to come to me via facebook nowadays).
Below: One of my shelves just by my drawing board showing a number of the sofrut titles I've collected over the years. Photo © Mordechai Pinchas.
Below are a few of the useful sources I have gathered together, the Hebrew ones are at the bottom for the more adventurous amongs you. Under that I've added some more information about sayings and a glossary of terms that may help you through the site. Also a couple questions I've been posed though the years (however most of these seem to come to me via facebook nowadays).
Below: One of my shelves just by my drawing board showing a number of the sofrut titles I've collected over the years. Photo © Mordechai Pinchas.
Sofer - The Story of a Torah Scroll
Dr. Eric Ray, Torah Aura Productions, 1986.
Theoretically for children but good basic starter info for adults too! This book has marvelous pictures showing Eric Ray z”l, an American sofer at work at all the different stages, the materials used and a typical day for the scribe. It also shows all of the letter forms and gives a story for each of them. Eric was very fond of stories and makes good use of them.
The 613th Commandment
J. Simcha Cohen, Jason Aronson Inc. 1983.
An analysis of the mitsvah to write a Sefer Torah. This is an obligation on every Jew and a king has to write two! However very few Jews ever get to participate in this mitsvah though through completing one letter it is accounted as if you wrote the whole thing - hence the festivities around a siyyum.
This is Torah
Alfred J. Kolatch, Jonathon David Publishers Inc. 1988.
A magnificent reference work which covers more than just sofrut. However it does include fantastic sections on writing the Torah and the Massoretic text with very comprehensive notes and references at the back.
Tefillin an illustrated guide
Moshe Neiman Feldheim Publishers, 1995.
How they are made, what they contain, how they are worn and all the pertinent laws. Includes excellent diagrams of the structure of the tefillin and descriptions of how they are put together.
Tefillin
Aryeh Kaplan
NCSY/Orthodox Union, 1975. Thought provoking analysis of the mistvah together with descriptions of how they are made and worn. A short and well-written introduction to the subject, though not as detailed as the book shown immediately above. This volume is also available in a anthology of Kaplan’s other work - all fascinating studies from a man who died tragically young.
The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet
Rabbi Michael L. Munk, Artscroll, 1983.
The sacred letters as a guide to Jewish deed and thought. Meanings of the letters. Mostly a midrashic guide to the letters but some of the reasons scribal idiosyncrasies are explored and every letter draws a lesson from part of scripture. Covers many explanations from ‘Otiot d’Rabbi Akiva’, a useful midrashic source.
The Handbook of Hebrew Calligraphy
Cara Goldberg Marks
Jason Aronson Inc. 1990. The letter forms, modern calligraphy and a good section on k'tubot.
Tikkun Kor'im
A tikkun for reading and writing the Torah and the megillah - a must have (though see below...)
Mishnah B'rurah Volume I(B) - The laws of T'fillin
Chafets Chayim, Feldheim Publishers, 1992.
An English Translation of the Shulchan Aruch and Mishnah B'rurah with facing Hebrew. Also includes Mishnat Sofrim on the formation of the letters. Really the only English halachic guide except for the Soncino minor tractates (see below). Another must have!
Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillin u’Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah. Hilchot Tzitzit
Maimonides (translated and with commentaries and notes by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger), Moznaim Publishing Corporation, Jerusalem 1990. Excellent companion to the work above giving the Rambam’s opinion of the halacha as he understood it in clear Hebrew and English. A good commentary with some diagrams and good cross references to other works. Also in the series Mishneh Torah on Hilchot Gittin.
Chasdey David
A consise commentary on Mishnat Sofrim in Hebrew plus a summary of all the rules for a scribe in writing Stam.
Mishnat Hasofer
A modern Hebrew commentary by Ya'akov Meir Stern of B'nei Brak on the Keset Hasofer rules for a scribe by Solomon Ganzfried. This is my main halachic guide.
The World of Tefillin & Mezuzos
Rabbi Zeev Rothschild, CIS, New Jersey 1987
Sort of an expanded buyers guide with warnings what to look out and how to ensure that you are fulfilling the mitsvah properly. Also contains an entertaining narrative tale featuring the making of Tefiilin in story form. Unfortunately, I believe this book is out of print.
Torah Shelemah - Leviticus Volume 29
Kasher, M M & Razhabi Yitshak, American Biblical Encyclodia Society Inc., Jerusalem 1978
Part 1 deals with whether the Torah was given in Ktav Ivri or Ktav Ashurit and the development of Hebrew script. Part 2 is a comprehensive coverage of the scribal idiosyncracies, such as the nun hafucha or the various individual taggin as decribed in works such as Sefer Taggin, Machzor Vitri etc. It is detailed and has many pages with examples of the texts form ancient times and the different traditions for writing the taggin.
A few more key Hebrew halachic sources that are available include:
Mishmeret Stam's commentary on certain key letters of the Mishnat Sofrim
Likkut Sifrey Stam, a compilation of various halachic sources (two books possibly three)
Yalkut Tsurat Ha'otiyot, a compilation of all the halachic sources dealing specifically with the formation of the letters.
Sofrut is also covered in the Shulchan Aruch and the Talmud where there are also specific minor tractates (Masechtot K'tanot) - Sofrim, Sefer Torah. Tefillin and Mezuzah. Certain key sections in Shabbat (103b ff) and Menachot (29a ff) also warrant study and Megillah and Gittin. (see the Soncino Press Hebrew-English edition Ed. A Cohen, 1984) or the more modern Shottenstein Edition from Artscroll.
Some more modern English publications include:
Hilchot Tefillin: Zichron Avraham David (The Student Edition of Halachos of Tefillin, Eider S., Feldheim 1985.
The marvellous and business like Tefillin and Mezuzos: A Pictorial Guide by Yerachmiel Askotsky (Targum 2003) showing how to choose, maintain and understand your STaM
Sefer Zichron Shoshana: Mezuzah a Comprehensive Guide, HoffmanY Israel Bookshop 2002 which gives a deep insight into this mitsvah and covers element of sofrut and a fantastic section on the types of klaf.
Turning to Hebrew again: B’ney Yonah by Landsofer has been reprinted and Melechet Shamayim is also available - two books that were prime sources for Keset Hasofer. And a fantastic modern book packed with photos of all the stages of production called Tefillin: Halacha uma’seh. Also a small volume on how to cut the perfect quill Sh’lemot b’hachanat hakulmus.
Shinun Hasofer, Y’ri’ot Shlomoh, Otser STaM (3 volumes), Mishnat hasofer, S’fakot Hasofer and a five volume Tikkun Sofrim v’Korim by Davidovitch giving clues to line lengths and how you should space letters.
All of which provide a wonderful view of the detailed halacha of sofrut, ancient and modern.
Dr. Eric Ray, Torah Aura Productions, 1986.
Theoretically for children but good basic starter info for adults too! This book has marvelous pictures showing Eric Ray z”l, an American sofer at work at all the different stages, the materials used and a typical day for the scribe. It also shows all of the letter forms and gives a story for each of them. Eric was very fond of stories and makes good use of them.
The 613th Commandment
J. Simcha Cohen, Jason Aronson Inc. 1983.
An analysis of the mitsvah to write a Sefer Torah. This is an obligation on every Jew and a king has to write two! However very few Jews ever get to participate in this mitsvah though through completing one letter it is accounted as if you wrote the whole thing - hence the festivities around a siyyum.
This is Torah
Alfred J. Kolatch, Jonathon David Publishers Inc. 1988.
A magnificent reference work which covers more than just sofrut. However it does include fantastic sections on writing the Torah and the Massoretic text with very comprehensive notes and references at the back.
Tefillin an illustrated guide
Moshe Neiman Feldheim Publishers, 1995.
How they are made, what they contain, how they are worn and all the pertinent laws. Includes excellent diagrams of the structure of the tefillin and descriptions of how they are put together.
Tefillin
Aryeh Kaplan
NCSY/Orthodox Union, 1975. Thought provoking analysis of the mistvah together with descriptions of how they are made and worn. A short and well-written introduction to the subject, though not as detailed as the book shown immediately above. This volume is also available in a anthology of Kaplan’s other work - all fascinating studies from a man who died tragically young.
The Wisdom in the Hebrew Alphabet
Rabbi Michael L. Munk, Artscroll, 1983.
The sacred letters as a guide to Jewish deed and thought. Meanings of the letters. Mostly a midrashic guide to the letters but some of the reasons scribal idiosyncrasies are explored and every letter draws a lesson from part of scripture. Covers many explanations from ‘Otiot d’Rabbi Akiva’, a useful midrashic source.
The Handbook of Hebrew Calligraphy
Cara Goldberg Marks
Jason Aronson Inc. 1990. The letter forms, modern calligraphy and a good section on k'tubot.
Tikkun Kor'im
A tikkun for reading and writing the Torah and the megillah - a must have (though see below...)
Mishnah B'rurah Volume I(B) - The laws of T'fillin
Chafets Chayim, Feldheim Publishers, 1992.
An English Translation of the Shulchan Aruch and Mishnah B'rurah with facing Hebrew. Also includes Mishnat Sofrim on the formation of the letters. Really the only English halachic guide except for the Soncino minor tractates (see below). Another must have!
Mishneh Torah: Hilchot Tefillin u’Mezuzah v’Sefer Torah. Hilchot Tzitzit
Maimonides (translated and with commentaries and notes by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger), Moznaim Publishing Corporation, Jerusalem 1990. Excellent companion to the work above giving the Rambam’s opinion of the halacha as he understood it in clear Hebrew and English. A good commentary with some diagrams and good cross references to other works. Also in the series Mishneh Torah on Hilchot Gittin.
Chasdey David
A consise commentary on Mishnat Sofrim in Hebrew plus a summary of all the rules for a scribe in writing Stam.
Mishnat Hasofer
A modern Hebrew commentary by Ya'akov Meir Stern of B'nei Brak on the Keset Hasofer rules for a scribe by Solomon Ganzfried. This is my main halachic guide.
The World of Tefillin & Mezuzos
Rabbi Zeev Rothschild, CIS, New Jersey 1987
Sort of an expanded buyers guide with warnings what to look out and how to ensure that you are fulfilling the mitsvah properly. Also contains an entertaining narrative tale featuring the making of Tefiilin in story form. Unfortunately, I believe this book is out of print.
Torah Shelemah - Leviticus Volume 29
Kasher, M M & Razhabi Yitshak, American Biblical Encyclodia Society Inc., Jerusalem 1978
Part 1 deals with whether the Torah was given in Ktav Ivri or Ktav Ashurit and the development of Hebrew script. Part 2 is a comprehensive coverage of the scribal idiosyncracies, such as the nun hafucha or the various individual taggin as decribed in works such as Sefer Taggin, Machzor Vitri etc. It is detailed and has many pages with examples of the texts form ancient times and the different traditions for writing the taggin.
A few more key Hebrew halachic sources that are available include:
Mishmeret Stam's commentary on certain key letters of the Mishnat Sofrim
Likkut Sifrey Stam, a compilation of various halachic sources (two books possibly three)
Yalkut Tsurat Ha'otiyot, a compilation of all the halachic sources dealing specifically with the formation of the letters.
Sofrut is also covered in the Shulchan Aruch and the Talmud where there are also specific minor tractates (Masechtot K'tanot) - Sofrim, Sefer Torah. Tefillin and Mezuzah. Certain key sections in Shabbat (103b ff) and Menachot (29a ff) also warrant study and Megillah and Gittin. (see the Soncino Press Hebrew-English edition Ed. A Cohen, 1984) or the more modern Shottenstein Edition from Artscroll.
Some more modern English publications include:
Hilchot Tefillin: Zichron Avraham David (The Student Edition of Halachos of Tefillin, Eider S., Feldheim 1985.
The marvellous and business like Tefillin and Mezuzos: A Pictorial Guide by Yerachmiel Askotsky (Targum 2003) showing how to choose, maintain and understand your STaM
Sefer Zichron Shoshana: Mezuzah a Comprehensive Guide, HoffmanY Israel Bookshop 2002 which gives a deep insight into this mitsvah and covers element of sofrut and a fantastic section on the types of klaf.
Turning to Hebrew again: B’ney Yonah by Landsofer has been reprinted and Melechet Shamayim is also available - two books that were prime sources for Keset Hasofer. And a fantastic modern book packed with photos of all the stages of production called Tefillin: Halacha uma’seh. Also a small volume on how to cut the perfect quill Sh’lemot b’hachanat hakulmus.
Shinun Hasofer, Y’ri’ot Shlomoh, Otser STaM (3 volumes), Mishnat hasofer, S’fakot Hasofer and a five volume Tikkun Sofrim v’Korim by Davidovitch giving clues to line lengths and how you should space letters.
All of which provide a wonderful view of the detailed halacha of sofrut, ancient and modern.
Sayings
Given the influence the scribe has had on the development of Judaism it is not unsurprising that some have waxed poetical about the sofer and his craft. This page attempts to bring together some of those literary gems. If anyone has a favourite that they would like me to include, please contact me and I will add them. Illustration taken from “Tradition” - Life in the Shtetl - ULPS 1980.
Eternal Strength is His
beyond description -
Were all the skies parchment
were all the forests quills
Were all the seas ink
and all the gathered waters
The dwellers of the earth, scribes
and recorders of initial letters*
[still they could not record]
The glory of the Master of Heaven
and Ruler of earth.
* initial letters of the books of the torah
(Akdamut Milin verses 5-9)
Elisha ben Abuyah said: He who learns when a child to what is he compared? To ink written on a fresh sheet, and he who learns when an old man, what is he like? Ink written on an erased sheet.(Avot 5:20)
Said Rava the son of M’chaysa, in the name of Rav Chama, son of Gurya in the name of Rav: If all the seas were ink, and all the fields were overgrown with quills and all the heavens were folios and all the people scribes- they would still be insufficient to descibe the complexities of administering a government. (Shabbat 11a)
It was taught - R. Meir said that when I [i.e. R. Meir] came near to R. Yishmael, he said to me, ‘my son, what is your work?’ I said to him ‘I am a scribe.’ He said to me, ‘my son, be careful in your work for your work is heavenly work - perhaps you would omit one letter or add one letter, and we will find that you have destroyed the whole world.’ (Eruvin 13a)
Given the influence the scribe has had on the development of Judaism it is not unsurprising that some have waxed poetical about the sofer and his craft. This page attempts to bring together some of those literary gems. If anyone has a favourite that they would like me to include, please contact me and I will add them. Illustration taken from “Tradition” - Life in the Shtetl - ULPS 1980.
Eternal Strength is His
beyond description -
Were all the skies parchment
were all the forests quills
Were all the seas ink
and all the gathered waters
The dwellers of the earth, scribes
and recorders of initial letters*
[still they could not record]
The glory of the Master of Heaven
and Ruler of earth.
* initial letters of the books of the torah
(Akdamut Milin verses 5-9)
Elisha ben Abuyah said: He who learns when a child to what is he compared? To ink written on a fresh sheet, and he who learns when an old man, what is he like? Ink written on an erased sheet.(Avot 5:20)
Said Rava the son of M’chaysa, in the name of Rav Chama, son of Gurya in the name of Rav: If all the seas were ink, and all the fields were overgrown with quills and all the heavens were folios and all the people scribes- they would still be insufficient to descibe the complexities of administering a government. (Shabbat 11a)
It was taught - R. Meir said that when I [i.e. R. Meir] came near to R. Yishmael, he said to me, ‘my son, what is your work?’ I said to him ‘I am a scribe.’ He said to me, ‘my son, be careful in your work for your work is heavenly work - perhaps you would omit one letter or add one letter, and we will find that you have destroyed the whole world.’ (Eruvin 13a)
Glossary
This is by no means comprehensive and it is likely that it will grow over time as I add other terms. However, if you find something on the site that you do not understand and it is is not listed below, you can contact me and I will do my best to answer/add to the glossary.
Afatsa: Gallnuts, used in ink.
Amud: a column of text.
Bayit: the housing for the tefillin and also the name given the container for the mezuzah. Lit. house (plural. batim).
B'di'avar: the status of something after the event.
Beracha: a blessing (plural. brachot)
Charitsim: the grooves in the tefillin housings that help keep the sewing straight
Chok Tochot: The law requiring every letter to be formed by writing only and not through the act of erasure or scraping out. Only certain acts of scraping are permissable.
Chol: not holy, secular or profane. In sofrut usually used in relation to those words that are the same as one of God's names but dp not mean God (eg they may refer to other things people refer to as gods).
Dakkot: housings for tefillin made of thin leather.
Devarim: Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the torah.
Duchsustos: the lower part of split parchment on the flesh side. This name is no longer in use.
D'yo: special black ink made from gallnuts and vitriol for use in sofrut.
Ets chayim: a wooden roller (plural. atsey chayim).
Gassot: housings of tefillin made from thick leather, usually the neck of the animal.
Giddin: threads made from animal sinew from the thigh or foot used for sewing in sofrut.
G'vil: Unsplit parchment. This name is no longer used.
Halachah: Jewish law, derived from the root 'to walk' as it the path one should follow.
Hefsek: an interuption between intending to do something (eg reciting a blessing) and carrying out that action.
Kadesh li: the first passage in tefillin (Ex. 13:1-10)
Kankatum: vitriol, used in ink, usually iron or copper sulpate.
Kesidran: the reuirement for letters and passages to be written in order in teffilin and mezuzot.
Ketivah tamah: the requirement for each letter to be formed according to the laws and have its proper shape.
Kesher: knot (plural. ksharim).
Ketsitsah: the top part of the tefillin batim.
K'laf: parchment as it now generally now known though originally the upper part of slit parchment towards the hair side.
Kasher: valid under Jewish law.
Kuzo: kabbalistic writing found upside down on the reverse of a mezuzah.
L'hatchala: when something is appropriate to do in the first instance.
L'shem k'dushat...: for the sake of the holiness. To be expressly verbalised by the scribe before starting work on, eg hareni kotev l'shem kdushat mezuzah (I am writing for the sake of the holiness of the mezuzah)
L'shem k'dushat Hashem: for the sake of the holiness of the Name. To be expressly verbalised before the scribe writes a name of God.
Lishmah: the law requiring certain steps of the processes involved in sofrut to be done for the specific purpose of that item.
Ma'avarta: the back section of the tefillin housing through which the straps pass.
Mezuzah: a piece of parchment with two passages from Deuteronomy written on it. Not the container which is a bayit (plural. mezuzot).
Mitsvah: a commandment (plural. mitsvot)
Mukaf g'vil: the law requiring each letter to be completely surrounded on al sides by parchment.
Ohr echad: One skin, the preference that tefillin housings be made from one piece of leather.
Parsha: passage from the torah used in tefillin and mezuzot (plural. parshiyot).
Peshutot: Lit. simple ones, housings for tefillin made from strips of leather glued together. Often not kasher.
P'rudot: the law requiring each compartment of the tefillin shel rosh to be separate.
R'tsuot: straps used to tie the tefillin on the head and arm.
Ribu'a: the law requiring certain dimensions of the tefillin to be perfectly square.
Shabbat: the sabbath
Shel rosh: the tefillin worn on the head
Shel yad: the tefillin bound to the arm
Shema: the third passage in tefillin and the first passage in mezuzot (Deut. 6:4-9).
Shemot: Exodus, the second book of the Torah.
Shaday: one of the names of God on the reverse of a mezuzah and also formed by various parts of the tefillin.
Shin: the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and a feature on the head tefillin.
Sid: lime or limestone solution for removing hair from skins.
Sirtut: guidelines ruled onto the parchment with a sargel to enable the scribe to write in straight lines.
Sofer: a scribe (plural. sofrim).
STAM: an acronym formed from the initial letters of sefer torah, tefillin and mezuzah, the three main tasks of a scribe.
Tefirot: stitching to join sheets together or close the tefillin housing.
Titurah: the base section of the tefillin housings.
Torah: written and oral laws of Judaism.
Vehayah im shamo'a: the final passage in both tefillin and mezuzot (Deut. 11:13-31)
Vehayah ki: the second passage of tefillin (Ex. 13:11-16)
Yirei shamayim: one who fears heaven.
Yeriah: a sheet of parchment.
This is by no means comprehensive and it is likely that it will grow over time as I add other terms. However, if you find something on the site that you do not understand and it is is not listed below, you can contact me and I will do my best to answer/add to the glossary.
Afatsa: Gallnuts, used in ink.
Amud: a column of text.
Bayit: the housing for the tefillin and also the name given the container for the mezuzah. Lit. house (plural. batim).
B'di'avar: the status of something after the event.
Beracha: a blessing (plural. brachot)
Charitsim: the grooves in the tefillin housings that help keep the sewing straight
Chok Tochot: The law requiring every letter to be formed by writing only and not through the act of erasure or scraping out. Only certain acts of scraping are permissable.
Chol: not holy, secular or profane. In sofrut usually used in relation to those words that are the same as one of God's names but dp not mean God (eg they may refer to other things people refer to as gods).
Dakkot: housings for tefillin made of thin leather.
Devarim: Deuteronomy, the fifth book of the torah.
Duchsustos: the lower part of split parchment on the flesh side. This name is no longer in use.
D'yo: special black ink made from gallnuts and vitriol for use in sofrut.
Ets chayim: a wooden roller (plural. atsey chayim).
Gassot: housings of tefillin made from thick leather, usually the neck of the animal.
Giddin: threads made from animal sinew from the thigh or foot used for sewing in sofrut.
G'vil: Unsplit parchment. This name is no longer used.
Halachah: Jewish law, derived from the root 'to walk' as it the path one should follow.
Hefsek: an interuption between intending to do something (eg reciting a blessing) and carrying out that action.
Kadesh li: the first passage in tefillin (Ex. 13:1-10)
Kankatum: vitriol, used in ink, usually iron or copper sulpate.
Kesidran: the reuirement for letters and passages to be written in order in teffilin and mezuzot.
Ketivah tamah: the requirement for each letter to be formed according to the laws and have its proper shape.
Kesher: knot (plural. ksharim).
Ketsitsah: the top part of the tefillin batim.
K'laf: parchment as it now generally now known though originally the upper part of slit parchment towards the hair side.
Kasher: valid under Jewish law.
Kuzo: kabbalistic writing found upside down on the reverse of a mezuzah.
L'hatchala: when something is appropriate to do in the first instance.
L'shem k'dushat...: for the sake of the holiness. To be expressly verbalised by the scribe before starting work on, eg hareni kotev l'shem kdushat mezuzah (I am writing for the sake of the holiness of the mezuzah)
L'shem k'dushat Hashem: for the sake of the holiness of the Name. To be expressly verbalised before the scribe writes a name of God.
Lishmah: the law requiring certain steps of the processes involved in sofrut to be done for the specific purpose of that item.
Ma'avarta: the back section of the tefillin housing through which the straps pass.
Mezuzah: a piece of parchment with two passages from Deuteronomy written on it. Not the container which is a bayit (plural. mezuzot).
Mitsvah: a commandment (plural. mitsvot)
Mukaf g'vil: the law requiring each letter to be completely surrounded on al sides by parchment.
Ohr echad: One skin, the preference that tefillin housings be made from one piece of leather.
Parsha: passage from the torah used in tefillin and mezuzot (plural. parshiyot).
Peshutot: Lit. simple ones, housings for tefillin made from strips of leather glued together. Often not kasher.
P'rudot: the law requiring each compartment of the tefillin shel rosh to be separate.
R'tsuot: straps used to tie the tefillin on the head and arm.
Ribu'a: the law requiring certain dimensions of the tefillin to be perfectly square.
Shabbat: the sabbath
Shel rosh: the tefillin worn on the head
Shel yad: the tefillin bound to the arm
Shema: the third passage in tefillin and the first passage in mezuzot (Deut. 6:4-9).
Shemot: Exodus, the second book of the Torah.
Shaday: one of the names of God on the reverse of a mezuzah and also formed by various parts of the tefillin.
Shin: the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and a feature on the head tefillin.
Sid: lime or limestone solution for removing hair from skins.
Sirtut: guidelines ruled onto the parchment with a sargel to enable the scribe to write in straight lines.
Sofer: a scribe (plural. sofrim).
STAM: an acronym formed from the initial letters of sefer torah, tefillin and mezuzah, the three main tasks of a scribe.
Tefirot: stitching to join sheets together or close the tefillin housing.
Titurah: the base section of the tefillin housings.
Torah: written and oral laws of Judaism.
Vehayah im shamo'a: the final passage in both tefillin and mezuzot (Deut. 11:13-31)
Vehayah ki: the second passage of tefillin (Ex. 13:11-16)
Yirei shamayim: one who fears heaven.
Yeriah: a sheet of parchment.
