Our Gemara on Amud Aleph explores whether tefillin fall under the category of nechasim. Are they excluded because of their sacred status and their unsuitability for sale, or are they included due to their utility as items worn on the body, similar to clothing? (See Rashbam, Sefer Torah.)

The notion of tefillin as a type of malbush (clothing) brings to mind the Maharal’s (Be’er HaGolah 4) explanation of the metaphysical significance of the mitzvah of tefillin and the symbolism of wearing them.

The Gemara (Berachos 6a) teaches that God Himself “wears” tefillin, in which it is written: “Who is like You, Israel, a unique nation?” This parallels the text in our tefillin, which declares God’s oneness and uniqueness. The Maharal explains that clothing conveys honor and dignity. To wear something is to be adorned and elevated by it. As the saying goes, “The clothes make the man.” Similarly, the Gemara (Shabbos 113a) recounts how Rabbi Yoḥanan referred to his clothing as “my honor.”

The Maharal elaborates that certain garments are loose and detached, while others cling closely to the body, reflecting the wearer’s form. Tefillin, by wrapping tightly around the body, symbolize a profound connection to the wearer’s identity.

Thus, wearing tefillin signifies honor by association with God. Similarly, God “wears” tefillin because the Jewish people, through observing the Torah and emulating God’s moral attributes, bring honor to Him. God’s tefillin declare the unique greatness of the Jewish people, as this relationship reflects His presence in the world.

The Maharal ties this concept to a mysterious episode in Devarim (33:18). When Moshe asks God, “Show me Your glory,” God replies (ibid. 23), “You will see My back, but not My face.” This indicates that Moshe, as a mortal, could not perceive God’s essence directly but could grasp His effects—the manifestation of His will and morality as carried out by the Jewish people.

The Gemara (Berachos 7a) explains that God showed Moshe the “knot” of His tefillin. The Maharal interprets this metaphorically: the “knot” represents the connection between God and the Jewish people. By showing Moshe this knot, God revealed His presence in this world, embodied in the unique bond between the Creator and His people. And those are God’s tefilin.