Tefillin for the Hand, circa 1920

A tefillin (phylactery) for the hand consisting of a black leather box with a brown leather strap. It has one section in Hebrew designating that it is ''shel yad'' (for the hand). These leather boxes are those which Jewish men from the age of 13 bind with leather straps onto their left arm (unless they are left-handed, in which case they bind it onto their right arm) during the morning prayers; the leather box contains parchments on which are written the four sections of the Torah in which they are mentioned:''And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand and for a remembrance between your eyes'' (Exodus 13:9, and with slight variations in Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:18). Originally belonged to Congregation Shearith Israel (Tenth Street Shul).