The word Totafot טוטפות appears only three times in the Torah. The exact meaning of the word is unknown. What did HASHEM mean when He used this word? It is something between the eyes. It has to do with the mind or thinking or perception.
Rabbis have struggled with the meaning of the word Totafot טוטפות for centuries. They finally arrived at a “solution” by putting the Shema שמע and handwritten parchment scrolls from the three verses in the Torah where the word appears in a box and placing it on the forehead.
They think this would cover all the bases.
Clues are given to the meaning of the word by examining the three Scriptures where it appears in the Torah התורה. These are the only 3 times the word Totafot טוטפות appears in the entire Tanach תנך.
The first time the word Totafot טוטפות appears is in the second book of the Torah Exodus שמות. It is the command of HASHEM to redeem the firstborn. This command celebrates our deliverance from slavery in Egypt מצרים. HASHEM celebrates and commemorates His judgments on Pharaoh, Egypt, and their gods. He reserves the firstborn to Himself.
And it shall be when the LORD shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it to you,
that you shall set apart unto the LORD all that opens the womb; every firstling that is a male, which you have coming of a beast, shall be the LORD’S.
And every firstling of an ass you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and all the first-born of man among your sons shall you redeem.
And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying: What is this? that you shalt say to him: By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;
and it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb, being males; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.
And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and for Totafot טוטפות between your eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
וְהָיָה כִּי-יְבִאֲךָ יְהוָה אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַכְּנַעֲנִי, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לְךָ, וְלַאֲבֹתֶיךָ
וּנְתָנָהּ לָךְ
וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ כָל-פֶּטֶר-רֶחֶם לַיהוָה; וְכָל-פֶּטֶר שֶׁגֶר בְּהֵמָה, אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה לְךָ הַזְּכָרִים—לַיהוָה
וְכָל-פֶּטֶר חֲמֹר תִּפְדֶּה בְשֶׂה, וְאִם-לֹא תִפְדֶּה וַעֲרַפְתּוֹ; וְכֹל בְּכוֹר אָדָם בְּבָנֶיךָ תִּפְדֶּה
וְהָיָה כִּי-יִשְׁאָלְךָ בִנְךָ, מָחָר–לֵאמֹר מַה-זֹּאת: וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו–בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהוָה מִמִּצְרַיִם, מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים
וַיְהִי, כִּי-הִקְשָׁה פַרְעֹה לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ, וַיַּהֲרֹג יְהוָה כָּל-בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר אָדָם וְעַד-בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה; עַל-כֵּן אֲנִי זֹבֵחַ לַיהוָה, כָּל-פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם הַזְּכָרִים, וְכָל–בְּכוֹר בָּנַי, אֶפְדֶּה
וְהָיָה לְאוֹת עַל-יָדְכָה, וּלְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ: כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְהוָה מִמִּצְרָיִם
Exodus 13:11-16 שמות יג: יא-טז
The second time that the word Totafot טוטפות appears is in the fifth book of the Torah Deuteronomy דברים. This is where the SHEMA שמע appears with the commandment of HASHEM to love Him with all our being and to hear His voice and to obey His commandments and follow His instructions that He gives.
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. .
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart;
and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
And you shalt bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for Totafot טוטפות between your eyes.
And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates.
יִשְׂרָאֵל: יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, יְהוָה אֶחָד שְׁמַע
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ, וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם–עַל-לְבָבֶךָ
וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ, וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ
וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל-יָדֶךָ; וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל-מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 דברים ו:ד-ט
The third time the word Totafot טוטפות appears in the Torah is again in the fifth book Deuteronomy דברים. HASHEM gives a strict and a solemn prohibition against any form of idolatry. He also repeats the command to love Him with all our being.
Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
and the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and He shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain, and the ground shall not yield her fruit; and you perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD gives you.
Therefore shall you lay up these My Words in your heart and in your soul; and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for Totafot טוטפות between your eyes
And you shall teach them your children, talking of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates;
that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth.
הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם, פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם; וְסַרְתֶּם, וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם.
וְחָרָה אַף-יְהוָה בָּכֶם, וְעָצַר אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא-יִהְיֶה מָטָר, וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת-יְבוּלָהּ; וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה, נֹתֵן לָכֶם
וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת-דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה, עַל-לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל-נַפְשְׁכֶם; וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל-יֶדְכֶם, וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם.
וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת-בְּנֵיכֶם, לְדַבֵּר בָּם, בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ, וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל-מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ, וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ
לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם, וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם, עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם–כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל-הָאָרֶץ
Deuteronomy 11:16-21 דברים יא:טז-כא
Totafot טוטפות are the three mental gifts of the Messiah המשיח. These gifts are the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and the Discerning of spirits. They fit into the three categories of the Torah התורה that are mentioned above. The Messiah Yeshua exercised these gifts during his ministry to Israel when he was on this earth. Being the son of David, the son of Abraham, HASHEM sent him into this world to be His miraculous firstborn son. He turned the children of Israel from idolatry to the kingdom of HASHEM. After he had purged us from our sins by his blood which he shed after intense sufferings on the Roman executions stake, his body was laid in the tomb for three days. After three days HASHEM raised him physically from the dead, Yeshua ישוע became the firstborn, the first fruit, of the resurrection of the dead.
As it is written in the second Psalm:
‘Truly I that have established My king upon Zion, My holy mountain.’
I will declare the decree: the LORD said unto me:
‘You are My son, this day have I begotten you.
Ask of Me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.
וַאֲנִי נָסַכְתִּי מַלְכִּי: עַל-צִיּוֹן, הַר-קָדְשִׁי
אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל-חֹק: יְהוָה אָמַר אֵלַי
בְּנִי אַתָּה–אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ
שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי–וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ; וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ אַפְסֵי-אָרֶץ
Psalms 2:6-9 תהלים ב:ו-ט
After the Messiah Yeshua המשיח ישוע rose from the dead, he walked in his resurrection body for forty days and forty nights upon the mountains of Israel, appearing to great numbers of Israelis, and talking and eating with them. Then he ascended on high from the Mount of Olives outside of Jerusalem, and sat down on the right hand of HASHEM in the heavens. This fulfilled what was written in the Prophets:
You have ascended on high,
you have led captivity captive;
you have taken gifts to give among men,
yea, among the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell there.
עָלִיתָ לַמָּרוֹם, שָׁבִיתָ שֶּׁבִי—
לָקַחְתָּ מַתָּנוֹת בָּאָדָם
וְאַף סוֹרְרִים, לִשְׁכֹּן יָהּ אֱלֹהִים
Psalms 68:19 תהלים סח:יט
The LORD declares to my lord: ‘Sit at My right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.’
נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי—שֵׁב לִימִינִי
עַד-אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ
Psalms 110:1 תהלים קי:א
Among these gifts are the Totafot טוטפות which are the three mental gifts: the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, and the Discerning of spirits.
The Messiah המשיח moved in these gifts before and after his resurrection.
As it is written concerning Him in the prophets:
And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears;
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the land;
וַהֲרִיחוֹ בְּיִרְאַת יְהוָה; וְלֹא-לְמַרְאֵה עֵינָיו יִשְׁפּוֹט, וְלֹא-לְמִשְׁמַע אָזְנָיו יוֹכִיחַ
וְשָׁפַט בְּצֶדֶק דַּלִּים, וְהוֹכִיחַ בְּמִישׁוֹר לְעַנְוֵי-אָרֶץ
Isaiah 11:3-4 ישעיה יא:ג-ד
These gifts are operated by the Spirit of G-d רוח אלהים.
This is what the Messiah Yeshua המשיח ישוע did, as it is written in the prophets:
And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots.
And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
וְיָצָא חֹטֶר, מִגֵּזַע יִשָׁי; וְנֵצֶר מִשָּׁרָשָׁיו יִפְרֶה
וְנָחָה עָלָיו, רוּחַ יְהוָה–רוּחַ חָכְמָה וּבִינָה, רוּחַ עֵצָה וּגְבוּרָה, רוּחַ דַּעַת, וְיִרְאַת יְהוָה
Isaiah 11:1-2 ישעיה יא:א-ב
These three gifts of the Messiah המשיח confirm the three commandments of the Totafot טוטפות found in the three passages of the Torah התורה. They confirm the redemption of the firstborn. They confirm the commandments of HASHEM to love Him and to serve Him only. They confirm the prohibition against idolatry by helping to promote the total unreserved love for HASHEM. This fulfills the word spoken by the prophets:
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people
כִּי זֹאת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אֶכְרֹת אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי הַיָּמִים הָהֵם, נְאֻם-יְהוָה, נָתַתִּי אֶת-תּוֹרָתִי בְּקִרְבָּם, וְעַל-לִבָּם אֶכְתְּבֶנָּה; וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים, וְהֵמָּה יִהְיוּ-לִי לְעָם
Jeremiah 31:32 ירמיה לא: לב
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me.
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land in truth with My whole heart and with My whole soul.
וְכָרַתִּי לָהֶם בְּרִית עוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר לֹא-אָשׁוּב מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם, לְהֵיטִיבִי אוֹתָם וְאֶת–יִרְאָתִי אֶתֵּן בִּלְבָבָם, לְבִלְתִּי סוּר מֵעָלָי
וְשַׂשְׂתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם, לְהֵטִיב אוֹתָם; וּנְטַעְתִּים בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת
בֶּאֱמֶת–בְּכָל-לִבִּי, וּבְכָל-נַפְשִׁי
Jeremiah 32:40-41 ירמיה לב: מ-מא
The Messiah Yeshua ,המשיח ישוע who sits at the right hand of HASHEM, makes these three gifts available to those followers of Him who are wholly and completely submitted to Him. These gifts are operated by the Spirit of G-d רוח אלהים who dwells in these followers of the Messiah. The Holy Spirit teaches them as they follow His direction. There is no set pattern or formula for the natural mind and the five senses to operate in these gifts. They are learned by obedience to the direction of the Spirit of G-d רוח אלהים. Every circumstance can be different. The power of HASHEM will accomplish the will of HASHEM in every circumstance. The three gifts of the Messiah המשיח are these:
- The Word of Knowledge
The ability to access and to know facts and information past and present.
- The Word of Wisdom
Understanding how to apply knowledge, and to know the repercussions of actions in order to accomplish the will of HASHEM
- The Discerning of spirits.
The ability to see and identify demons and their doctrines and their operations.
These gifts are administered by the Messiah Yeshua, and they are operated by HASHEM.
Their manifestation and facilitation is by the Spirit of G-d רוח אלהים.
A person must be under the authority of the Messiah המשיח and be led by the
Spirit of G-d רוח אלהים to operate in these gifts and to implement them.
These gifts also enhance the awareness of the Messiah and His imminent return to set up the kingdom of David.
The gifts also help prevent the person from engaging in the works of the flesh, which oppose the kingdom of HASHEM, and always end up in idolatry.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
idolatry, sorcery, witchcraft, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, seditions, heresies,
envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
נוֹדָעִים הֵמָּה פָּעֳלֵי הַבָּשָׂר
אֲשֶׁר הֵם נִאֻפִים זְנוּת טֻמְאָה וְזִמָּה
עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים וּכְשָׁפִים אֵיבוֹת וּמַצָּה וְקִנְאָה וָרוגֶז מְרִיבוֹת מַחֲלוקוֹת וְכִתּוֹת
עַיִן רָעָה וָרֶצַח שִׁכָּרוֹן וְזוֹלֲלוּת וְדוֹמֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר אומַר מַה־שֶּׁכְּבָר אָמַרְתִּי
כִּי־עושֵׂי אֵלֶּה לא יִנְחֲלוּ מַלְכוּת הָאֱלהִים
But I say, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
וְהִנְנִי אומֵר הִתְהַלְּכוּ בָּרוּחַ וְלא תְמַלְאוּ אֶת־תַּאֲוֹת הַבָּשָׂר