New Patent Allows Amputees to Put on Tefillin

tefillin (Wikipedia) (Wikipedia)

The device allows soldiers missing a hand to put on tefillin independently, in accordance with Jewish law. ‘This isn’t just a technical fix; it restored my self-respect.’

By Ben Rappaport, United with Israel

A new patent is helping to restore the independence of soldiers injured in combat, allowing those who have lost an arm to fulfill the mitzvah of putting on tefillin, Ynet reported Thursday.

Putting on tefillin involves fastening a leather box containing Torah verses to the upper arm, facing the heart, with a leather strap connected to the box. The remaining length of the strap is then wrapped around the arm and hand. Understandably, the procedure can pose a considerable challenge for those missing a hand.

The new device, unveiled by Alyn Hospital in Jerusalem in collaboration with a team from Sheba Medical Center, addresses the challenge posed by amputees, securing the tefillin on the arm without the need for an extra hand.

This is brilliant.

Jews are awesome.

A new device has been patented that allows wounded soldiers who are single-handed amputees to put on tefillin by themselves.

The base of the device connects to a table or desk, allowing the amputee to slide the tefillin onto their arm and… pic.twitter.com/gMvttHxJWO

— Yaakov Langer (@jacklanger) January 2, 2025

The IDF has created a device for amputees to wrap Tefillin. This is what it means to be a nation that defends not just its people, but its spirit and traditions. 📜

Am Yisrael Chai! 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/edg53iipY4

— Jews Fight Back 🇺🇸🇮🇱 (@JewsFightBack) January 5, 2025

According to Ynet, the device has already benefited injured soldiers, including Itay, a 26-year-old soldier who lost part of his right arm during operational activity.

“I always dreamed of regaining full independence,” Itay said.

“Putting on tefillin, a daily ritual, became a challenge after my injury,” he explained, noting, “One of the biggest challenges for amputees putting on tefillin is not just wrapping the straps but ensuring precise placement on the arm as required by halacha [Jewish law].”

Introduced to the device during his rehabilitation, Itay noted at first being skeptical. “But I realized a team of professionals—engineers and occupational therapists—had developed a solution for people like me. They created a custom device that lets me hold the tefillin stably, despite my physical limitation,” he said.

“This isn’t just a technical fix; it restored my self-respect,” Itay added. “I can now perform this daily mitzvah without relying on others.”

Hila Borel, the director of the Alyn Hospital team, said the project addressed “a real need that required an innovative and creative approach, one that required cooperation between different fields of knowledge such as rehabilitation, engineering and halachic law,” she said.

“We strive to enable anyone interested in putting on tefillin to do so independently, regardless of age or physical limitations. Beyond the technical aspect, this is a process that restores people’s sense of control and self-respect, and this, for us, is the true meaning of success in such a project,” she added.

Einat Carmeli, director of the Sheba team, noted, “We felt that we were not only developing technological solutions, but also giving people back something of their ability to be themselves.”

“The challenge here was twofold: on the one hand, to find customized solutions that allow people with physical limitations to handle an action that requires delicate skill, and on the other, to maintain absolute fidelity to the halacha. For us, it is not just a technical solution, but also a mission,” she concluded.