U'KESHARTAM L'OS: AWAY GAMES

The Sefer Hachinuch gives us an amazing insight into the mitzvah of tefillin. A person’s guf longs to do all kinds of aveiros; it is only the spiritual strength of the neshama that stops it. But because the guf originates from the earth and the neshama from heaven, the guf is on “home territory,” so to speak, while the neshama is away. Thus, the yetzer hara has a built-in advantage.

The neshama therefore needs guards to help it in its fight against the yetzer hara.

Tefillin are one of those shomrim.

Adapted from Emunah in the Classroom