Jim at PaleoJudaica posted a reference to an article (in The Forward, no less) on the use of the term "phylacteries" and the dating of tefillin. Very good stuff. The author's conclusion is very encouraging:

By all means, let Jews use the word "tefillin" rather than "phylacteries," and let them encourage non-Jews to do so, too — but let them not take offense when "phylacteries" is encountered. It is not in itself a disparaging word. Matthew, after all, was not attacking the wearing of tefillin per se (how could he when he knew Jesus wore them?), but rather what he took to be the wearing of ostentatiously large ones for the purpose of making an impression. We needn't be scared off by him.

Labels: Judaism