אין כותבין תפילין לא על עורות בהמה טמאה ולא על עורות חיה טמאה אבל כותבין על עורות נבלות וטרפות ואין חוששין שמא עורות לבובין הן: It is not permitted to write [the four scrolls of] tefillin1These are specified below. Cf. also the Introduction. on skins of ritually unclean cattle or on skins of ritually unclean wild animals. It is permitted, however, to write them on skins of nebeloth and ṭerefoth and there is no need to consider the possibility of their having been pierced at the animal’s heart.2There was a heathen practice to remove the heart from an animal while it was still alive and offer it as a sacrifice. Rabbinic law regards such an animal as an idolatrous offering (cf. Mishnah ‘A.Z. 29b, Sonc. ed., p. 145) and forbids its entire use, including the skin.
נקבו במקום הכתב פסולים במקום הריוח כשרים עשאן ווין זיינין זיינין ווין פשוטים כפופים כפופים פשוטים פתוחים סתומים סתומים פתוחים או ששנה אותיותיהן או שכתבן עברית או שעשאן כמין קמיע הרי אלו פסולים: If [tefillin scrolls] were perforated, they become unfit for religious use [if the hole occurred] in the written part; but if it occurred in the margin they remain fit. If the letter waw was shaped like a zayin or vice versa, straight-lined letters like curved ones3The final kaf, e.g., like an ordinary kaf. or vice versa, open letters closed4Such as an ordinary mem like a final mem. or vice versa, or if the shape of their letters had been altered [in any other way], or if they were written in [obsolete] Hebrew, or were made as a kind of amulet—they are unfit for religious use.
נשים ועבדים וקטנים פטורין מן התפילין כל קטן שהוא יודע לשמור את תפיליו חייב בתפילין מעשה בטבי עבדו של רבי גמליאל שהיה מניח תפילין מיכל בת שאול היתה מנחת תפילין אשתו של יונה היתה עולה לירושלם: Women, slaves and minors5Boys under thirteen years of age. On the exemption of women, cf. Ẓiẓith §1. are exempt from [the commandment of] tefillin. A minor who knows how to take care of his tefillin is subject to the law of tefillin. It is related that Ṭabi, R. Gamaliel’s slave, used to put on tefillin; Michal, Saul’s daughter, used to put on tefillin; Jonah’s wife used to make the festival pilgrimages6[For Ṭabi, cf. j.‘Erub. X, I, 26a; for the two women, cf. ‘Erub. 96a (Sonc. ed., p. 665).] to Jerusalem.7Although the commandment applied only to males (cf. Ex. 34, 23).
נושאי המטה וחילופיהן וחילופי חילופיהן (או) [את] שלפני המטה (או) [את] שלאחר המטה כל שלצורך המטה פטורין ושאין צורך המטה בהם חייבין עמדו להספד המספידין פטורים והרואים את הפנים חייבין: [Regarding] the bearers of a bier [to the burial place] and those who relieve them8In carrying the bier. and those who relieve the latter, whether in front of the bier or behind the bier9Who have not yet carried it or have done so respectively.—all who are required [to carry] the bier are exempt10This is in disagreement with the ruling in the Mishnah (Ber. 17b, Sonc. ed., p. 106) where only those who are in front of the bier are exempt if they are required to carry it. Those behind are always liable even if their help is required, since they had already done their duty to the dead (cf. Rashi ad loc.). [from putting on tefillin], but those who are not required for the bier are liable. When a halt is made for lamentations,11A number of such halts were made by those who returned from a burial to the mourner’s house. (Cf. Semaḥoth X.] those who are engaged in the lamentations are exempt, but those12In the back rows when they stand several deep. who cannot see13So in accordance with Ber. 19b (Sonc. ed., p. 117). V reads ‘those who see’. the inside [space between the rows]14Where the mourner is. are liable.
האומר בא על פני שהוא כתב או נתן עליו ספר נתן עליו תפילין ה״ז לא ישמע לו: If a person says [to another], ‘Come and read [a Scriptural text] over my son because he is frightened’, or ‘Write, or place, upon him a [holy] scroll’, or ‘Put tefillin upon him that he may sleep’,15This is the reading in j.Shab. VI, 2, 8b. The text in V is corrupt. he should not be listened to.16Because sacred objects should not be used for such purposes. Cf. Sanh. 101a (Sonc. ed., p. 684, nn. 6f.).
(ש)התפילין מקבלת טומאה מזה ושונה ומטביל רבי חנינא בן גמליאל אומר צריך הוא להתירה נפלה לתוך המים ושהתה כדי שתמחק צריכה בדיקה: A tefillah17V has the plural form. is susceptible of ritual uncleanness. [If it becomes unclean, the priest] sprinkles upon it [the water of the red heifer]18Cf. Num. 19. and repeats the process, and then immerses it [in a ritual bath]. R. Ḥanina b. Gamaliel says: It is necessary to unloose it.19To remove the stitches that hold the parts of the capsule together, in order that the water may penetrate to all parts. If [a tefillah] fell into water and remained there long enough [for the writing] to be washed away, it should be subjected to an examination.20To make sure that the writing is still in a good condition or to repair it if necessary.
רצועות תפילין לוקחין מכל מקום רשב״ג אומר כל עור שנעשה בו מלאכה אסור: Straps of tefillin may be bought anywhere.21There is no need, as in the case with the tefillin, to buy them from a reliable person. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says: Any skin that had been used [for a secular] purpose is forbidden [to be used for the straps of tefillin].22Hence they must be bought only from a reliable person who can guarantee that no previous use had been made of the skin.
אין לוקחין תפילין אלא מן המומחה ואם אין שם מומחה נותן זוג אחד ובודק לא שיתן לו פרשיות המוכר אלא שיטול הוא לעצמו ויבדוק בדק ומצא כראוי נוטל כל האגודה ואינו חושש: Tefillin may be bought only from a reliable person;23One who can testify that they were prepared in accordance with the law. and where there is no reliable person a pair of tefillin should be given [to an expert] who examines them. This does not mean that the seller gives him the scrolls, but that he himself chooses what he pleases and has them examined.24lit. ‘that he takes for himself and he examines’. If on examination the selected tefillin prove to be fit,25lit. ‘he examined and found as proper’. he may take all the batch without any scruples.26The fitness of the sample is assumed to represent the fitness of the whole batch.
תפלה של ראש נכתבת ארבע פרשיות קדש לי והיה כי יביאך שמע והיה אם שמוע וכן של יד אלא שהוא עושה של יד פרשה אחת ואם עשאה ארבע פרשיות כשרה רבי יהודה אומר יתפור ויתנם לתוך קמיע מודה ר׳ יהודה שאם היה שניהם של ראש חופה אחת מהן (כעודן) [בעור] ועושה אותה של יד: The [sections of the] head-tefillah are written on four separate scrolls27lit. ‘sections’. [beginning with] Sanctify unto Me;28Ex. 13, 1-10. And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee;29ibid. 11-16. Hear;30Deut. 6, 4-9. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken.31ibid. XI, 13-21. So also with the hand-tefillah, except that [all the four sections] are written in one scroll.32lit. ‘he makes one section’. If one wrote them in four separate scrolls [the tefillah] is fit for religious use. R. Judah says: They should be sewn together and put into one capsule.33Unlike the head-tefillah, which consists of four compartments joined together to form one capsule. R. Judah, however, admits that if two tefillin34lit. ‘both of them’. were [like] the head-tefillah, one may wrap one of them in a piece of leather and so convert it into a hand-tefillah.
תפלה של יד ניתנה בגובה של יד אף בין עיניך בגובה של ראש על ידך בין עיניך מה על ידך בגובה של יד אף בין עיניך בגובה של ראש כדברי ר״א בן יעקב ר׳ יהודה אומר נאמר על ידך ונאמר בין עיניך מה על ידך שהוא ראוי ליטמא (ברגע) [בנגע] אחד אף בין עיניך מקום שהוא ראוי ליטמא (ברגע) [בנגע] אחד נאמר בין עיניך ונאמר (דברים י״ד:א׳) ולא תשימו קרחה בין עיניכם מה קרחה במקום השער אף תפלה לא תתן אלא במקום השיער נאמר וכתבתם ונאמר וקשרתם יד הכותבת היא יד הקושרת: The hand-tefillah is put on the upper part of the hand35The biceps, and not on the palm of the hand. [because Scripture declares, And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand,36Ex. 13, 9. which means that the sign shall be for thee37Where only he who wears the tefillah can see it, i.e. on the biceps covered by the sleeve. but not for others38Had the tefillah been put on the palm of the hand it would be visible to all.]. 39The part enclosed in square brackets is based on Men. 37b (Sonc. ed., p. 229).So also [the Scriptural expression] between thine eyes40Ex. 13, 9. [implies] the upper part of the head, [because] upon thy hand and between thine eyes [occur in juxtaposition we infer]: as upon thy hand [means] on the upper part of the hand, so between thine eyes [means] on the upper part of the head. This is according to R. Eliezer b. Jacob; R. Judah says: It is stated upon thy hand and it is also stated [in the same verse] between thine eyes [the inference being that] as upon thy hand [refers to] a place that is susceptible of ritual uncleanness by one [symptom of] leprosy,41The biceps, like any other part of the body that is free from hair, is declared ritually unclean by one symptom only, viz. white hair in the leprous spot. so also between thine eyes [refers to] a place that is susceptible of ritual uncleanness by one [symptom of] leprosy.42Viz. the upper part of the head, whose symptom of uncleanness is yellow hair in the leprous spot. The region between the eyes, however, where both hair and clean flesh are to be found, can be declared unclean by either of the two symptoms (yellow or white hair) and must therefore be ruled out. [Another reason:] It is stated between thine eyes and it is also stated, Nor make any baldness between your eyes:43Deut. 14, 1. as baldness occurs where there is hair [on the head] so you must put the tefillah only where there is hair [on the hand].44Since both verses contain the expression between … eyes. It is stated, And thou shalt write them45Referring to the mezuzah (Deut. 6, 9). and it is also stated [in juxtaposition] and thou shalt bind them;46The tefillin (ibid. 8). [hence the inference that] the hand that writes [the mezuzah]47i.e. the right hand, with which most people write. is the hand that binds [the tefillah].48The hand-tefillah is therefore put on the left hand.
מצות תפילין מהשחר עד הערב הישן ביום אינו חושש לחלוץ את תפילין (המתכנין) [המשכים] לילך בדרך לא יתננה קודם למצוה ואם נותנה קודם למצוה נותן ידו עליהם בשעת מצוה ומברך: The commandment of [wearing] tefillin is from dawn until evening. If a person sleeps in the day-time he need not trouble to remove his tefillin. If a man rises early to go on a journey, he should not put them on before the time [for the performance] of the commandment; but if he had put them on before [the proper time for the performance of] the commandment, he should place his hand upon them at the time [for the performance] of the commandment49At dawn. and say the benedictions.
תפלה של יד אינה מעכבת של ראש ושל ראש אינה מעכבת של יד אם הפך את הקמיע מלמעלה לא יצא כשהוא נותן נותן של יד תחילה וכשהוא חולץ חולץ של ראש תחלה וכן לענין הסנדלין כשהוא נועל נועל של ימין תחלה וכשהוא חולץ חולץ של שמאל תחלה כיוצא בו כל הנכנס לסעודה (ראשון) [אחרון] יוצא ראשון חוץ מן הפת: [Absence of] the hand-tefillah does not prevent the religious use of the head-tefillah, neither does [the absence of] the head-tefillah prevent the religious use of the hand-tefillah.50Each tefillah is independent of the other. If a man inverted a tefillah capsule51When it is on his hand or head. he has not fulfilled his religious duty.
When a man puts on [the tefillin], he should put on that of the hand first; and when he takes them off, he should take off that of the head first. A similar rule applies in the case of sandals, viz. when he puts them on, he should put on that of the right foot first, and when he takes them off, he should take off that of the left foot first.52[Cf. DER. X, 1.] Likewise, any [dish] that is served last53Another and better reading is ‘first’. is removed first, except bread.54Which must remain on the table until the Grace after meals had been recited (cf. Sanh. 92a, Sonc. ed., p. 617).
העושה תפלתו עגולה סכנה שאין בה מצוה נותנה על מצחו או על פיסת ידו הרי זו דרך המינות ציפה זהב ונותנה על נקלה שלו והוא בית יד הרי זו דרך החיצונים בית: If a man makes his head-[tefillah] round, this is a dangerous practice55Because an accidental blow on it might split one’s head. Cf. Meg. 24b (Sonc. ed., p. 148, n. 2). which does not carry with it [the fulfilment of] the commandment.56The commandment being that it must be cube-shaped and flat at the base. To put [the head-tefillah] on one’s forehead or [the hand-tefillah] on the palm of one’s hand57In accordance with the literal meaning of the verse, And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes (Deut. 6, 8), which is contrary to the traditional interpretation. is in the manner of heresy.58Heb. minuth, used especially of the views and practices of the early Jewish-Christians. According to Maimonides the minim were Sadducees. To overlay them with gold or put [that of the hand] on one’s neḳlah, which means a sleeve, is the manner of the outsiders.59Persons who follow their own interpretation of Scripture and not that of the Rabbis. [On this paragraph, cf. J. Rabbinowitz, Mishnah Megillah, pp. 128f.] [63a]
מטלטלין תפילין בתוך הבית המוצא תפילין ברשות הרבים מכניסן זוג זוג ר״ג אומר שני זוגות אחד איש ואחד אשה אחד חדשות ואחד ישנות ר׳ יהודה אומר מותר בישנות ואסור בחדשות: Tefillin may be moved within a house [even on the Sabbath].60They are not regarded as articles forbidden to be handled on the Sabbath or Festival, although not worn on the holy days. If [on the Sabbath day] a man finds tefillin in a public domain,61Where they may be trodden upon. he should carry them [into a safe place] one pair at a time.62The hand-tefillah on his arm and the head-tefillah on his head in the same manner as they are worn on week-days. R. Gamaliel says: Two pairs at a time.63As there is sufficient room on the arm and on the head for two sets, he may put two hand-tefillin on his arm and two head-tefillin on his head. [This rule applies to] both men and women,64Although the latter are exempt from the commandment of tefillin. to new tefillin and to old. R. Judah says: [This procedure] is permitted with old tefillin65Which show marks of wear or have a proper knot, so that there can be no doubt that they were genuine tefillin. but forbidden with new.66Since they may be only amulets.
המוצא ספר או תכריך של תפילין נותנם לחבירו וחבירו לחבירו בשבת ואפילו הם מאה אם עמו נוטלו אחד מתוך ארבע אמות ונותנו לתוך ארבע אמות שהיה ר׳ שמעון אומר כל שהוא עומד בפני ב״ד אינו עומד ולא בכתבי הקדש מי שהיה בבית הספר או בבית המדרש בבית הכסא או בבית המרחץ ושכח לחלוץ את תפילין מכסן בשערו ויוצא ואם אינו יכול נכנס לבית קרוב וחולצן: If a man finds a [Torah] scroll or a bundle of tefillin,67In a public domain where they may be trodden upon. he should pass them on to his fellow, and his fellow should pass them on to his fellow on the Sabbath,68Each one carrying them a lesser distance than four cubits. Carrying an article a longer distance in a public domain is forbidden on the Sabbath. even though they be a hundred persons. If [there is no other person]69The words in square brackets are missing in V but inserted by H. with him, he70lit. ‘one [man]’. should take them up [while standing] within four cubits [distance from them] and remove them to [the next point] within four cubits [distance from the first point];71And so on, until he reaches a place where they can be properly deposited. because R. Simeon said: Any prohibition72Read ’issur with H instead of ‘omed (standing) in V. imposed by a Rabbinical Court73Such as the prohibition to carry objects in a public domain even within a distance of four cubits. does not apply to holy writings.74Consequently it is permitted on the Sabbath to carry a Torah scroll or tefillin to a place of safety, provided all the stages between the points of taking up and setting down are each less than four cubits in length.
If a man is in a school house or in a House of Study,75Places in which the tefillin would not be sufficiently protected if left there. [or] in a privy or a bath-house,76It would be disrespectful for the tefillin to be left there. and forgot to remove his tefillin,77Before the Sabbath had commenced, or before he entered the two last-mentioned places. he should cover them with his hair78So as not to be seen wearing tefillin on the Sabbath in public. and leave the place.79Taking them off when he reaches his home. If he is unable to do so, he should proceed to a near-by house where he takes them off.80Leaving them there until the termination of the Sabbath.
ונותנן לתוך אפונדתו אע״פ שיש לתוכה מעות ותולה אותם בכרעי המטה אם יש עמו אחר אסור לא יתנם תחת ראשו ואם היה משמרן מותר אם היה משא כבוד והזיע אינו חושש לחלוץ את תפילין היוצר חולץ של יד ומניח של ראש הנחתום חולץ של ראש ומניח של יד ואם היה אופה בשתי ידיו חולץ אף של יד: [Tefillin] may be put into a money-bag even when there is money in it. They may also be suspended from the legs of a bed; but if another person81A variant reading is: ‘if his wife be with him’. be with him [in bed] it is forbidden. They must not be placed under one’s head;82To sleep on them; and much more so under any other part of the body. but if thereby they are protected83From thieves or disrespectful treatment. it is permitted.
If a man carried a heavy load84[This and the following regulations applied at the time when the tefillin were worn throughout the day and not, as now, only during the morning prayers.] and was perspiring, he need not trouble to remove his tefillin. A potter should remove the hand-tefillah but wear the head-tefillah.85Since his work requires the use of his hands only. A baker should remove the head-tefillah86Otherwise the heat of the oven might damage it. and wear the hand-tefillah;87Using his right hand for the baking. but if he uses both hands in baking he also takes off the hand-tefillah.
הנכנס לבית הערומים חולץ את תפיליו ורוחק ארבע אמות מבין הערומים מקצתן ערומים ומקצתן מכוסים לא יחלץ בתחלה: [Regarding a bath-house], if a man is about to enter the room where persons are undressed, he removes his tefillin at a distance of four cubits from the nude persons. If some are undressed and others dressed, he does not remove his tefillin but should not put them on at the outset.88So according to H. V reads: ‘he shall not remove them at the outset’.
הנכנס לבורסקי למשרה ולכובסים חולץ את תפיליו ורוחק ארבע אמות הנכנס לבית הכסא חולץ את תפיליו ורוחק ארבע אמות ואם היתה רחיצה של כבוד לא יחליץ עד שיגיע: If a person is about to enter a tannery,89Where there are unpleasant smells. a pond [enclosure]90For steeping flax or similar things. or a wash-house, he removes his tefillin at a distance of four cubits. If a person is about to enter a privy, he removes the tefillin at a distance of four cubits. If it was a superior bathing-place,91[Cf. Tamid I, 1, Sonc. ed., p. 2, where the Temple was said to have ‘a superior privy’, its superiority being that it could be locked to prevent intrusion.] one does not remove the tefillin before he reaches it.
מעשה שהלך ר׳ אליעזר לאובלין אצל בעל הבית אחד נהגו שיטבל במערה פשט ר״א את כליו ופשט את תפיליו אמר ליה רבי והלא מי המערה זו יפים משל זו ולא היה בין זו לזו אלא ארבע אמות לבש ר״א את כליו ונתן את תפיליו שלא היה ר״א מהלך ארבע אמות בלא תפילין: It once happened that R. Eliezer went to Ubelin92Or, ‘Obelin’. There was a village of that name near Jaffa in S. Palestine, and one near Sepphoris in Galilee. A visit by R. Eliezer to Obelin is mentioned in ‘Erub. 11b-12a (Sonc. ed., pp. 71f.). [where he stayed] with a certain house-owner. It was a practice there to bathe in a cave. When R. Eliezer took his clothes off and removed his tefillin,93To bathe in one of the caves. [the host] said to him, ‘Rabbi, is not the water of that cave better than that of this one?’ And although there was only a distance of four cubits between the one and the other, R. Eliezer dressed and put on his tefillin,94To walk to the other cave. because he never walked four cubits without tefillin. In this manner did R. Eliezer make the commandment of tefillin a permanent practice.
כך היה ר״א עושה מצות תפילין קבע כך היה י׳א אומר גדולה היא מצות תפילין שכך אמר הקב״ה לישראל (יהושע א׳:ח׳) והגית בו יומם ולילה אמרו ישראל לפני הקב״ה רבון העולמים וכי אנו יכולין להגות יומם ולילה אמר להם הקב״ה בני הוו נותנים תפילין על ראשיכם ועל זרועותיכם ואני מעלה עליכם כאילו אתם הוגים בתורה יומם ולילה שנאמר (שמות י״ג:ט׳) והיה [לך] לאות על ידך ולזכרון בין עיניך למען תהיה תורת ה׳ בפיך: Thus used R. Eliezer to say: Great is the commandment of tefillin, for the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke as follows to Israel, But thou shalt meditate therein day and night.95Josh. 1, 8. ‘Sovereign of the universe,’ said Israel to the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘is it possible for us to meditate day and night [in the Torah]?’ The Holy One, blessed be He, answered them, ‘My children, put tefillin on your heads and on your arms and I shall account it to you as if you meditated in the Torah day and night’; as it is stated, And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in thy mouth.96Ex. 13, 9.
חביבים ישראל שהם מקיימין כל המצות שבתורה הא כיצד תפילין על ידיהם ותפילין על ראשיהם ומזוזה על פתחיהם וארבע ציציות על בגדיהם עליהם אומר דוד מלך ישראל (תהילים קי״ט:קס״ד-קס״ה) שבע ביום הללתיך על משפטי צדקך משלו משל למה הדבר דומה למלך שאמר לאשתו תהא מקושטת ומתוקנת לפני אמרה לו מפני מה אמר לה כדי שתהא רצויה לי כך אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא לישראל בני הוו מתוקנים ומקושטים לפני במצות אמרו לו מפני מה אמר להם כדי שתהיו רצוים לי שנאמר (שה״ש י) יפה את רעיתי כתרצה יפה את כשתהא רצויה לי במצות: Beloved are Israel [by God], for they observe all the commandments that are in the Torah. How? Tefillin on their hands, tefillin on their heads, a mezuzah on their doors and four ẓiẓith on their garments. Concerning them David, king of Israel, said, Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous ordinances.97Ps. 119, 164.
[The Sages] illustrated this with a parable. To what may this be compared? To a king who said to his wife, ‘Be well dressed and adorned in my presence’. ‘For what reason?’ she asked him. ‘In order that you may be acceptable to me,’ he replied. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, ‘My children, be well dressed and adorned in My presence with [your performance of] the commandments’. ‘For what reason?’ they asked Him. ‘In order,’ He replied, ‘that you may be acceptable to Me’; as it is stated, Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirẓah,98Cant. 6, 4. [which means,] ‘Thou art beautiful when thou art acceptable99Tirẓah is of the same root as raẓuï (acceptable). to Me through [thy performance of] the commandments’.