And I Will Betrothe You to Me

(2) The Tefillin Shel Yad is bound on the left arm over the biceps muscle which is the flesh that stands out on the upper arm that is intermediate between the shoulder-blade and forearm, so that when the upper arm is held close to the ribs, the Tefillin will be opposite the heart and thus the precept will be fulfilled, "And these words … shall be upon thine heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6).

(Exodus 13:9) "And it [the account of the exodus] shall be to you as a sign..." — one roll of parchment containing four sections [of the Torah]. It would be logical then: Since the Torah mentions tefillin for both the hand and for the head, then just as there are four compartments in the headpiece, so there should be four compartments in the armpiece. [Therefore] the Torah says: "and it shall be to you as a sign" — one parchment containing four sections.

I might think that just as in the armpiece there is one parchment, so, should there be [only one] in the headpiece. It would be logical then: Since the Torah prescribes tefillin for both the hand and for the head, then just as in the handpiece there is one parchment, so too should there be in the headpiece. [Therefore] the Torah says: four times (in respect to the headpiece) "le'totafot." But in that case perhaps one should make four headpieces of four sections each? [Therefore] the Torah says "and as a memorial between your eyes." One compartment for four sections.

(1) 1. The four section from the Torah are: "Sanctify to me..."; "When you bring...", which are in the book of Shemot; and "Listen..." and "When you listen..." They are written separately, and we cover them with leather, and they are called tefillin. We place them on the head and tie it on the arm, even if one crown of one letter of the four section are not properly written, the Torah says that they are prevented from being fit, until they are written completely as they have been established...

There are eight halachot with regards to the making of tefillin that are halachah from Moses at Sinai, and therefore each of them prevent tefillin from being fit, and if one changes but one of them, they are until, and they are:

1. They must be square, and they are sown shut in a square, and they casing must be square on all sides.

2. In the leather of the headpiece is the shape of a shin on the right and on the left.

3. The parchments must be tied with a piece of parchment.

4. The parchments must then be tied with hair above the scrap, and then placed into the compartments.

5. They must be tied shut with sinew.

6. They must be made with a passage from leather covering that straps can pass through easily.

7. The straps must be black.

8. They knot must be in the shape of a dalet.

The tefillin for the head does not prevent the arm piece, and the tefillin for the arm does not prevent the headpiece, because they are two commandments, each one on its own.

How does one say the blessing for the headpiece? One says: who makes us holy and commands us regarding refilling. And for the arm piece, one says: who makes us holy and commands us to place tefillin.

(7) ...All positive, time-bound commandments, men are obligated and women are exempt.

"All positive, time-bound mitzvot". The Sages taught: What is a positive, time-bound mitzva? sukka, and lulav, shofar and tzitzit and tefillin.

Rather, we must say that it is this tanna who maintains that Shabbat is a time for phylacteries, as it was taught in a baraita: Michal, daughter of Kushi, King Saul, would don phylacteries, and the Sages did not protest against her behavior, as she was permitted to do so. And similarly, Jonah’s wife would undertake the Festival pilgrimage and the Sages did not protest against her practice.

...Women, slaves and children are exempt from [the mitzvah of] tzitzit [both] from the Torah and from the Rabbis...but women and slaves who wish to wear tzitzit may wear [them] without a blessing, and so too for other mitzvot where women are exempt, if they wish to do them without a blessing, we do not protest.

"so that the Torah of God be in your mouth": What is the intent of this? From "And it shall be to you as a sign," I would assume that women, too, are included (in the mitzvah of tefillin). And this would follow, viz.: Since both mezuzah and tefillin are positive commandments, then if we have learned that (the mitzvah of) mezuzah obtains with women as well as with men, the same is true of (the mitzvah of) tefillin. It is, therefore, written (in respect to tefillin) "so that the mitzvah of tefillin be in your mouth." (the mitzvah of tefillin obtains) only with one who is commanded to study Torah. From here they derived: All are commanded to put on tefillin except women and bondsmen. Michal the daughter of Kush would wear tefillin. Jonah's wife would go up (to Jerusalem) for the festival. Tavi, R. Gamliel's bondsman would wear tefillin.

Rabbi Yannai said: Tefillin require a guf naki, like Elisha Ba’al Kenafayim. What is it (guf naki)? Abbaye said: That he not pass gas in them. Rava said: That he not sleep in them. And why is he called Ba’al Kenafayim? Because once the wicked Roman government decreed on Israel that the brain of anyone who lays tefillin will be perforated. Elisha would lay them and go out to the marketplace. A quaestor saw him. He [Elisha] ran away from him and he ran after him. When he [the Roman] reached him, he [Elisha] took them off his head and held them in his hand. He said to him [Elisha]: What is that in your hand? He [Elisha] said to him: Dove’s wings. He opened his hand, and there were dove’s wings. Therefore, he is called Elisha Ba’al Kenafayim [Elisha Man of wings].

The mitzva [of tefillin] is for them to be on all day. But since they require a guf naki, that he not pass gas in them and that he not be distracted from them, and not every person is able to be careful with them, the practice is not to lay them all day long. In any case, each person needs to be careful to have them on at the time of keri’atShema and prayer.

It makes sense to explain that the rationale of the one who says that it was not permissible [for Michal to lay tefillin voluntarily] is because tefillin require a guf naki, and women are not scrupulous to be careful.

The holiness of tefillin is a high level of holiness. While the tefillin are on one's head and on one's arm, one is humble, and in awe of God, and does not participate in jokes or in idle conversation, and does not think inappropriate thoughts but rather turns their heart to matters of truth and righteousness...