Commentary for Berakhot 28:16
רב משי ידיה וקרא ק"ש ואנח תפילין וצלי והיכי עביד הכי והתניא החופר כוך למת בקבר פטור מק"ש ומן התפלה ומן התפילין ומכל מצות האמורות בתורה הגיע זמן ק"ש עולה ונוטל ידיו ומניח תפילין וקורא ק"ש ומתפלל
Rab washed his hands, read the Shema', put on the Tefillin and then offered his prayers. How could he act thus? For lo, there is a teaching : One who is digging a cavity for a corpse is exempt from the obligation of reading the Shema', the Tefillah, Tefillin and all the commandments mentioned in the Torah ; but when the time of reading the Shema' arrives, he ascends, washes his hands, puts on the Tefillin, reads the Shema' and offers his prayers?
Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
To read the Shema' before putting on the Tefillin. From the following discussion it will be seen that this was not Rab's regular practice, but he did so on one occasion.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
Edd. add בקבר "in a grave," which is probably a gloss. M. reads בקיר "in a wall" i.e. of a cave or vault, where graves were often excavated. See J.E. III. p. 437, T.A. II. pp. 72 ff.
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Abraham Cohen Footnotes to the English Translation of Masechet Berakhot
On the principle "One who is occupied with a religions duty is exempt from a religious duty." Cf. the discussion on fol. 11a, p. 68.
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