Halakhah for Menachot 70:5
מכלל דאית להו שיעורא וכמה שיעורייהו אמר רמי בר חמא אמר ר"ל עד אצבע צרדה רב כהנא מחוי כפוף רב אשי מחוי פשוט
Apparently there is a fixed length [for the strap], what then is the minimum length? - Rami B'Hama said in the name of Resh Lakish, To the middle finger.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The reference evidently is to the length of the strap of the hand-tefillah, and the rule is that it must reach from the place that the tefillah is laid upon the arm to the middle finger (either bent or extended) . So 'Aruch, Maim., and Tosaf. According to Rashi the reference is to the length of the straps that hang down beyond the knot that is tied at the back of the head. And the answer given 'To the first finger', is explained by R. Kahana as that length corresponding to the greatest distance between the first and middle fingers, and by R., Ashi as that length corresponding to the greatest distance between the first finger and the thumb. The translation in the text follows the explanation of the 'Aruch.');"><sup>8</sup></span> R'Kahana explained it, [To the middle finger] when bent, but R'Ashi explained it, [To the middle finger] when extended. Rabbah used to tie the knot at the back of his head and allow [the straps] to fall straight down [over his shoulders].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' At the back (Rashi) ; or, in front over the shoulders (Tosaf.) .');"><sup>9</sup></span>
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