Responsa for Shabbat 123:4

התם משום שי"ן דאמר אביי שי"ן של תפילין הלכה למשה מסיני ואמר אביי ד' של תפילין הלכה למשה מסיני ואמר אביי יו"ד של תפילין הלכה למשה מסיני:

Abaye also said: The daleth of tefillin is a halachah of Moses at Sinai. Abaye also said: The yod of tefillin is a halachah of Moses at Sinai.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The strap of the head-phylactery is knotted at the back of the head in the shape of a daleth ([H]); that of the hand-phylactery forms a noose and is knotted near the capsule in the shape of a yod ([H]). Cf. Heilprin. Seder ha-Doroth, I, p. 208 ed. Maskileison. Warsaw, 1897. Thus the three together make up the word [H] = Almighty. Tosaf., however, s.v. [H], deletes Abaye's last two statements on the daleth and yod. ');">4

Shut min haShamayim

Regarding those men who wear rings on their hands, and walk out wearing them in the public domain on Shabbat. They rely on the Mishnah (Shabbat 6:10) "One may go out with a locust’s egg, a fox’s tooth, and a nail from the cross of a convict for purposes of healing." They say that gold, too, is carried for the purpose of healing. I asked [in my dream] if their reasoning makes any sense. If it doesn't, they are liable for a transgression, as in the ruling of the Mishnah¹Mishnah Shabbat 6:1. Rashi and Tosafot disagree on the Talmud's reinterpretation of the mishnaic text (Shabbat 62a:9). The reading proposed here fits Rashi on Shabbat 62a:9, as well as Rif Shabbat 28b, whereby wearing a ring with no signet is considered carrying for a man, and he is liable to bring a sin-offering.

Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy

Previous Verse Full Chapter Next Verse