Menachot 64

דכתבינהו אדוכסוסטוס במקום בשר

he wrote them on that side of duksustus nearest to the flesh.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And in either case it is invalid, for the Scriptural portions of the tefillin must be written only on the internal side of kelaf, i.e., the side nearest to the flesh, and any variation would render invalid. On the other hand the mezuzah may be written on any kind of parchment, kelaf or duksustus.');">¹</span> Alternatively I can say that the ruling, 'If on did otherwise in either case<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., both as regards the tefillin and the mezuzah.');">²</span> [it is invalid]', is dependent upon Tannaim.

ואיבעית אימא שינה בזה ובזה תנאי היא דתניא שינה בזה ובזה פסול ר' [אחא מכשיר משום רבי] אחאי ברבי חנינא ואמרי לה משמיה דרבי עקיבא ברבי חנינא

For it was taught: If one did otherwise in either case,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., both as regards the tefillin and the mezuzah.');">²</span> it is invalid; R'Ahai declares it valid on the authority of R'Ahai B'R'Hanina (others say, On the authority of R'Jacob B'R'Hanina.) Again, if it were permitted to bring down what is of a higher sanctity to a lower sanctity, [you say that] one would be allowed to make [a mezuzah out of tefillin]?

הא מורידין עושין והא בעיא שרטוט דאמר רב מניומי בר חלקיה אמר רב חמא בר גוריא אמר רב כל מזוזה שאינה משורטטת פסולה ורב מנימין בר חלקיה דידיה אמר שרטוט של מזוזה הלכה למשה מסיני

But it must be written on ruled lines!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whereas the Scriptural portions of the tefillin are not written on ruled lines, so that the portions of the tefillin cannot serve for the mezuzah.');">³</span> For R'Minyomi B'Hilkiah said in the name of R'Hama B'Goria who said it in the name of Rab, A mezuzah that is not written on ruled lines is invalid. Moreover, R'Minyomi B'Hilkiah on his own authority said that [the rule for writing] the mezuzah on ruled lines is a law handed to Moses at Sinai! - Tannaim differ on this point, for it was taught: R'Jeremiah said in the name of our Master:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbi (?)');">⁴</span>

תנאי היא דתניא ר' ירמיה אומר משום רבינו תפילין ומזוזות נכתבות שלא מן הכתב ואין צריכות שירטוט

Tefillin and mezuzoth may be written from memory<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lit., 'not from the writing'; i.e., without a copy.');">⁵</span> and need not be written on ruled lines. The halachah<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the law which was given to Moses at Sinai; so Rashi Meg. 18b.');">⁶</span>

והילכתא תפילין לא בעי שרטוט ומזוזה בעיא שירטוט ואידי ואידי נכתבות שלא מן הכתב מ"ט מיגרס גריסין

is: Tefillin need not be written on ruled lines, the mezuzah must be written on ruled lines, and both may be written from memory. What is the reason? - They are well known by heart. R'Helbo said, I once saw R'Huna when he wished to sit down on a couch upon which lay a scroll of the Law, invert a vessel on the ground, place the scroll upon it, and then sit on the couch.

אמר רב חלבו אנא חזיתיה לרב הונא דהוה יתיב אפוריא דס"ת עליה וכף לכדא אארעא ואנח עליה ס"ת והדר יתיב במיטה קסבר אסור לישב על גבי מיטה שס"ת מונח עליה

For he was of the opinion that it was forbidden to sit on a couch upon which lay a scroll of the Law. This is at variance with the opinion of Rabbah B'Bar Hanah; for Rabbah B'Bar Hanah said in the name of R'Johanan, It is permitted to sit on a bed upon which lies a scroll of the Law. And if someone should whisper in your ear [seeking to contradict you] saying, It is related of R'Eleazar that once, while sitting on his bed, he remembered that a scroll of the Law lay on it, whereupon he slipped off and sat upon the ground, and it appeared as though he had been bitten by a serpent, [answer him that] there the scroll of the Law was actually lying upon the ground.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And as an expression of his sorrow for the Scroll that was lying on the ground R. Eleazar also sat down on the ground. Had it, however, been on the bed, he would not have objected to anyone sitting on the same bed.');">⁷</span>

ופליגא דרבה בר בר חנה דאמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן מותר לישב על גבי מיטה שספר תורה מונח עליה ואם לחשך אדם לומר מעשה בר' אלעזר שהיה יושב על המיטה ונזכר שס"ת מונח עליה ונשמט וישב ע"ג קרקע ודומה כמי שהכישו נחש התם ס"ת על גבי קרקע הוה

Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel, If one wrote it<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Sc. the mezuzah. And so throughout this passage.');">⁸</span> like a letter,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., it was written without having ruled the lines beforehand and without special care as to the spelling of the words (Rashi) .');">⁹</span> it is invalid.

אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל כתבה אגרת פסולה מ"ט אתיא כתיבה כתיבה מספר

Why? - Because of the inference that is made by the expression 'writing', which is used here [in connection with the mezuzah] and also there in connection with the scroll.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In connection with the mezuzah it is written (Deut. VI,9) : And thou shalt write them, and in connection with the Book of the Law it is written');">¹⁰</span> Rab Judah also said in the name of Samuel, If one hung it on a stick,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a stick was fastened to the door-post and the mezuzah was hung on the stick.');">¹¹</span> it is invalid.

ואמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל תלאה במקל פסולה מ"ט בשעריך בעינן תניא נמי הכי תלאה במקל או שהניחה אחר הדלת סכנה ואין בה מצוה

Why? Because it must be upon thy gates.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VI, 9. It must be upon the actual door-post.');">¹²</span> A Baraitha has also been taught to this effect: If one hung it on a stick, or attached it the wall] behind the door, it is a danger<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For one might easily knock against it (Tosaf.) .');">¹³</span>

של בית מונבז המלך היו עושין בפונדקותיהן כן זכר למזוזה

and it is no fulfilment of the precept. The household of King Monobaz used to do so when staying at a hostel,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since there is no obligation to affix mezuzoth to a temporary abode.');">¹⁴</span> merely in remembrance of the mezuzah.

ואמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל מצוה להניחה בתוך חללו של פתח פשיטא בשעריך אמר רחמנא ס"ד אמינא הואיל ואמר רבא מצוה להניחה

Rab Judah further said in the name of Samuel, The precept is to fix it within the space of the door.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., upon that side of the door-post which faces the door but not upon the side which faces the street or the house within.');">¹⁵</span> Is not this obvious? Does not the Divine Law say, And upon thy gates?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Deut. VI, 9. It must be fixed on the side where the door shuts, which is on the inside of the framework of the door-post.');">¹⁶</span> - I might have thought that, since Raba stated that the [proper performance of the] precept is to fix it