Menachot 69

Chapter 69

א אלא גוייתא לברייתא וברייתא לגוייתא אבל גוייתא לגוייתא וברייתא לברייתא לית לן בה

1 only [if he put] a portion that should be inside outside or what should be outside inside,1 but if he put what should be inside also inside or what should be outside also outside,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the portions of the second and third compartments (both inner portions) or of the first and fourth compartments (both outer portions) had been interchanged.');">2 it does not matter.

ב א"ל רבא מאי שנא גוייתא לברייתא וברייתא לגוייתא דלא דהך דבעי למיחזי אוירא לא קא חזייא והא דלא קא בעי למיחזי אוירא קא חזייא ברייתא לברייתא וגוייתא לגוייתא נמי הך דבעיא למיחזי אוירא דימין קא חזיא אוירא דשמאל ודשמאל קא חזיא אוירא דימין אלא ל"ש

2 Thereupon Raba said to him, Why is it that [the placing of] an inside portion outside or of an outside portion inside is not valid? It is, is it not, because that which should look out into the open does not do so, whilst that which should not look out into the open actually does so? Then, likewise, [the placing of] an outside portion also outside or an inside portion also inside [should also be invalid], since what should look out into the open on the right looks out on the left, and what should look out into the open on the left looks out on the right?

ג ואמר רב חננאל אמר רב תיתורא דתפילין הלכה למשה מסיני אמר אביי מעברתא דתפילין הלכה למשה מסיני ואמר אביי שי"ן של תפילין הלכה למשה מסיני

3 We must rather say that there Is no such distinction.3 R'Hananel also said in the name of Rab, The underside<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each tefillah, it must be remembered, is in the form of a square leather box upon a base, that of the hand consisting of one compartment and of the head of four compartments. In order to obtain the necessary shape (usually in the form of a cube) a mould or frame is used over which the skin whilst moist and pliable is tautly stretched. On being removed from the frame the skin is cut around to an equal length on three sides, whilst on the fourth side there is left a long strip of skin which, after allowing for a projection on this fourth side in order to provide a loop or a duct through which the straps are passed, is bent under the whole box so as to form the underside or the base of the tefillah. After inserting the necessary texts into the several compartments the base is stitched carefully to the extremities of the box on three sides.');">4 of the tefillin is a law given to Moses at Sinai.

ד וצריך שיגיע חריץ למקום התפר רב דימי מנהרדעא אמר כיון דמנכר לא צריך

4 Abaye said, The duct<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Each tefillah, it must be remembered, is in the form of a square leather box upon a base, that of the hand consisting of one compartment and of the head of four compartments. In order to obtain the necessary shape (usually in the form of a cube) a mould or frame is used over which the skin whilst moist and pliable is tautly stretched. On being removed from the frame the skin is cut around to an equal length on three sides, whilst on the fourth side there is left a long strip of skin which, after allowing for a projection on this fourth side in order to provide a loop or a duct through which the straps are passed, is bent under the whole box so as to form the underside or the base of the tefillah. After inserting the necessary texts into the several compartments the base is stitched carefully to the extremities of the box on three sides.');">4 of the tefillin is also a law given to Moses at Sinai. Abaye also said, The shin<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The letter shin must be embossed on the right and left sides of the head-tefillah. The shin on the right side (when worn by the person) is of the usual shape, whilst the shin on the left side has four heads, thus **.');">5

ה ואמר אביי האי קילפא דתפילין צריך למיבדקיה דדילמא אית בה ריעותא ובעינא כתיבה תמה וליכא רב דימי מנהרדעא אמר לא צריך קולמוסא בדיק לה

5 of the tefillin is a law given to Moses at Sinai. The division [between the compartments] must reach as far as the stitches. But R'Dimi of Nehardea said, As long as it is noticeable it need not [reach as far as the stitches].

ו א"ר יצחק רצועות שחורות הלכה למשה מסיני מיתיבי תפילין אין קושרין אותן אלא במינן בין ירוקות בין שחורות בין לבנות אדומות לא יעשה מפני גנאי ודבר אחר

6 Abaye also said, The parchment [for the Scriptural portions] of the tefillin must be examined against a flaw, since we require the writing to be perfect and it would not be so [if it had a flaw]. But R'Dimi of Nehardea said, This is not necessary, for the pen6 would detect [any flaw].

ז א"ר יהודה מעשה בתלמידו של ר"ע שהיה קושר תפיליו בלשונות של תכלת ולא אמר לו דבר איפשר אותו צדיק ראה תלמידו ולא מיחה בו אמר לו הן לא ראה אותו ואם ראה אותו לא היה מניחו

7 R'Isaac said, That the straps [of the tefillin] must be black is a law given to Moses at Sinai. An objectio was raised: The tefillin must be tied with straps of the same [material as the tefillin themselves.]7 The straps may be either green or black or white; but they should not be red because it is repellent,8

ח מעשה בהורקנוס בנו של ר' אליעזר בן הורקנוס שהיה קושר תפיליו בלשונות של ארגמן ולא אמר לו דבר איפשר אותו צדיק ראה בנו ולא מיחה בו אמרו לו הן לא ראה אותו ואם ראה אותו לא היה מניחו

8 and also for another reason.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The suspicion that the wearer of these tefillin had had relations with his wife during her period of menstruation, and the straps had consequently been dyed red with blood.');">9 R'Judah said, It is related of one of R'Akiba's disciples that he used to tie his tefillin w strips of blue wool, and R'Akiba made no comment. But is it possible that that righteous man actually saw his disciple do so and he did not prevent him?

ט קתני מיהא בין ירוקות בין שחורות ובין לבנות לא קשיא כאן מבפנים כאן מבחוץ

9 They said to him, He certainly did not see him do so, for had he seen him he would not have allowed him. It is related further of Hyrkanos the son of R'Eliezer B'Hyrkanos that he used to tie his tefillin with strips of purple wool, and he [R'Eliezer] made no comment. But is it possible that that righteous man actually saw his son do so and he did not prevent him?

י אי מבפנים מאי גנאי ודבר אחר איכא זימנין דמתהפכין ליה

10 They said to him, He certainly did not see him do so, for had he seen him he would not have allowed him. Now it is stated here, at all events, [that the straps may be] either green or black or white! - This is no contradiction, for here it speaks of the outside of the strap and there of the inside.10 But if of the inside, how can it be repellent or give any ground for suspicion?11

יא תנא תפילין מרובעות הלכה למשה מסיני אמר רב פפא בתפרן ובאלכסונן

11 - It might sometimes become twisted.12 A Tanna taught: That the tefillin must be square is a law given to Moses at Sinai. R'Papa13

יב לימא מסייע ליה העושה תפילתו עגולה סכנה ואין בה מצוה אמר רב פפא מתני' דעבידא כי אמגוזא

12 said, [This refers to] the stitching<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The stitching of the underside to the box (v. supra p. 218, n. 6) must be done very carefully so that the box should remain a perfect square; ihkhp, thus the stitches should not be pulled too much for fear that the leather will become creased and so lose its correct shape. V. Tosaf. s.v. irp,c and also Tosaf. Meg. 24b, s.v.');">14 and the diagonal.15 Shall we say that the following [Mishnah] supports this view?

יג אמר רב הונא תפילין כל זמן שפני טבלא קיימת כשירות רב חסדא אמר נפסקו שתים כשירות שלש פסולות

13 For we have learnt: If a man made his tefillin round, it is a danger16 and it is no fulfilment of the precept!17 - R'papa said, That [Mishnah] deals with the case where they were made round like a nut.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., the underside was convex and oval and did not lie flat on the head. In that case only is there a danger, but not where the base is flat and only the box is made round like a cylinder.');">18

יד אמר רבא הא דאמרת שתים כשירות לא אמרן אלא זה שלא כנגד זה אבל זה כנגד זה פסולות וזה כנגד זה נמי לא אמרן אלא בחדתתא אבל בעתיקתא לית לן בה

14 R'Huna said, As long as the surface of the sides19 of the tefillin is whole they are valid. R'Hisda said, two [sides]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to Maim. (v. Yad, Tef. III, 18 and Kesef Mishneh a.l.) the reference is to the stitching of the tefillin, and the rules are here stated where two or more stitches had snapped.');">20

טו אמר ליה אביי לרב יוסף היכי דמיין חדתתא והיכי דמיין עתיקתא אמר ליה כל היכא כי מיתלי ביה בשלחא והדר חלים עתיקתא ואידך חדתתא

15 were split they are still valid; but if three, they are invalid. Said to him Raba, Your ruling th two [sides] were split they are still valid is true only if [the rents were] not facing each other,21 but if they were facing each other they are invalid. And even if they were facing each other [they are invalid] only if they were new22 [tefillin], but if they were old it would not matter. Abaye asked R'Joseph, What is meant by new, and what by old? He replied, If when one stretches the leather it rebounds, it is old; otherwise it is new.

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