Menachot 72

והא רב חסדא ורבה בר רב הונא מצלו בהו באורתא ההוא פליגא

But did not R'Hisda and Rabbah B'R'Huna say the evening prayer while still wearing them? - They certainly differ [from the above ruling]. And could Rabbah B'R'Huna have said so? Did not Rabbah B'R'Huna say that if it was doubtful whether darkness had already fallen or not, one should not take them off<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' If one was wearing the tefillin at the time.');">¹</span>

ומי אמר רבה בר רב הונא הכי והא אמר רבה בר רב הונא ספק חשיכה ספק לא חשיכה לא חולץ ולא מניח הא ודאי חשיכה חולץ התם בערב שבת איתמר

nor put them on? Now it follows from this that if it were certain that darkness had fallen one would have to take them off! - This was stated with regard to the eve of Sabbath.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' When Rabbah b. R. Huna agrees that the tefillin must be taken off by the time darkness has fallen, since Sabbath is not the proper time for the wearing of the tefillin.');">²</span> But what can be his view?

מאי קסבר אי קסבר לילה זמן תפילין שבת נמי זמן תפילין אי קסבר שבת לאו זמן תפילין לילה נמי לאו זמן תפילין דמהיכא דממעטא שבת מהתם ממעטי לילות

If he holds that the night is a time for tefillin then the Sabbath is also a time for tefillin, and if, on the other hand, he holds that the night is not a time f tefillin, then the Sabbath, too, is not a time for tefillin, since the same passage which excludes the Sabbath [from the wearing of tefillin] also excludes the night. For it was taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' 'Er. 96a.');">³</span> It is written, And thou shalt observe this ordinance in its season from day to day.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XIII, 10, literally translated.');">⁴</span>

דתניא (שמות יג, י) ושמרת את החוקה הזאת למועדה מימים ימימה ימים ולא לילות מימים ולא כל ימים פרט לשבתות וימים טובים דברי רבי יוסי הגלילי ר"ע אומר לא נאמר חוקה זו אלא לפסח בלבד

'Day', but not night; 'from day', but not all days; hence the Sabbaths and the Festivals are excluded. So R'Jose the Galilean; but R'Akiba says, This ordinance refers only to the Passover-offering!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of which the preceding verse speaks. And the expression 'from day to day' would be translated as 'from year to year'.');">⁵</span> - He derives it from the text from which R'Akiba derives it.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rabbah b. R. Huna maintains that the night is a proper time for tefillin but the Sabbath is not, for only the latter is excluded in the verse.');">⁶</span>

נפקא ליה מהיכא דנפקא ליה לר' עקיבא דתניא ר' עקיבא אומר יכול יניח אדם תפילין בשבתות ובימים טובים ת"ל (שמות יג, טז) והיה לאות על ידך ולטוטפת בין עיניך מי שצריכין אות יצאו שבתות וימים טובים שהן גופן אות

For it was taught: One might have thought that a man should put on the tefillin on Sabbaths and on Festivals, Scripture therefore says, And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 16.');">⁷</span> that is, [only on those days] which stand in need of a sign [are tefillin to be worn], but Sabbaths and Festivals are excluded, since they themselves are a sign.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of the relation of God to Israel. Cf. Ex. XXXI, 17.');">⁸</span> R'Eleazar said, Whosoever puts on the tefillin after sunset transgresses a positive precept.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the prohibition against wearing the tefillin at night is only inferred from the verse which states And thou shalt observe this ordinance... from day to day, thereby excluding the nights, and a prohibition derived from a positive precept has the force of a positive precept only.');">⁹</span>

אמר ר' אלעזר כל המניח תפילין אחר שקיעת החמה עובר בעשה ור' יוחנן אמר עובר בלאו לימא בר' אבין אמר ר' אילעא קא מיפלגי דאמר ר' אבין אמר ר' אילעא כל מקום שנאמר השמר פן ואל אינו אלא לא תעשה

R'Johanan said, He transgresses a negative precept.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' For the expression 'observe' indicates a negative precept.');">¹⁰</span> Shall we say that they differ in the principle stated by R'Abin in the name of R'Ila'a? For R'Abin said in the name of R'Ila'a, Wherever the expression 'observe', 'lest', or 'd not', is used it indicates a negative precept.

דמר אית ליה דר' אבין ומר לית ליה דר' אבין

One<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan.');">¹¹</span> therefore accepts R'Abin's principle while the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Eleazar.');">¹²</span> does not! - No, all accept the principle stated by R'Abin in the name of R'Ila'a, but they differ in this poin one<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Eleazar.');">¹²</span>

לא דכולי עלמא אית להו דרבי אבין אמר ר' אילעא והכא בהא קא מיפלגי מר סבר השמר דלאו לאו והשמר דעשה עשה ומר סבר השמר דעשה נמי לאו

maintains that the expression 'observe' when used in connection with a prohibition has the force of a negative precept and when used in connection with a command has the force of a positive precept; but the other<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' R. Johanan.');">¹¹</span> maintains that the expression 'observe' even when used in connection with a command has the force of a negative precept. R'Eleazar also said, If one's purpose is to guard them it is allowed.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' To put on the tefillin (or, to keep them on, v. Sh. Mek, n. 1) after sunset, where the safety of the tefillin is concerned.');">¹³</span>

ואמר רבי אלעזר ואם לשמרן מותר ואמר רבינא הוה יתיבנא קמיה דרב אשי וחשך והניח תפילין ואמרי ליה לשמרן קא בעי להו מר ואמר לי אין וחזיתיה לדעתיה דלאו לשמרן הוא בעי קסבר הלכה ואין מורין כן

Rabina related, I was once sitting before R'Ashi when darkness had already fallen and he put on his tefillin;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' According to MS.M., Alfasi, and Sh. Mek. the text should be: 'And he was still wearing the tefillin.');">¹⁴</span> so I said to him, 'Is it my Master's purpose to guard them? ' 'Yes', he replied. I saw, however, that his purpose was not to guard them.

אמר רבה בר רב הונא חייב אדם למשמש בתפילין בכל שעה קל וחומר מציץ ומה ציץ שאין בו אלא אזכרה אחת אמרה תורה והיה על מצחו תמיד שלא תסיח דעתו ממנו תפילין שיש בהן אזכרות הרבה על אחת כמה וכמה

He was of the opinion that that was the law,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That the night is also the time for tefillin.');">¹⁵</span> but one should not rule so [in actual practice].<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Lest one falls asleep whilst wearing the tefillin.');">¹⁶</span> Rabbah B'R'Huna said, A man must from time to time touch his tefillin;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' With his hand while wearing them. I.e., they must constantly be in his mind.');">¹⁷</span>

ת"ר ידך זו שמאל אתה אומר שמאל או אינו אלא ימין תלמוד לומר (ישעיהו מח, יג) אף ידי יסדה ארץ וימיני טפחה שמים ואומר (שופטים ה, כו) ידה ליתד תשלחנה וימינה להלמות עמלים ואומר (תהלים עד, יא) למה תשיב ידך וימינך מקרב חיקך כלה

this may be inferred by an a fortiori argument from the plate.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The plate of gold worn by the High priest upon the forehead upon which were engraved the words: Holy to the Lord (Ex. XXVIII, 36) .');">¹⁸</span> If of the plate, which contains the Divine Name only once, the Torah says, And it shall be always upon his forehead,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXVIII, 38. lsh');">¹⁹</span> implying that his mind must not be diverted from it; how much more is this to apply to the tefillin which contain the Divine Name so many times! Our Rabbis taught: Thy hand,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Heb. ; in Ex. XIII, 9, and also in a number of other verses, in connection with the tefillin. sh ihnh');">²⁰</span> that is the left hand. You say it is the left hand, but perhaps it is the ri It is written, Yea, My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spread out the heavens.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Isa. XLVIII, 13. Here clearly means the left hand, in contradistinction from , the right hand. This is also seen in the other verses quoted.');">²¹</span> And it is also written, Her hand she put to the tent-pin, and her right hand to the workmen's hammer.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Jud. V, 26.');">²²</span> And it is also written, Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? Draw it out of Thy bosom and consume them.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Psalms LXXIV, 11.');">²³</span>