משנה: אָמַר רִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה לָמָּה קָֽדְמָה שְׁמַע לִוְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם תְּחִילָּה וְאַחַר כַּךְ עוֹל מִצְוֹת. וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ לְוַיֹּאמֶר שֶׁוְּהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ נוֹהֵג בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה. וַיֹּאמֶר אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג אֶלָּא בַיּוֹם. MISHNAH: Ribbi Joshua ben Qorḥah90This shows that before the war of Bar Kokhba, the wearing of tefillin the entire day in the Land of Israel was not unheard-of. said: Why does Shema‘ precede “it shall be when you will really listen”? In order that one should accept the Kingdom of Heaven before he accepts the yoke of the commandments. And “it shall be when you will really listen” to “The Eternal said”? Because “it shall be when you will really listen” is applicable day and night81The obligation to study the Torah and keep its commandments applies everywhere and at all times; the obligation to have ẓiẓit on one’s garment, expressed in the third section of Shema‘, is applicable only during daytime according to most opinions., “the Eternal said” is applicable only during daytime.
הלכה: רִבִּי חִייָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מַה טַעַם אָֽמְרוּ אָדָם לוֹבֵשׁ תְּפִילִּין וְקוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע וּמִתְפַּלֵּל כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם תְּחִילָּה מֻשְׁלָם. רַב אָמַר קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע וְלוֹבֵשׁ אֶת תְּפִילָּיו וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. מַתְנִיתָא רַב פְּלִיגָא עִילוֹי. הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה עָסוּק עִם הַמֵּת בְּקֶבֶר וְהִגִּיעַ עוֹנַת קִרְיַת שְׁמַע הֲרֵי זֶה פוֹרֵשׁ לְמָקוֹם טָהֳרָה וְלוֹבֵשׁ תְּפִילִּין וְקוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע וּמִתְפַּלֵּל. מַתְנִיתָא מְסַייְעָא לְרַב לֹא שֶׁאָדָם יְקַבֵּל עָלָיו מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם תְּחִילָּה וְאַחַר כַּךְ יְקַבֵּל עָלָיו עוֹל מִצְוֹת. HALAKHAH: Rebbi Ḥiyya80A Tanna who lived from the times, of R. Aqiba to those of Rebbi; he is mostly known for his aggadic interpretations. in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: Why did they say, a man puts on tefillin, recites the Shema‘ and prays? So that he first should accept upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven completely. Rav said, one reads the Shema‘, puts on tefillin, and prays81The obligation to study the Torah and keep its commandments applies everywhere and at all times; the obligation to have ẓiẓit on one’s garment, expressed in the third section of Shema‘, is applicable only during daytime according to most opinions.. A baraita of Rav himself82This is the reading of the Leyden manuscript. In both Talmudim we hear that Rav and Samuel collected baraitot, tannaïtic statements not made part of the Mishnah. disagrees with him: “If somebody was occupied with a dead person in his grave and the time for the recital of Shema‘ arrived, he should move to a pure place83Since a dead person can no longer pray, it is explained later in this Halakhah that praying in a graveyard would violate the verse (Proverbs.17.5">Prov. 17:5): “He who makes fun of the poor blasphemes his Maker”; hence one has to leave the graveyard if he wants to pray. The order of prayer given in the baraita is the one adopted by Rebbi Yoḥanan., put on tefillin, recite the Shema‘, and pray”. Does not the Mishnah support Rav: “In order that one should accept the Kingdom of Heaven before he accepts the yoke of the commandments”84Tefillin, while mentioned in the first paragraph, belong to the execution of commandments. It follows that, in the opinion of the Yerushalmi, Rav recommended to put on tefillin between the first and second sections of Shema‘; otherwise, the Mishnah would not support his position. This contradicts the opinion of the Babli as quoted above; it eliminates the objection of the Babli that certainly Rav would not put off fulfilling the obligation of tefillin until after the recital of Shema‘.?
אָמַר רִבִּי יַנַּאי תְּפִילִּין צְרִיכִין גוּף נָקִי. Rebbi Yannai85The most important Amora of the first generation in Galilea, student of Rebbi and teacher of Rebbi Yoḥanan. said: Tefillin need a clean body86The same rule is quoted in Rebbi Yannai’s name in the Shabbat.49a">Babli (Sabbath 49a, Shabbat.130a">130a); there Abbai and Rava explain that one may not break wind while wearing tefillin and so may not sleep while wearing them. The Yerushalmi does not go into details. The connection with the previous text probably is the quote that one may not wear tefillin in a graveyard. This also counts as having an unclean body since on leaving the graveyard one has to wash his hands. A Mishnah in the next Chapter also implies that one may not wear tefillin when his body is not cleansed from an emission of semen. Some Medieval authorities imply from the statement of R. Yannai that while wearing tefillin one may not have unclean thoughts..
מִפְּנֵי מַה לֹא הֶחֱזִיקוּ בָהֶן. מִפְּנֵי הָרַמָּאִין. עוּבְדָּא הֲוָה בְחַד בַּר נַשׁ דְּאַפְקִיד גַּבֵּיהּ חַבְרֵיהּ וְכָפַר בֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא לָךְ הֵימָנִית אֶלָּא לְאִילֵּין דִּבְרֵישֵׁךְ הֵימָנִית. Why does one not hold on87There are two interpretations of this sentence. Rabbenu Yeruḥam [path 19, part 5] explains: Why does one not keep on his tefillin the entire day but takes them off after praying? Shabbat 49a" href="/Tosafot_on_Shabbat.49a">Tosaphot [Šabbat 49a] explain: Why does one not consider a person wearing tefillin automatically as a trustworthy Jew who may be trusted to keep all miẓwot? The explanation of Tosaphot is easier to fit into our text but the explanation of Rabbenu Yeruḥam seems to have the correct historical background. Both the Roman and the Byzantine governments from time to time forbade the wearing of tefillin. Therefore, from the start of the reconstruction of Jewish life after the war of Bar Kokhba, tefillin were not worn publicly in the Land of Israel. The reading of the Rome manuscript, “Why does one not hold on to them in the Land of Israel?” seems to explain the situation from a Babylonian point of view where tefillin never were a problem with the government and where, in R. Sherira Gaon’s time at least, tefillin were worn by scholars all day long. But even in Babylonia in the first generations of Amoraïm Rav Sheshet is reported (Shabbat.118b">Babli Šabbat 118b) of being proud that he wore tefillin the entire day, not just for a minimal time. to them? Because of the impostors88Hence, wearing tefillin outside of times of prayer may make a person suspect of being a gangster impersonating a pious person.. It happened that a man deposited something with another, and the latter then reneged on it. He said to him: Not you I thought trustworthy but those on your head I thought trustworthy.
רִבִּי יַנַּאי הָיָה לוֹבְשָׁן אַחַר חוֹלְייוֹ שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים לוֹמַר שֶׁהַחוֹלִי מְמָרֵק. מַה טַעַם הַסּוֹלֵחַ לְכָל־עֲוֹנֵיְכִי הָרוֹפֵא לְכָל־תַּחֲלוּאָיְכִי. רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי לֹא הֲווּן תְּפִילּוֹי זָעִין מִינֵּיהּ לֹא בְקַייְטָא וְלֹא בְסִיתּוּא. וְכַךְ נָהַג רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר תַּלְמִידוֹ אַחֲרָיו. Rebbi Yannai was wearing them after his sickness for three days, to show that sickness cleanses89This statement supports the interpretation that the “clean body” required from a wearer of tefillin is a body cleansed from sinful thoughts, since a person recovered from sickness is a person all whose sins have been forgiven. It is spelled out in Psalms.103">Midrash Tehillim 103 that the first three days, R. Yannai wore his tefillin the entire day but after that he was putting them on only for prayer.. What is the reason? (Psalms.103.2">Ps. 103:2): “He Who forgives all my sins, He Who heals all my sicknesses.” Rebbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai’s tefillin were not coming off from him either in summer or in winter. And so did his student Rebbi Eliezer after him.90This shows that before the war of Bar Kokhba, the wearing of tefillin the entire day in the Land of Israel was not unheard-of.
רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּסִיתּוּא דַּהֲוָה חֲזִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ הֲוָה לְבֵישׁ תְּרַוֵּיהוֹן. בְּרַם בְּקַייְטָא דְּלָא הֲוָה חֲזִיק רֵישֵׁיהּ לָא הֲוָה לְבֵישׁ אֶלָּא דִּאַדְּרָעֵיהּ. וְאֵינוֹ אָסוּר מִשּׁוּם עֶרְוָה. אָמַר רִבִּי חִייָא בַּר אַבָּא אַפִּיקַרְסִין הָיָה לוֹבֵשׁ מִבִּפְנִים. כַּד הֲוָה אָזִיל מַסְחֵי כֵיוָן שֶׁהָיָה מַגִּיעַ אֶצֶל הָאוֹלְייָרִין הָיָה חוֹלְצָן. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק עַד יַעֲקֹב תֶּרְמוֹסָרָה הָיָה לוֹבְשָׁן. וְכַד הֲוָה נָפִיק מַסְחֵי הַוּוּ יְהָבִין לֵהּ. וְכַד הֲווּ מַייְתָן לֵיהּ אָמַר דָא מִילְּתָא שְׁנֵי אֲרוֹנוֹת הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל חַי הָעוֹלָמִים וַאֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. וְהָיוּ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִין מַה טִיבָן שֶׁל שְׁנֵי אֲרוֹנוֹת הַלָּלוּ. וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִין לָהֶן זֶה אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף עִם אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל חַי הָעוֹלָמִים. וְהָיוּ אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מוֹנִין אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמְרִין וְכִי אֶיפְשַׁר לַאֲרוֹן הַמֵּת לִהְיוֹת מְהַלֵּךְ עִם אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל חַי עוֹלָמִים. וְהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִין עַל יְדֵי שֶׁשִּׁימֵּר זֶה מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּזֶה. וְלָמָּה הוּא אָמַר דָּא מִילְתָא. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנִינָא בְּגִין מֵימַר מִילָּא דְּאוֹרִיָּא. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי מָנָא וְהָכֵין לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ מִילָּא דְּאוֹרִיָּא חוֹרִי לְמֵימַר אֶלָּא דָּא. אֶלָּא קִינְתּוֹרִין הֲווּן לוֹמַר יוֹסֵף לֹא זָכָה לְמַלְכוּת אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁשִּׁימֵּר מִצְוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָנוּ לֹא זָכִינוּ לְכָל הַכָּבוֹד הַזֶּה אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁשָּׁמַרְנוּ מִצְוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאַתּוּן בָּעֵיי מְבַטְּלָה מִצְווָתָא מִינָּן. Rebbi Yoḥanan was wearing both of them91Both tefillin. in winter when his head was healthy. But in sommer when his head was not healthy he put on only that of the arm. But is not that forbidden because of nakedness92Since the tefillin on the arm are worn under the coat or shirt, there is the possibility that no garment separates the holy tefillin from his genitals and that is forbidden as we shall see later. [Only in recent times have tefillin become so large that they cannot be covered by the coat sleeves and the bad habit of praying with the left arm uncovered has taken over Ashkenazic congregations.]? Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: He wore an undershirt93ἐπικάρσιον, τό, “striped garment”. This must have been a large undershirt reaching at least to the upper parts of his legs. under his clothes. When he went to bathe, he was taking them off when he came to the oil sellers94Latin olearii.. Rebbi Isaac said, he was wearing them up to Jacob, the bath master95Cf. Greek θερμασία, ἡ, “warmth, heat.”. Rebbi Yoḥanan would trust his tefillin only into the hands of a reliable Jewish man.. When he exited the bath, they brought them to him. When they were bringing them, he used to say: 96This aggadah appears several times: Tosephta Soṭa 4:7, Mekhilta Beshallaḥ 1, Sotah.13a">Babli Soṭa 13a. The Hebrew verb קנתר, a few times also קנטר, is probably from Greek κεντρόω “to sting, vex, goad”. Two caskets were travelling with Israel in the wilderness, the ark of Him, Who is the Life of the Universe, and the casket of Joseph. The Gentiles were saying: What is the purpose of these two caskets? Israel was answering them, that is the casket of Joseph with the ark of Him, Who is the Life of the Universe. The Gentiles were taunting Israel and saying, how is it possible that the casket of a dead person is travelling with the ark of Him, Who is the Life of the Universe? But Israel were answering, because this one kept all that is written in that one. Why did he say that? Rebbi Ḥanania97A late Galilean Amora from Sepphoris (Ẓipporin), colleague of R. Mana. said, in order to speak some words of learning. Rebbi Mana said to him: Did he have no other word of learning to say but that98Since he went frequently, why did he have to repeat the same text over and over again?? But that was sarcasm, to say that Joseph did only attain kingdom by keeping the commandments of the Holy One, praise to Him, and we received all that glory only because we kept the commandments of the Holy One, praise to Him, but you99For R. Yoḥanan, the Roman government under Diocletian; for R. Mana, the Roman government under the Christian emperors. want to remove His commandments from us!
בְּאֵי זֶה צַד הוּא מְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶן. רִבִּי זְרִיקָן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּרִבִּי אִידִי כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן עַל יָד מַהוּ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִצְוַת תְּפִילִּין. כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן עַל רֹאשׁ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל מִצְוַת הַנָּחַת תְּפִילִּין. כְּשֶׁהוּא חוֹלְצָן מַהוּ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִיוָּנוּ לִשְׁמוֹר חוּקָּיו. וְאַתְיָא כְּמַאן דָּמַר בְּחוּקַּת תְּפִילִין הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר בְּרַם כְּמַאן דָּמַר בְּחוּקַּת הַפֶּסַח הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר לֹא בְדָא. How does one make the benedictions on them? Rebbi Zeriqan100An Amora in the generation after R. Yoḥanan and R. Jacob bar Idi. The parallels in the Babylonian Talmud are all anonymous. in the name of Rebbi Jacob ben Rebbi Idi: When he puts tefillin on his arm, what does he say:101In the Berakhot.60b">Babli (Berakhot 60b, Menachot.36a">Menaḥot 36a) the order of the first two benedictions is inverted; the third benediction never was recited in Babylonia (Berakhot.44b">Babli Berakhot 44b). There is a disagreement in principle between the two Talmudim. It is clear that the Yerushalmi requires two separate benedictions for the two tefillin; therefore, the second one which completes the action is the important and complete one. In the Menachot.36a">Babli (Menaḥot 36a) it seems that if both tefillin are put on together then only one benediction is needed; the first benediction is the one that counts and has to be recited. [This is Sephardic and Oriental practice today; Ashkenazim recite the second benediction, which is strictly required only if no tefillin are available for one’s arm, out of doubt about the situation. In any case, in the Babylonian style, the second benediction is the minor one. Ashkenazic practice is an uneasy adaptation of Yerushalmi practice to Babylonian rules.] “Praised102In all formulas of benedictions, one has to add after “praised”: “are You, o Eternal, our God, King of the Universe”. Who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us about the obligation of tefillin.” When he puts them on his head, what does he say? “Praised Who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us about the obligation of putting on tefillin.” When he takes them off, what does he say? “Praised Who sanctified us by His commandments and commanded us to obey His laws.” That follows the opinion that the verse103Exodus.13.10">Ex. 13:10. In that chapter, Exodus.13.1">verses 1–8 speak of the laws of Passover, v. 9 introduces the commandment of tefillin. V. 10, the last in that paragraph, reads: “You shall keep this law in its time, מימים ימימה.” If the “law” is that of tefillin, one has to translate “from day to day”, meaning that at nighttime the law is either inoperative or that it is forbidden to wear tefillin. If the “law” is that of Passover, one has to translate “from year to year.” The latter meaning is the usual one for the Hebrew expression, but then it would have been rational to expect that verses 9 and 10 traded places.
The Yerushalmi refrains from attaching names to the different interpretations. In the Babylonian Talmud (Eruvin.96a">Erubin 96a), the first interpretation is that of R. Yose the Galilean, the second one that of R. Aqiba. In the Yerushalmi source Mekhilta deR. Simeon bar Yoḥai (p. 41), the first interpretation is that of R. Aqiba and the second one of R. Eliezer. Since R. Aqiba belongs to the following generation, the basic disagreement can be attributed to Rebbis Yose the Galilean and Eliezer. speaks about the law of tefillin. However, according to those who say that the verse speaks about the law of Passover, that does not apply.
רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַנּוֹתֵן תְּפִילִּין בַּלַּיְלָה עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה. וּמַה טַעַם וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַחוּקָּה הַזֹּאת לְמוֹעֲדָהּ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה. יָמִים וְלֹא לֵיְלוֹת. יָמִים פְּרָט לְשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים. וְהָא רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ יְתִיב מַתְנֵי בְרַמְשָׁא וּתְפִילּוֹי עִילוֹי. מִצְּדָדִין הֲוָה וּכְמִין פִּיקָּדוֹן הָיוּ בְיָדוֹ. אִית דְּבָעֵי מֵימַר לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא הַנּוֹתֵן אֲבָל אִם הָיוּ עָלָיו מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם מוּתָּר. אִית דְּבָעֵי מֵימַר נִשְׁמְעִינֵיהּ מִן הֲדָא וְהָיָה לְךָ לְאוֹת אֵת שֶׁהוּא לְךָ לְאוֹת פְּרָט לְיָמִים טוֹבִים וְשַׁבָּתוֹת שֶׁכּוּלָּן אוֹת. וְלֹא כֵן כָּתַב מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה. לֵית לָךְ אֶלָּא כַּיי דָּמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן כָּל מִילָּא דְּלֹא מְחוּוְרָא מְסַמְּכִין לָהּ מִן אַתְרִין סַגִּי. Rebbi Abbahu in the name of Rebbi Eleazar104Probably the Amora, student of Rebbi Yoḥanan, and not one of the Tannaïm.: He who puts on tefillin in the night transgresses a positive commandment. What is the reason? (Exodus.13.10">Ex. 13:10) “ “You shall keep this law in its time, from day to day;” “days” not night, “to days”105Meaning certain days, but not all days. to exclude Sabbaths and holidays. But Rebbi Abbahu sat studying at night with his tefillin on his head!106How can he transgress his own statement? He put them on the side107Not between his eyes, so that he was not fulfilling the commandment of wearing them, but he had them on his head to keep them since tefillin, as holy objects, have to be deposited in safe places.; they were like a deposit in his keeping. Some want to say, he only meant not to put them on, but when they were on him during daytime it would be permitted. Some want to say, let us hear it from there (Exodus.13.9">Ex. 13:9): “It shall be for you a sign,” when you need it for a sign, but not holiday or Sabbaths that are all sign. But is it not written “to days”108We do not expect the Torah to repeat commandments needlessly.? You have only what Rebbi Yoḥanan said: Everything that is not clear one supports from many places109Since Exodus.13.10">Ex. 13:10 may apply to Passover, any derivation from that verse is not clear. In Mekhilta deR. Simeon bar Yoḥai, the first derivation is anonymous, the second one is attributed to Rebbi Aqiba. While the discussion here is of Amoraïm, the entire material is tannaïtic..
נָשִׁים מְנַייִן וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אוֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם וְלֹא אֶת בְּנוֹתֵיכֶם. אֵת שֶׁהוּא חַייָב בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה חַייָב בִּתְפִילִּין. נָשִׁים שֶׁאֵינָן חַייָבוֹת בְּתַלְמוּד תּוֹרָה אֵינָן חַייָבִין בִּתְפִילִּין. הָתִיבוּן הֲרֵי מִיכַל בַּת כּוּשִׁי הָֽיְתָה לוֹבֶשֶׁת תְּפִילִּין. וְאִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל יוֹנָה הָֽיְתָה עוֹלָה לִרְגָּלִים וְלֹא מִיחוּ בְּיָדֶיהָ חֲכָמִים. רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּהוּ אִשְתּוֹ שֶׁל יוֹנָה הוּשְׁבָה. מִיכַל בַּת כּוּשִׁי מִיחוּ בְיָדֶיהָ חֲכָמִים. Women from where? (Deuteronomy.11.19">Deut. 11:19) “And you should teach them to your sons”, and not to your daughters.110The main discussion of this point appears in Berakhot 3:3:2-11" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Berakhot.3.3.2-11">Chapter 3:3. Anyone who is obliged to study Torah is obliged for tefillin, women who are not obliged to study Torah are not obliged for tefillin.111The proof, explicit in the Mekhiltot, is really from Exodus.13.9">Ex. 13:9: “It shall be a sign on your hand and a remembrance between your eyes, so that the Torah of the Eternal shall be in your mouth, because with a strong hand the Eternal led you out of Egypt.” Hence, only one who is obliged to study is obliged to wear tefillin. Naturally, for those who declare that Exodus.13.10">Ex. 13:10 speaks of tefillin and nights are not a time for tefillin, it follows that tefillin is a positive commandment bound to stated times and, as a general principle, women are not obligated. However, since that interpretation of v. 10 is in doubt, it is not used here. They objected, but did not Michal, the daughter of the Kushi112Saul, addressed as “Kush” in the heading of Psalms.7">Psalm 7., wear tefillin, and did not the wife of Jonah make the pilgrimage to the Temple113Obviously, everybody can go to Jerusalem anytime he wishes, and we know from many sources that entire families made the pilgrimage, in particular for Passover. What is meant here is that Jonah’s wife went to Jerusalem to bring the obligatory sacrifices in her own name, either additional to those of her husband or for herself when her husband was away at sea or at Nineveh. She may bring עוֹלת ראייה, the holocaust of appearance, as a voluntary offering, but if she insists on presenting the offering as obligatory for her pilgrimage, then there is a question of the legality of the offering and doubtful sacrifices should not be offered., and the sages did not object. Rebbi Ḥisqiah in the name of Rebbi Abbahu: Jonah’s wife was turned back114Not from Jerusalem, but from presenting her pilgrimage sacrifice in the Temple separately from her husband., the sages forbade it to Michal the daughter of Kushi.115The first statement, that Michal wore tefillin and that the wife of Jonah made the pilgrimage, is a tannaïtic statement in the Eruvin.96a">Babli (Erubin 96a), and the Babli concludes from it that women may exercise all obligations that are bound to a fixed time from which women are freed. The Yerushalmi Amoraïm and later Yerushalmi sources (Pesiqta rabbati Chap. 22) disagree. This disagreement is not mentioned in the Babli; i. e., the argument is rejected.
תַּנִּי נִכְנַס לְמֶרְחָץ מָקוֹם שֶׁבְּנֵי אָדָם עוֹמְדִין לְבוּשִׁין יֵשׁ שָׁם מִקְרָא וּתְפִילִּין וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם. נוֹתֵן תְּפִילִּין וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲלוֹץ. מָקוֹם שֶׁרוֹב בְּנֵי אָדָם רְגִילִין לִהְיוֹת עוֹמְדִין עֲרוּמִין אֵין שָׁם שְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר מִקְרָא וּתְפִילָּה וְחוֹלֵץ תְּפִילָּיו וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן. מִקְצָתָן עֲרוּמִין וּמִקְצָתָן לְבוּשִׁין יֵשׁ שָׁם שְׁאֵילַת שָׁלוֹם וְאֵין שָׁם לֹא מִקְרָא וְלֹא תְפִילָּה וְאֵינוֹ חוֹלֵץ תְּפִילָּיו וְאֵינוֹ נוֹתֵן. אֲבָל אֵינוֹ לוֹבְשָׁן עַד שֶׁיֵּצֵא מֵאוֹתָהּ רְשׁוּת שֶׁל כָּל־אוֹתָהּ מֶרְחָץ. וְדָא מְסַייְעָא כַּיי דָּמַר רִבִּי יִצחָק בְּגִין רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן עַד יַעֲקֹב תּוֹרְמוֹסַרָה הָיָה לוֹבְשָׁן. It was stated116Tosephta Berakhot 2:20; a slightly different version is Shabbat.10a">Babli Šabbat 10a. One returns to the problem discussed earlier that tefillin, as objects of holiness, cannot be worn on an arm that is not separated from one’s genitals by some clothing. Hence, tefillin cannot be worn when one is naked, or in the presence of naked people. Prayer and religious study go by the same rules, following the verse (Amos.4.12">Amos 4:12) “Israel, prepare yourself for your God”.: “Entering a bathhouse, in the room where everybody is fully clothed117A Roman bathhouse was essentially a sauna. In the hot room, everybody was naked. In the anteroom, one was cooling down after the hot steam, getting massaged by the olearii, and putting on one’s clothes. The outer rooms were used for social affairs, especially in large cities. one may read the Bible, pray118This is the reading of the Rome manuscript, the Tosephta and R. Solomon Cirillo; the Leyden manuscript and the Venice print have תפילין “tefillin”; but these are separately mentioned later., and needless to say, one may greet people119The problem with the greeting formula “peace with you” is that Peace is one of the names of God, Judges.6.24">Jud. 6:24; hence, greeting somebody with שָּׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם is permitted only under circumstances that would allow prayer. The prohibition does not include greetings in other languages if the name of God is not invoked.. One may put on tefillin, and needless to say, one does not remove them. In the room where most people are naked one may not exchange greetings and needless to say, there is no Bible reading or prayer; one removes one’s tefillin and needless to say, one does not put them on. Where some are naked and some are clothed there is greeting, no Bible reading and no prayer, one does not remove tefillin and one does not put them on. But one does not put them on again until he has completely left the grounds of that bathhouse.” This supports what Rebbi Isaac said about Rebbi Yoḥanan, that he wore them until he came to Jacob, the bath master.
רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְּעָא קוֹמוֹי רִבִּי זְעִירָא הָֽיְתָה מֶרְחַץ מְרַחֶצֶת בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְאֵינָהּ מְרַחֶצֶת בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ מֶרְחַץ וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינָהּ מְרַחֶצֶת וּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ צוֹאָה. מַר עוּקְבָּא אָמַר אֲהֵן חֲזִירָא בֵּית כִּסֵּא מְטוּלְטַל הֲוָה. רִבִּי יוֹנָה בָּעֵי אֲהֵן צְרָרָה דְּעַל גֵּיף יָמָא מַהוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי אַמִּי אַסְיָא הוֹרֵי רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה מַעֲבָר לֵיהּ בְּפיליוס וְלָא סָֽמְכִין עִילוֹי. Rebbi Jeremiah asked before Rebbi Zeïra: If it was used as bath house in summer but not in the rainy season, what is the rule120May one pray in the room in which people are naked if the installation is in use?? He said to him, a bath house even if it is not in use, a toilet even if it does not contain excrement121The rules of toilets, in which all religious acts are forbidden, are explained in Chapter 3, both in Yerushalmi (fol. 6d) and Berakhot.26a">Babli (Berakhot 26a).. Mar Uqba122It is questionable whether this is a statement of Mar Uqba, Resh Galuta(Head of the Diaspora) in the time of Rav. The author of the statement is either Rabbana Uqba, grandson of Mar Uqba and Rav, or, more likely, Rav Uqba bar Ḥama, student and son-in-law of Rav Ḥisda. In the Berakhot.25a">Babli (Berakhot25a), the statement is attributed to Rav Papa, student of Rav Ḥisda’s student Rava (brother-in-law of Rav Uqba bar Ḥama). said: a pig is a moving toilet. Rebbi Jonah123Head of the Yeshivah of Tiberias together with the Amora Rebbi Yose, of the fourth generation of Amoraïm, and a student of Rebbi Jeremiah. investigated: A pebble on the sea shore, what is the rule?124May one pray next to a pebble on the seashore covered with excrement, when one has to assume that some human used the pebble to cleanse himself after defecating, but in the meantime waves covered the pebble many times and it does not smell any more? Rebbi Ammi the physician125An Amora about whom nothing more is known. said: Rebbi Jeremiah taught that one may pass it by pylyvs126Perhaps compare פיליוס to Latin pileus, pilleus, “bonnet, felt hat”, also Greek πίλινος “of felt”, πιλίον “a bandage” (E. G.). The reading of the Rome manuscript is פיליונס. The word appears as פיליוס in Mishnah Niddah 8:1; Rashi there explains the word by old French orel, a scarf; Arukh, in its Italian translation ossi, means a scarf used to cover the mouth. The meaningtherefore is that Rebbi Jeremiah counsels to cover one’s face with a scarf. (Musaphia reads pallium, “coverlet, gown.”), but one does not trust this ruling127It is not clear whether the rejection of Rebbi Jeremiah’s statement is from Rebbi Ammi the physician or from the editor of the Talmud..
רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְשֵׁם אַבָּא בַר יִרְמְיָה אוֹכֵל בָּהֶן אֲכִילַת עַרָאִי. וְאֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל בָּהֶן אֲכִילַת קֶבַע. יָשֵׁן בָּהֶן שִׁינַּת עַרָאִי. וְאֵינוֹ יָשֵׁן בָּהֶן שִׁינַּת קֶבַע. אִית תְּנָיֵי תַנִּי מְבָרֵךְ פַּעַם אַחַת. אִית תְּנָיֵי תַנִּי פַּעֲמַיִים. מַאן דָּמַר פַּעַם אַחַת נִיחָא. מַאן דָּמַר מְבָרֵךְ שְׁתֵּי פְעָמִים הָא אָכַל וְאֵינוּן עִילוֹי. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא קַייְמָא אַבָּא בַר יִרְמְיָה בְאוֹכֵל בָּהֶן אֲכִילַת עַרָאִי. Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Abba bar Jeremiah128A Babylonian Amora (in the Babli he has a title and is called Rabba bar Jeremiah, short for Rav Abba bar Jeremiah), a student of Rav and possibly the son of Rav’s companion Rav Jeremiah bar Abba. From the following it is clear that Rabba bar Jeremiah quotes the ruling as a traditional one from Tannaïm, not a new amoraic ruling. In the Berakhot.23b">Babli (Berakhot 23b, Sukkah.41b">Sukkah 41b), the second part of his statement, about sleeping, is introduced as an anonymous tannaitic statement (תנו רבנן).: One may eat a snack while wearing them129The tefillin. A snack is a meal which does not involve bread. The rule about eating is not mentioned in the Babli; hence, the Babli agrees with it., but one may not eat a regular meal while wearing them; one may doze130Dozing is defined as “sleeping and not sleeping.” The Babli forbids both dozing and sleeping. while wearing them, but one may not sleep while wearing them. Some Tannaïm formulate: One says the benediction once; some Tannaïm formulate: One says the benediction twice131It is also possible to read פְּעָמִין“several times” but the discussion in the next sentence mentions “two times”. The entire sentence is a continuation of the first statement of Abba bar Jeremiah; he is reported by Rebbi Zeïra to have said that one may eat a snack and doze while wearing tefillin, R. Zeïra then reports that some Tannaïm require that one recite the benediction over tefillin once a day, but some others say that the benediction is recited (at least) two times a day. The objection is that (except for a fast day) one has to eat, hence one has to take off one’s tefillin and put them on again, certainly with a benediction. The anwer is that some people eat only snacks during daytime; hence, it is proved that the Tanna agrees with Abba bar Jeremiah that for a snack one does not have to remove his tefillin.. He who says one says the benediction once, how can he be right? He who says, one says the benediction twice, because he ate and then they are not on him. Rebbi Zeïra said, Abba bar Jeremiah talks about one who eats only snacks.
רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּא לֹא יִכָּנֵס אָדָם לְבֵית הַמַּיִם וּסְפָרָיו וּתְפִילָּיו בְּיָדָיו. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן כַּד הֲוָה סִיפְרָא בְיָדֵיהּ הֲוָה יָהֵיב לֵיהּ לַחוֹרָן. כַּד הַוְּייָן תְּפִילּוֹי עִילוֹי הֲוָה קָאֵים בוֹן. מַתְנִיתָא פְלִיגָא עַל אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה נִכְנַס אָדָם לְבֵית הַמַּיִם וּסְפָרָיו וּתְפִילָיו בְּיָדוֹ. אָֹמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא קַייְמָא אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה כַּאן בְּיָכוֹל לְלוֹבְשָׁן. כַּאן בִּשְׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְלוֹבְשָׁן. דְּלָכֵן מִצְוָה לֹא עֲבֵיד בּוֹן. לָמָּה הוּא מְבַזֵּי לוֹן. Rebbi Zeïra in the name of (Rebbi) Abba [bar Jeremiah]132While all sources have here “Rebbi Abba”, the continuation shows that one must read “(Rav) Abba bar Jeremiah”. This is also required since the next statement of Rebbi Zeïra, unrelated to the subject under discussion, is only quoted because it also is in the name of Abba bar Jeremiah.: A person should not enter a urinal133R. Eleazar Askari (followed by Pene Moshe) wants to identify the “house of water” with a toilet since in Arabic a toilet is called בַּית אַלמַא “house of water”, but L. Ginzburg already noted that this is impossible; in the Yerushalmi as in the Babli a toilet is called בית הכסא. In the Sanhedrin 4:5" href="/Tosefta_Sanhedrin.4.5">Tosephta (Sanhedrin 4:8) it is stated that a king, who has to write for himself a Torah that has to accompany him everywhere (Deuteronomy.17.19">Deut. 17:19), may not take the Torah with him to the “house of water”. This rule is quoted in Sanhedrin.21b">Babli Sanhedrin 21b, in the reading of R. Ḥananel and ms. ק, in the formulation that he takes the Torah with him neither to the bathhouse, nor to the toilet, nor to urinate. Hence, the toilet and the “house of water” are two different things. with his books or tefillin in his hands. Rebbi Yoḥanan, when he had a book134In the Berakhot.23a">Babli (Berakhot 23a), a book of sermons. in his hand he gave it to somebody else. When his tefillin were on him, he stood in them135The Babli (loc. cit.) reports that Rebbi Yoḥanan put the tefillin in a pouch which he kept in his hand, not that he was wearing them. But the Babli does not speak about a urinal (with canalization, after the Roman fashion) but of a toilet, i. e., an outhouse. Roman canalization was unknown in Babylonia. Hence, the seemingly parallel passages in reality deal with different subjects.. A baraita disagrees with Abba bar Jeremiah: A man may enter a urinal with his books or tefillin in his hand. Rebbi Zeïra said: Abba bar Jeremiah refers to one case where he can wear them, and to another case where he cannot wear them136This distinction is also reported in the Babli (loc. cit.) in the name of Rebbi Zera (Zeïra). If one takes off the tefillin in the evening, when there is not time anymore to put them on afterwards, one must put the tefillin in a designated bag or chest so as to treat them with respect. Temporary disrespect is only authorized if tefillin have to be ready for immediate use.. For if he cannot perform a mitzwah with them, why should he degrade them?
בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ נוֹתְנִין אוֹתָן לַחֲבֵירֵיהֶן וְהָיוּ נוֹטְלִין אוֹתָן וּבוֹרְחִין. הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ מַנִּיחִין בְּחוֹרִין. וּכְשֶׁאִירָע אוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא אָדָם נִכְנַס וְהֵן בְּיָדוֹ. רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אָחָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא אָמַר וְהוּא שֶׁיְּהֵא בַּיּוֹם כְּדֵי לְלוֹבְשָׁן. אֲבָל אִם אֵין בַּיּוֹם כְּדֵי לְלוֹבְשָׁן אָסוּר. דְּלָכֵן מִצְוָה לֹא עָבֵיד בּוֹן. לָמָּה הוּא מְבַזֵּי לוֹן. מַייְשַׁא בַּר בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר מַאן דַּעֲבַד טַבָּאוּת עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶן כִּיס שֶׁל טֶפַח וְנוֹתְנָן עַל לִבּוֹ. מַה טַעַם שִׁוִּיתִי יי֨ לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד. תַּמָּן אָֽמְרִין כָּל־שֶׁאֵינוֹ כֶאֱלִישָׁע בַּעַל כְּנָפַיִם לֹא יִלְבַּשׁ תְּפִילִין. First they were giving them137The tefillin, when somebody was entering a toilet. In the parallel in the Berakhot.23a">Babli (Berakhot 23a), it is not mentioned that first one had to hand the tefillin, which represent a considerable monetary worth, to other people. to others; these were taking them and fleeing. They decreed that one should put them in holes in the wall. When that incident138The incident is decribed in detail in the Babli (loc. cit.): A prostitute found a pair of tefillin in a hole near a public toilet, took them, and bragged publicly that she had received them for her services from a certain holy man who then committed suicide as a consequence of the public scandal. happened, they decreed that a person should enter and keep them in his hand. Rebbi Jacob bar Aḥa139A colleague of Rebbi Zeïra. The argument here, relating to a toilet, is parallel to the preceding one, relating to a urinal. in the name of Rebbi Zeïra said: but only if there is time left during the day to put them on again. But if there is no time left in the day to put them on, it is forbidden. For if he cannot perform a mitzwah with them, why should he degrade them? Maisha (Moses), grandson of R. Joshua ben Levi, said: He who wants to do it right, makes for them a pouch the size of a hand-breadth and puts them on his heart140A pouch with straps so that in case of need one can put the tefillin in the pouch and carry them hanging under his outer garment, the strap going around his neck. Since one needs the pouch anyhow for storing the tefillin during nighttime, the counsel of Rebbi Maishe is only to put the straps on so that the pouch can be used also during daytime. The Berakhot.24a">Babli (24a) forbids expressly to have the tefillin hanging on its own straps (not those of a pouch).. What is the reason? (Psalms.16.8">Ps. 16:8): “I put the Eternal always before me.” There141In Babylonia. The parallel in the Babli (Šabbat 49a) reads: “Rebbi Yannai said: Tefillin need a clean body, like Elisha of the bird’s wings.” R. Z. Frankel points out that at the start of fol. 4c, the Yerushalmi quotes that “Rebbi Yannai said: Tefillin need a clean body”; hence, the reference to Elisha of the bird-wings is really a Babylonian addition. The story is told only in the Babli, loc. cit., that Elisha was wearing tefillin when, in the aftermath of the war of Bar Kokhba, wearing tefillin was a capital crime. But he took them off when he saw a policeman and kept them in his hands. When the policeman asked him what he held in his hands, he said: “a couple of bird’s wings.” When he was ordered to open his hands, two birds flew away and his life was saved. (This story shows again that tefillin cases were not supposed to be larger than about 3/8th of an inch square.)
The implication of this Babylonian ruling is that nobody can be expected to keep his body perfectly clean for very long; hence, tefillin should be removed after prayers. they say: He who is not like Elisha of the bird’s wings should not put on tefillin.
רִבִּי זְעִירָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה לֹא יִכָּנֵס אָדָם לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת וְיַעֲשֵׂה צְרָכָיו שָׁם. וְאִם עָשָׂה כֵן עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר לוֹעֵג לָרָשׁ חֶרֶף עוֹשֵׂהוּ. דֵּלֹמָא רִבִּי חִייָא רוּבָּא וְרִבִּי יוֹנָתָן הָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין קוֹמֵי עַרְסֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי [שִׁמְעוֹן] בַּר יוֹסֵי בַּר לַקּוֹנִיָּא וַהֲוָה רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן מַפְסֵעַ עַל קִיבְרֵיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי חִייָא רוּבָּא כְּדוֹן אִינּוּן מֵימָר לְמָחָר אִינּוּן גַבָּן וְאִינּוּן מְעִיקִין לָן. אָמַר לֵיהּ וְחַכְמִין אִינּוּן כְּלוּם לָא כֵן כְּתִב וְהַמֵּתִים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ לִקְרוֹת אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ. לִדְרוֹשׁ אֵין אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ. כִּי הַחַיִּים יוֹדְעִים שֶׁיָּמוּתוּ אֵילּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁאֲפִילוּ בְמִיתָתָן קְרוּיִין חַיִּים. וְהַמֵּתִים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים מְאוּמָה אֵילּוּ הָֽרְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֲפִילוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶן קְרוּיִים מֵתִים. מְנַיִין שֶׁהָֽרְשָׁעִים אֲפִילוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶן קְרוּיִין מֵתִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי לֹא אֶחְפּוֹץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת. וְכִי הַמֵּת מֵת. אֶלָּא אֵילּוּ הָֽרְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֲפִילוּ בְחַיֵּיהֶן קְרוּיִין מֵתִים. וּמְנַיִין שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים אֲפִילוּ בְמִיתָתָן קְרוּיִין חַיִּים. דִּכְתִיב וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו זֹאת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר. מַה תַלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֵאמֹר. אָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ וֶאֱמוֹר לָאָבוֹת כָּל־מַה שֶׁהִתְנֵיתִי לָכֶם עָשִׂיתִי לִבְנֵיכֶם אַחֲרֵיכֶם. Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Abba bar Jeremiah: A person may not enter a cemetery and relieve himself there.142The connection with the preceding section is that this is a statement of Rebbi Zeïra in the name of Rav Abba bar Jeremiah, and it speaks about relieving oneself. When he did it anyway, about him the verse says (Proverbs.17.5">Prov. 17:5) “He who makes fun of the poor blasphemes his Maker.”143He who relieves himself in the cemetery makes fun of the dead two-fold; first he shows his contempt for the dead and then he does something that the dead can do no more. Even graveside sermons are unacceptable in Judaism since the dead can no longer have any Torah thoughts. Clarification: The great Rebbi Ḥiyya and Rebbi Jonathan144The greatest of the preachers of the first generation of Amoraïm, student of R. Simeon bar Yose bar Laqonia, a preacher of the last generation of Tannaïm who was the brother-in-law of the son of R. Simeon bar Yoḥai. were walking before the bier of Rebbi Simeon bar Yose bar Laqonia when Rebbi Jonathan stepped over his grave. The great Rebbi Ḥiyya said to him: About that they will say, tomorrow they will be with us but they hurt us. He answered him, do they know anything? Is it not written: (Proverbs.9.5">Prov. 9:5) “But the dead do not know anything.” He told him: you know how to read, you do not know how to preach. (Proverbs.9.5">Prov. 9:5) “The living know that they will die”, these are the Just who even in death are considered living; “but the dead do not know anything;” these are the wicked who even in life are called dead. From where that the wicked even in life are called dead? It is said (Ezekiel.18.32">Ez. 18:32) “For I have no pleasure in the death of the dead;” how can a dead person die? But these are the wicked who even in life are called dead. And from where that the Just even in death are considered living? It is written (Deuteronomy.34.4">Deut. 34:4) “And He said to him: This is the land I had sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to tell.” Why does the verse say “to tell”? He said to him: go and tell the patriarchs that all I had promised I fulfilled to your descendants after you.
עִירֵב אֶת הָאוֹתִיּוֹת. אִית תְּנָיֵּי תַנִּי כָּשֵׁר. וְאִית תְּנָיֵּי תַנִּי פָּסוּל. רִבִּי אִידִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן מַן דָּמַר כָּשֵׁר מִלְּמַטָּן. מַן דָּמַר פָּסוּל מִלְּמַעֲלָן. כְּגוֹן אַרְצֵינוּ תִפְאַרְתֵּינוּ. אַרְצְךָ צְרִיכָה. תִּפְאַרְתְּךָ צְרִיכָה. If one connected the letters145One speaks here about writing tefillin, mezuzot and Torah scrolls, not about wearing them. The main discussion is in Megillah 1:7:2-8:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Megillah.1.7.2-8.1">Yerushalmi Megillah 1:9; here it is quoted since it is somehow connected with the topic of tefillin but mainly because it belongs to a sequence of statements by Rebbi Idi in the name of Rebbi Simeon in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan, which belong to the topic of prayer. The explanation of this paragraph follows the interpretation of Rashba (Solomon ben Adrat, Responsa, vol. 1, #711).
The problem is the legal status of a holy text in which two letters touch one another. The Menachot.49a">Babli states (Menaḥot 49a) that every letter must be surrounded by white parchment. The Yerushalmi has no equivalent statement but one may assume that it subscribes to the same standard. It is also required that a letter should be written, not carved out. Hence, if a letter is completely written and its foot accidentally touches the following letter, as with a slightly too long foot of נ in נו, one may scratch off the superfluous length and has a complete acceptable letter. But when a letter has its head elongated, so that from the start the letter was not standing free, then the entire letter has to be scratched out and the writing has to start anew. The questionable case is a situation with a letter that is hanging down below the line, as in the combination תך when the small foot of ת meets the downward stroke of ך. In that case, the ת was complete but the ך was not; this case remains unsettled (i. e., for practical rulings both letters have to be erased and rewritten.); there is a Tanna who stated: it is valid, and there is a Tanna who stated: it is invalid. Rebbi Idi146A Babylonian who became a Galilean Amora in the Yeshivah of Rebbi Ammi. The Rebbi Simeon here is Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. in the name of Rebbi Simeon in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan: He who says it is valid, below; he who said it is invalid, on top. For example, ארצך .ארצנו, תפארתנוּ is questionable, תפארתך is questionable.
רִבִּי אִידִי בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרִבִּי יוֹסֵה לֹא יַעֲמוֹד אָדָם בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ וְיִתְפַּלֵּל. מַה טַעַם אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב פַּפַּי מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קָרָאתִיךָ י֙י. Rebbi Idi in the name of Rebbi Simeon in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan147These are the correct names, appearing in the parallel in Megillah 1:7:2-8:1" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Megillah.1.7.2-8.1">Megillah 1:9 and in the Rome ms. here. The parallel in the Berakhot.10">Babli (Berakhot 10) is aatributed to Rebbi Yose ben R. Ḥanina in the name of the Tanna Rebbi Eliëzer ben Jacob. Venice print: ר׳ אידי בר׳ שמעון בשם ר׳ יוסה.: No man should stand at an elevated place and pray. What is the reason? Rebbi Abba the son of R. Pappai148It seems that the name must be “son of Rebbi Pappai”; the Galilean Amora Rebbi Abba lived a generation before the Babylonian Amora Rav Pappi, one of the successors of Rava. said: (Psalms.130.1">Ps. 130:1) “From the depth I call on You, o Eternal!”
אָמַר רִבִּי אִידִי בְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן לֹא יַעֲמוֹד אָדָם וְיִתְפַּלֵּל וְצָרִיךְ לִנְקָבָיו. מַה טַעַם הִכּוֹן לִקְרַאת אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר רִבִּי אַלֶכְסַנְדְּרִי שְׁמוֹר רַגְלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ אֶל בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים שְׁמוֹר עַצְמְךָ מִן הַטִּיפִּים הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִבֵּין רַגְלֶיךָ. הֲדָא דְתֵימַר בְּדַקִּים. אֲבָל בְּגַסִּים אִם יָכוֹל לִסְבּוֹל יִסְבּוֹל. Rebbi Idi in the name of Rebbi Simeon in the name of Rebbi Yoḥanan said: No man should pray when he has an urge to go to the bathroom149In the Berakhot.23a">Babli (Berakhot 23a) this appears as a statement of R. Samuel ben Naḥmani in the name of Rebbi Jonathan. It is really a Tosephta (Berakhot 2:18).. What is the reason? (Amos.4.12">Amos 4:12) “Prepare yourself before Your God, o Israel!” Rebbi Alexandri said: (Ecclesiastes.4.17">Eccl. 4:17) “Watch you feet when you go to God’s house”; watch yourself from the drops that drip from between your feet. That means, for urine. But for defecation, if he can bear it, let him bear it150The Babli disagrees and states that prayer is only permitted when one is able to walk 4 mil without going to the bathroom (about a 70 minutes’ walk)..
רִבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אַבַּיי בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי אָחָא שְׁמוֹר רַגְלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵךְ אֶל בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים שְׁמוֹר עַצְמְךָ כְּשֶׁתְּהֵא נִקְרָא אֶל בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁתְּהֵא טָהוֹר וְנָקִי. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא יְהִי מְקוֹרְךָ בָרוּךְ. יְהִי מִקְרָאֵךָ לַקֶּבֶר בָּרוּךְ. אָמַר רִבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה עֵת לָלֶדֶת וְעֵת לָמוּת. אַשְרֵי אָדָם שֶׁשְּׁעַת מִיתָתוֹ כִשְׁעַת לֵידָתוֹ. מַה שְׁעַת לֵידָתוֹ נָקִי כַּךְ בִּשְׁעַת מִיתָתוֹ יְהֵא נָקִי. Rebbi Jacob bar Abbai151An Israeli Amora of the last generation. His statement is placed here since it gives a different interpretation of the last verse quoted before. In the Babli (loc. cit.) this is also a statement of R. Samuel bar Naḥmani in the name of Rebbi Jonathan, i. e., of the first generations of Israeli Amoraïm. in the name of Rebbi Aḥa: (Ecclesiastes.4.17">Eccl. 4:17) “Watch you feet when you go to God’s house”; watch yourself when you are called to God’s house152I. e., when you die. that you should be pure and innocent. Rebbi Abba said: (Proverbs.5.18">Prov. 5:18) “Your fountain shall be blessed”, your being called to the grave shall be blessed. Rebbi Berekhiah said (Ecclesiastes.3.1">Eccl. 3:1): “A time to be born and a time to die”, hail to the man whose hour of death is like the hour of his birth; just as at the hour of his birth he was innocent so at the hour of his death may he be innocent.