Jerusalem Talmud Megillah 4:7

משנה: קָטָן קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה וּמְתַרְגֵּם אֲבָל אֵינוֹ פּוֹרֵס אֶת שְׁמַע וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה וְאֵינוֹ נוֹשֵׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו. פּוֹחֵחַ פּוֹרֵס אֶת שְׁמַע וּמְתַרְגֵּם אֲבָל אֵינוֹ קוֹרֵא בַּתּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה וְאֵינוֹ נוֹשֵׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו. סוּמֶא פּוֹרֵס אֶת שְׁמַע וּמְתַרְגֵּם. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר כֹּל שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה מְאוֹרוֹת מִיָּמָיו לֹא פוֹרֵס אֶת שְׁמַע: MISHNAH: A minor reads in the Torah and translates¹⁴⁰Since these activities depend only on ability, not personal obligation. but he does not spread out the Shema`, nor stands before the Ark, nor lifts his hands. The uncovered<sup>141</sup>In Isaiah.20">Is. 20, Jonathan translates עָרוֹם by פָחֵיחַ(while at all other occurrences the translation is ערטילאי). Rif explains: פּוֹחֵחַ means one whose clothing is torn and his shoulder and arms are naked. Rashi quotes Soferim14:15: פּוֹחֵחַ is one whose feet are naked, or whose clothing is torn, or whose head is uncovered. He may do anything which is not visible in public. spreads out the Shema` and translates, but he may not read in the Torah nor stand before the Ark, nor lift his hands. A blind man spreads out the Shema`<sup>142</sup>This Tanna holds that blindness is not a disability freeing from religious observances. and translates. Rebbi Jehudah says, a person who never saw light does not spread out the Shema`¹⁴³Since the first benediction preceding the Shema` is a praise of God for the creation of light..

הלכה: תַּמָּן תַּנִּינָן. סוּמֶא אֵינוֹ גוֹלֶה דִּבְרֵי רִבִּי יְהוּדָה. רִבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר גּוֹלֶה. וּשְׁנֵיהֶן מִקְרָא אֶחָד הֵן דּוֹרְשִׁין. בְּלֹ֣א רְא֔וֹת. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר. לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַסּוּמֶא. רִבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר. פְּרָט לַסּוּמֶא. וָכָא תַנִּינָן. כֹּל שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה מְאוֹרוֹת מִיָּמָיו לֹא יִפְרוֹשׂ אֶת שְׁמַע׃ הָא אִם רָאָה פוֹרֵשׂ. רִבִּי חַגַּיי בָעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי יוֹסֵה. מִחְלְפָה שִׁיטָּתֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי יְהוּדָה. תַּמָּן הוּא אָמַר. פְּרָט. וְהָכָא הוּא אָמַר. לְרַבּוֹת. אָמַר רִבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בְרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי הִלֵּל. בְּיוֹשֵׁב בְּבַיִת אָפֵל הִיא מַתְנִיתָא. כָּךְ אָנוּ אוֹמְרִים. הַיּוֹשֵׁב בְּבַיִת אָפֵל לֹא יִפְרוֹשׂ אֶת שְׁמַע׃ בְּרַם הָכָא בְּלֹ֣א רְא֔וֹת לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַסּוּמֶא. HALAKHAH: ¹⁴⁴This paragraph is a reformulation of a paragraph in Makkot 2:5:3" href="/Jerusalem_Talmud_Makkot.2.5.3">Makkot 2:7 Notes 41–44. There, we have stated, “A blind person is not exiled, the words of Rebbi Jehudah; Rebbi Meïr says, he is exiled.” And both of them explained the same verse, without seeing¹⁴⁵Numbers.35.23">Num. 35:23.. Rebbi Jehudah says, to include the blind person. Rebbi Meïr says, excluding the blind person. And here we have stated, “a person who never saw light does not spread out the Shema`<sup>143</sup>Since the first benediction preceding the Shema` is a praise of God for the creation of light..” Therefore if he saw he spreads. Rebbi Ḥaggai asked before Rebbi Yose, is the argument of Rebbi Jehudah inverted? There he says, excluding, but here he says, to include. Rebbi Ḥanania the son of Rebbi Hillel said, the Mishnah is about one sitting in a dark house. So we are saying, “one sitting in a dark house may not spread the Shema`.” But here, without seeing, to include the blind person.