Tefillin Time
Parsha Pages | January 31, 2025
Print This Article
View Original PDF

Tefillin Time

Parsha Pages | June 27, 2025

שמות פרק יג ט וְהָּיָּה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל-יָּדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵין עֵינֶׂיךָ לְמַעַן תִהְיֶׂה תוֹרַת הי בְפִיךָ

אין לך גדולה במצוות שבתורה כמצוות תפילין שהוקש לכל התורה שנאמר "למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך" (מדרש)

Shabbos 130: (Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): Every Mitzvah that Yisraelim were willing to die for when kingdoms decreed against it, like idolatry and Milah, they still solidly observe it; every Mitzvah that they were not willing to die for at the time of decrees, like Tefillin, their observance of that Mitzvah is weak.

(R. Yanai): One must [be able to] guard his body to wear Tefillin, like Elisha 'of the wings'. (Rashi - most people are unlike Elisha, and cannot wear Tefillin - this is because only he was willing to die for it, as follows; Rashba - we bring R. Yanai's teaching only to show that most of Yisrael were not willing to die for it (Tosfos - even Elisha did not admit that he was wearing Tefillin) - it was known that most people do not wear Tefillin (perhaps this means, all day long).

Question: What does this mean?

Answer #1 (Abaye): He must be able to guard himself from passing gas [while wearing Tefillin].

Version #1 (Rashi) Answer #2 (Rava): He need [only] be able to guard himself from sleeping [while wearing Tefillin, lest he pass gas - when awake, anyone can guard himself.

Version #2 (Tosfos) Answer #2 (Rava): He must [also] be able to guard himself from sleeping (one must be conscious of them the entire time he wears them; also, lest he pass gas.

Question: Why is he called Elisha 'of the wings'?

Answer: Rome decreed to puncture the skull of anyone who will wear Tefillin; Elisha wore Tefillin in the market. An officer appointed to enforce the decree saw him and chased him; when he caught him, Elisha took the Tefillin from his head and put it in his hand. The officer asked what he is holding; Elisha said that it is dove's wings - a miracle was done, he opened his hand and revealed dove's wings. (Maharsha - the name also alludes to [a body clean like] angels, which have wings.)

Question: Why did he say dove's wings, and not those of other birds? (Maharsha - he did not need to specify any species!)

Answer: Keneses Yisrael is compared to a dove - "Kanfei Yonah Nechpah va'Kesef"; Just like a dove's wings protect it [from cold, and it uses them to fight off attackers], Yisrael's Mitzvos protect them.

Three main (and perhaps contradictory) principles regarding wearing Tefillin (O.C. simanim 25-37):

  1. Concept to wear Tefillin the entire day
    • From the Torah the mitzvah of wearing Tefillin is the entire day, except for those times a person should not wear Tefillin.
    • From the Torah the mitzvah is to wear Tefillin for a brief time (perhaps time to say Krias Shema); the optimal mitzvah from the Torah is to wear Tefillin the entire day.
    • From the Torah the mitzvah is to wear Tefillin for a brief time; Chaza”l decreed to wear Tefillin the entire day.

Requires a constant clean body (גוף נקי)

  1. Abaye and Rava (above) are explaining R. Yanai that one needs to refrain from passing gas and/or sleeping while wearing Tefillin (law decided according to Rava).
  2. Others explain separate concept to keep one’s body from aveiros; one should wear Tefillin after doing Teshuvah.
  3. Some of the Geonim explain R. Yanai’s law of a “clean body” is limited to the time of Shmad (forced conversation). Only Tzadikim, like Elisha for whom a miracle will occur, are able to wear Tefillin during the time of Shmad. Everyone else should not wear Tefillin during that period.

Requires constant awareness of the mitzvah (היסח הדעת)

  1. A person is obligated to touch one’s Tefillin constantly when wearing them. The Tzitz of the Cohen Gadol has one Name of G-d and the Cohen Gadol must constantly be aware of it, how much more so regarding Tefillin which contain multiple Names of G-d.
  2. Some Rishonim maintain that one must not be jovial or light-headed (but not necessary to have constant awareness).

Four possible methods that are mentioned in the Rishonim to practically fulfill Mitzvas Tefillin:

  1. Most people would refrain from putting on Tefillin (except for certain special people). This method is rejected by Halacha.
  2. Most people would put on Tefillin for a short period every day and then remove them.
  3. Most people should put on Tefillin for the entire day.
  4. Most people would put on Tefillin during the time of prayers (accepted Halacha).

שמות פרק יג ט וְהָּיָּה לְךָ לְאוֹת עַל-יָּדְךָ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן בֵין עֵינֶׂיךָ לְמַעַן תִהְיֶׂה תוֹרַת הי בְפִיךָ

אין לך גדולה במצוות שבתורה כמצוות תפילין שהוקש לכל התורה שנאמר "למען תהיה תורת ה' בפיך" (מדרש)

Shabbos 130: (Beraisa - R. Shimon ben Elazar): Every Mitzvah that Yisraelim were willing to die for when kingdoms decreed against it, like idolatry and Milah, they still solidly observe it; every Mitzvah that they were not willing to die for at the time of decrees, like Tefillin, their observance of that Mitzvah is weak.

(R. Yanai): One must [be able to] guard his body to wear Tefillin, like Elisha 'of the wings'. (Rashi - most people are unlike Elisha, and cannot wear Tefillin - this is because only he was willing to die for it, as follows; Rashba - we bring R. Yanai's teaching only to show that most of Yisrael were not willing to die for it (Tosfos - even Elisha did not admit that he was wearing Tefillin) - it was known that most people do not wear Tefillin (perhaps this means, all day long).

Question: What does this mean?

Answer #1 (Abaye): He must be able to guard himself from passing gas [while wearing Tefillin].

Version #1 (Rashi) Answer #2 (Rava): He need [only] be able to guard himself from sleeping [while wearing Tefillin, lest he pass gas - when awake, anyone can guard himself.

Version #2 (Tosfos) Answer #2 (Rava): He must [also] be able to guard himself from sleeping (one must be conscious of them the entire time he wears them; also, lest he pass gas.

Question: Why is he called Elisha 'of the wings'?

Answer: Rome decreed to puncture the skull of anyone who will wear Tefillin; Elisha wore Tefillin in the market. An officer appointed to enforce the decree saw him and chased him; when he caught him, Elisha took the Tefillin from his head and put it in his hand. The officer asked what he is holding; Elisha said that it is dove's wings - a miracle was done, he opened his hand and revealed dove's wings. (Maharsha - the name also alludes to [a body clean like] angels, which have wings.)

Question: Why did he say dove's wings, and not those of other birds? (Maharsha - he did not need to specify any species!)

Answer: Keneses Yisrael is compared to a dove - "Kanfei Yonah Nechpah va'Kesef"; Just like a dove's wings protect it [from cold, and it uses them to fight off attackers], Yisrael's Mitzvos protect them.

Three main (and perhaps contradictory) principles regarding wearing Tefillin (O.C. simanim 25-37):

  1. Concept to wear Tefillin the entire day
    • From the Torah the mitzvah of wearing Tefillin is the entire day, except for those times a person should not wear Tefillin.
    • From the Torah the mitzvah is to wear Tefillin for a brief time (perhaps time to say Krias Shema); the optimal mitzvah from the Torah is to wear Tefillin the entire day.
    • From the Torah the mitzvah is to wear Tefillin for a brief time; Chaza”l decreed to wear Tefillin the entire day.

Requires a constant clean body (גוף נקי)

  1. Abaye and Rava (above) are explaining R. Yanai that one needs to refrain from passing gas and/or sleeping while wearing Tefillin (law decided according to Rava).
  2. Others explain separate concept to keep one’s body from aveiros; one should wear Tefillin after doing Teshuvah.
  3. Some of the Geonim explain R. Yanai’s law of a “clean body” is limited to the time of Shmad (forced conversation). Only Tzadikim, like Elisha for whom a miracle will occur, are able to wear Tefillin during the time of Shmad. Everyone else should not wear Tefillin during that period.

Requires constant awareness of the mitzvah (היסח הדעת)

  1. A person is obligated to touch one’s Tefillin constantly when wearing them. The Tzitz of the Cohen Gadol has one Name of G-d and the Cohen Gadol must constantly be aware of it, how much more so regarding Tefillin which contain multiple Names of G-d.
  2. Some Rishonim maintain that one must not be jovial or light-headed (but not necessary to have constant awareness).

Four possible methods that are mentioned in the Rishonim to practically fulfill Mitzvas Tefillin:

  1. Most people would refrain from putting on Tefillin (except for certain special people). This method is rejected by Halacha.
  2. Most people would put on Tefillin for a short period every day and then remove them.
  3. Most people should put on Tefillin for the entire day.
  4. Most people would put on Tefillin during the time of prayers (accepted Halacha).
PDF Preview
View The Full Article (PDF)
Parsha Pages | January 31, 2025