The commandment of the tefillin of the arm: To bind the tefillin of the arm upon the arm, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:8), “And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm.” And the explanation comes about this verse, that we bind four sections from the words of the Torah upon our arms. And they are called tefillin when they are bound with straps, as the tradition comes [to explain] about them. And these are these four sections: Two of them are at the end of the Order of Bo el Pharaoh and they are the sections of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me,” until “you shall keep this statute at its set time from year to year” — which is one section in every exact book [of the Torah]. And the second section is from “And it shall be when He will bring you,” until the end of the Order which finishes [with] “for with strong-handedness did He take us out of Egypt.” And the third section is at the end of the Order of Va’etchanan in the Book of Elu HaDevarim (Deuteronomy) — the section of “Hear Israel,” until “and in your gates.” And the fourth section is at the end of the Order of Vehaya Ekev — the section of “And it shall be if you listen,” until “like the days of the heavens upon the earth.” These four sections are written on one parchment and we roll it like a type of Torah scroll from its end to its beginning. And we place it into a chamber of leather and we pass a strap through one end of the leather. And we bind that leather with the [Torah] sections inside it upon the left upper arm. And since they are bound upon the upper arm, they are resting across from the heart. And they are called tefillin of the arm in every place.
It is from the root of the commandment [that] since people are physical, they are necessarily drawn after their desires; for the nature of all physical things is to seek all which is comfortable for it and is pleasurable — “just as a horse or like a mule who understand nothing” — were it not that the soul with which God has graced us prevents us, to its ability, from sin. But as it resides in [the body’s territory,] which is the earth, and is far removed from its [territory], which is the heavens, it cannot [vanquish] it and [the body] always exerts its strength over it. It therefore nonetheless requires many guards to protect it from its malevolent neighbor, lest it rise up upon it and kill it; as it is in its [territory] and under its hand. And the Omnipresent, blessed be He, wanted to give us — the holy nation — merit, and [so] He commanded us to set up mighty guards around [the soul]. And they are that we were commanded not to interrupt from [speaking] words of Torah from our mouths day and night; that we place four fringes on the four corners of our garments; a mezuzah on our doorpost; and the tefillin on our arm and on our head. And all of this is to remind us to avoid the crimes of our hands and that we not stray after our eyes or after the impulse of the thoughts of our hearts. Therefore, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Zevachim 19a) that the priests and the Levites are exempt from them when they performed the [Temple] service. And as the foundation of the tefillin is as we have mentioned, we are commanded about them (Menachot 36b) that we not remove our thoughts from them. Now, my son, also see how much more power our bodies have than our souls; for despite all this, it sometimes comes up and “breaks our fence.” May God in His mercy aid us and protect us, amen.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 1:3) that there are ten things about tefillin — whether [it be] in the tefillin of the head or whether of the arm — that are “laws of Moshe from Sinai.” And one who changes [even] one out of all of them, behold, [his] tefillin are disqualified. Two of them are in the writing and eight are in the cover and the binding of the straps. And these are the two with their writing: That they must be written with ink; and that they must be written on parchment. And these are the eight in their cover (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 3:1): 1) That they be square and their sewing be square, and their diagonals be square to the point that the four corners are all even; 2) that there be the form of a [letter] shin from the right and the left [sides] on the leather of the head; 3) that he wraps the [Torah] sections in cloth; 4) that he wrap them with the hair of a pure beast or [wild] animal over the cloth, and afterwards, place them inside their leather boxes; 5) that he sew them with tendons; 6) that we make for them an aperture in the leather cover, that the strap may be inserted until it passes and goes though its box; 7) that the straps be black; 8) that their knots be the famous ones like the form of a [letter] dalet.
And [also] that which they said (Gittin 45b) that only an Israelite can make tefillin and their straps. And the length of the strap of the arm is enough to surround the forearm in the place that they are placed and he ties it from there with the famous knot that needs to be in the shape of a [letter] yud, and he stretches [it] until the middle finger and he wraps three rings around it on his finger and he ties it. And if it is longer than this, it is [still] fit (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 3:12). And upon which place in the upper arm do we tie it? Upon the biceps — and that is the protruding flesh in the [upper arm] between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint — such that it comes out that when he puts his [upper arm] next to his ribs, the tefillin will be laying across from his heart, and it comes out that he will fulfill, “And these words shall be [...] upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). And [also] that which they said (Menachot 38a) that the tefillin of the arm does not impinge upon the tefillin of the head, and [that] of the head does not impinge upon that of the arm, because they are two [separate] commandments. And he recites the blessing on that of the head, “about the commandment of tefillin”; and on that of the arm, “to place the tefillin.” And about what are these words speaking? When he puts on one of them. But if he put both of them on together, he only recites one blessing; and that is “to place the tefillin.”
And he first places that of the arm and afterwards that of the head; and when he removes them, he removes that of the head first. And [also] that which they said (Berakhot 9b; Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 4:10) that the time of tefillin during the day is from when one can see his friend until the sun sets, as it is stated (Exodus 13:10), “You shall observe this statute in its proper time from day to day” — and “this statute” is the commandment of tefillin. And Shabbat and holidays — and the same is true of the intermediate festival days — are not a time for the placing of tefillin, as it is stated about them (Exodus 13:16), “And it shall be a sign.” And Shabbat days and holidays are a sign themselves, and we do not need another sign.
And [also] that which they said (Shabbat 49a) that tefillin requires a clean body, and they said in the Gemara, “What is a clean body? That he be careful not to pass gas with them [on].” But the matter is not to say that it requires a body clean of sins or of impurity. As every man, even one impure or a sinner is obligated about the commandment of tefillin, so long as he knows to be careful not to pass gas with them [on]. And maybe from being constant with the commandment of tefillin — as they are a great memory device for a person about his service to the Heavens — he will repent from his evil way and purify himself from all of his filth. And the Sages, may their memory be blessed, obligated us about the commandment of tefillin to educate even the small youths about it, so long as they have arrived to the category [of those] that know to guard them. And from here it can be understood that the opinion of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, was that every man should grab onto this commandment and be accustomed to it, since it is a great fundamental, a protection from sin and a strong ladder to climb with to enter into the service of the Creator, blessed be He. And maybe the intention of those that are stringent about the holiness of the commandment, and discourage the hearts of the masses with their words from being involved with it, is good. But in truth, through this, there is the prevention of people from several commandments, and [so] it is a great evil. And [this is] even though I know that those that preach these lessons base themselves on the Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 2:3, “About a certain man who deposited a glass with his fellow, and afterwards demanded it [back] from him and [the other] denied [having it].” And the owner of the glass said to him, “‘It is not you that I trusted, but that which is on your head that I trusted’” — and their intention is to say that there is a desecration of God’s name, to be pious about some commandments and to be evil about others. But this is not my home with God (not how I understand the ways of God); as I know that “there is no righteous man in the world who does good and never sins,” and nonetheless he is not prevented from being involved with commandments when the good spirit of God clothes him to do the good. As who knows whether maybe he will continue in his good path until the time of his death — and death will come suddenly. And they, may their memory be blessed, have already taught us (Avot 4:2) that “a commandment leads to another commandment” and “the reward for a commandment is another commandment.” About all of these things and the good ethics, they, may their memory be blessed, have preceded us and taught us. And those that want to be wise and add upon their words or take away [from them] are not [involved in] wisdom.
And [also] that which they said (Menachot 34b) that the order of the [Torah] sections on the parchment is thus — that we first write the section of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me,” and afterwards the section of “And it shall be when He will bring you,” and afterwards the section of “Hear Israel,” and afterwards the section of “And it shall be if you listen.” And those that said that we write the “beings” in the middle — meaning to say the section of “And it shall be when He will bring you” and the section of “And it shall be if you listen” in the middle, the section of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me” at the beginning and the section of “Hear Israel” at the end — did not properly discern the matter. As behold, it is the common opinion of Rashi and Rambam, may their memory be blessed, and Rabbenu Hai that we do not write the “beings” in the middle, but rather like the order that they are written in the Torah. And the proof is from that which is found in the chapter [entitled] Hakomets in Menachot 34b concerning the order of the tefillin; as they said there that one who reads [them], reads like the order in the Torah. And this text was certainly not found in the [copies of] the books of those people whose opinion was to say that we write the “beings” in the middle. And regardless, our teachers, may God protect them, agreed now [that it is] like we wrote, that we write them like the order of the sections that are written in the Torah.
And the law of their writing; the law of the crowns in them; the law of one who writes the name [of God] between the lines, or what is the law if [only] one letter from it [is written there]; the law of processing the leather; from which side of the leather are they written; the law if they were written by a heretic or a gentile; the law that they do not need to be checked — even for a hundred years — like a mezuzah [does]; the law of one who buys tefillin from someone who is not an expert; the law of their sewing with the sinews of a pure beast or [wild] animal; the law of tefillin, the sewing or the straps of which have broken; the law of someone whose tefillin are upon him but needs to eat or to enter the toilet with them, or one who forgot and entered with them; the law of one who enters the bathhouse with them, and the rest of the details of the commandment are [all] elucidated in the fourth chapter of Menachot. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 25.)
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, but not by females; because it is a positive commandment determined by time. And nonetheless, if they want to lay tefillin, we do not protest [against them] and there is reward for them; but not like the reward of a man — as the reward of someone who is commanded [something] and does [it] is not similar to the reward of someone who is not commanded [it] and does [it] (Kiddushin 31a). And in Tractate Eruvin 31a in the chapter [entitled] Hamotseh Tefillin, they, may their memory be blessed, said that Michal the daughter of Shaul would lay tefillin and the Sages did not protest [against her]. And there they [also] said the wife of Yonah would go up in pilgrimage and the Sages did not protest [against her]. And one who transgresses this and does not lay tefillin of the arm and of the head has violated eight positive commandments (Menachot 44a); as behold, Scripture commanded about the tefillin of the arm and of the head in four sections.
מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד – לִקְשֹׁר תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד עַל הַיָּד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו ח) וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ. וּבָא הַפֵּרוּשׁ עַל זֶה הַמִּקְרָא, שֶׁנִּקְשֹׁר עַל יָדֵנוּ מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה אַרְבַּע פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת, וְהֵן נִקְרָאוֹת תְּפִלִּין כְּשֶׁהֵן קְשׁוּרוֹת בִּרְצוּעוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּאָה הַקַּבָּלָה בָּהֶן. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן אַרְבַּע פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ, שְׁתַּיִם מֵהֶן בְּסוֹף סֵדֶר בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה, וְהֵן פָּרָשַׁת קַדֶּשׁ לִי כָל בְּכוֹר עַד וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַחֻקָּה הַזֹּאת לְמוֹעֲדָהּ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה, שֶׁהִיא פָּרָשָׁה אַחַת בְּכָל סֵפֶר מְדֻיָּק, וּמִוְּהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ עַד סוֹף הַסֵּדֶר שֶׁגּוֹמֵר כִּי בְּחֹזֶק יָד הוֹצִיאָנוּ יְיָ מִמִּצְרָיִם, פָּרָשָׁה שְׁנִיָּה. וּבְסוֹף סֵדֶר וָאֶתְחַנַּן בְּסֵפֶר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ פָּרָשָׁה שְׁלִישִׁית, וּבְסוֹף סֵדֶר וְהָיָה עֵקֶב פָּרָשַׁת וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ עַד כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ פָּרָשָׁה רְבִיעִית. אַרְבַּע פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת אֵלּוּ, (מנחות לד, ב) כּוֹתְבִין בִּקְלָף אֶחָד, וְגוֹלְלוֹ כְּמִין סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה מִסּוֹפוֹ לִתְחִלָּתוֹ, וּמַנִּיחוֹ בְּבַיִת שֶׁל עוֹר, וּמַעֲבִיר בִּקְצֵה הָעוֹר רְצוּעָה אַחַת, וְקוֹשֵׁר אוֹתוֹ הָעוֹר שֶׁהַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בְּתוֹכוֹ עַל זְרוֹעַ שְׂמֹאל, וְאַחַר שֶׁהֵן קְשׁוּרוֹת בַּזְּרוֹעַ הֵן שׁוֹכְבוֹת כְּנֶגֶד הַלֵּב, וְהֵן הַנִּקְרָאִין תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד בְּכָל מָקוֹם.
The commandment of the tefillin of the arm: To bind the tefillin of the arm upon the arm, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 6:8), “And you shall bind them as a sign upon your arm.” And the explanation comes about this verse, that we bind four sections from the words of the Torah upon our arms. And they are called tefillin when they are bound with straps, as the tradition comes [to explain] about them. And these are these four sections: Two of them are at the end of the Order of Bo el Pharaoh and they are the sections of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me,” until “you shall keep this statute at its set time from year to year” — which is one section in every exact book [of the Torah]. And the second section is from “And it shall be when He will bring you,” until the end of the Order which finishes [with] “for with strong-handedness did He take us out of Egypt.” And the third section is at the end of the Order of Va’etchanan in the Book of Elu HaDevarim (Deuteronomy) — the section of “Hear Israel,” until “and in your gates.” And the fourth section is at the end of the Order of Vehaya Ekev — the section of “And it shall be if you listen,” until “like the days of the heavens upon the earth.” These four sections are written on one parchment and we roll it like a type of Torah scroll from its end to its beginning. And we place it into a chamber of leather and we pass a strap through one end of the leather. And we bind that leather with the [Torah] sections inside it upon the left upper arm. And since they are bound upon the upper arm, they are resting across from the heart. And they are called tefillin of the arm in every place.
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לְפִי שֶׁהָאָדָם בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בַּעַל חֹמֶר יִמָּשֵׁךְ בְּהֶכְרֵחַ אַחַר הַתַּאֲווֹת, כִּי כֵן טֶבַע הַחֹמֶר לְבַקֵּשׁ כָּל הַנָּאוֹת אֵלָיו וְהֶעָרֵב, כְּסוּס כְּפֶרֶד אֵין הָבִין, אִם לֹא שֶׁהַנֶּפֶשׁ שֶׁחֲנָנוֹ הָאֵל, תִּמְנָעֶנּוּ לְפִי כֹּחָהּ מִן הַחֵטְא, וּמֵאֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁכֹּן בִּגְבוּלוֹ שֶׁהִיא הָאָרֶץ וּרְחוֹקָה מְאֹד מִגְּבוּלָהּ שֶׁהִיא הַשָּׁמַיִם, לֹא תּוּכַל לוֹ, וְיִגְבַּר כֹּחוֹ עָלֶיהָ תָּמִיד, לָכֵן הִיא צְרִיכָה עַל כָּל פָּנִים לְהַרְבֵּה שׁוֹמְרִים לְשָׁמְרָהּ מִשְּׁכֵנָהּ הָרַע, פֶּן יָקוּם עָלֶיהָ וְיַהַרְגֶנָּה, אַחַר הֱיוֹתָהּ בִּגְבוּלוֹ וְתַחַת יָדוֹ. וְרָצָה הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ עַם הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַעֲמִיד שׁוֹמְרִים גִּבּוֹרִים סָבִיב לָהּ, וְהֵם שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ לְבַל נַפְסִיק מִדִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִפִּינוּ יוֹמָם וְלַיְלָה, וְשֶׁנִּתֵּן אַרְבַּע צִיצִיּוֹת בְּאַרְבַּע כַּנְפוֹת כְּסוּתֵנוּ, וּמְזוּזָה בְּפִתְחֵנוּ, וְהַתְּפִלִּין בְּיָדֵנוּ וּבְרֹאשֵׁנוּ, וְהַכֹּל לְהַזְכִּירֵנוּ לְמַעַן נֶחְדַּל מֵעֹשֶׁק יָדֵינוּ וְלֹא נָתוּר אַחֲרֵי עֵינֵינוּ וְאַחֲרֵי יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבֵּנוּ, וּמִפְּנֵי כֵן אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (זבחים יט, א) שֶׁהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְּוִיִּם בִּשְׁעַת עֲבוֹדָה פְּטוּרִין מֵהֶן. וּבִהְיוֹת מִיְּסוֹד הַתְּפִלִּין מָה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ נִצְטַוִּינוּ עֲלֵיהֶם (מנחות לו, ב) לְבַל נַסִּיחַ מֵהֶן דַּעְתֵּנוּ. וְעַתָּה, בְּנִי, רְאֵה גַּם רְאֵה כַּמָּה כֹּחַ גּוּפֵנוּ גָּדוֹל עַל נַפְשֵׁנוּ, כִּי עַל כָּל אֵלֶּה יַעֲלֶה לִפְעָמִים וּפָרַץ גְּדֵרֵנוּ, הָאֵל בְּרַחֲמָיו יְהִי בְּעֶזְרֵנוּ, וְיִשְׁמְרֵנוּ, אָמֵן.
It is from the root of the commandment [that] since people are physical, they are necessarily drawn after their desires; for the nature of all physical things is to seek all which is comfortable for it and is pleasurable — “just as a horse or like a mule who understand nothing” — were it not that the soul with which God has graced us prevents us, to its ability, from sin. But as it resides in [the body’s territory,] which is the earth, and is far removed from its [territory], which is the heavens, it cannot [vanquish] it and [the body] always exerts its strength over it. It therefore nonetheless requires many guards to protect it from its malevolent neighbor, lest it rise up upon it and kill it; as it is in its [territory] and under its hand. And the Omnipresent, blessed be He, wanted to give us — the holy nation — merit, and [so] He commanded us to set up mighty guards around [the soul]. And they are that we were commanded not to interrupt from [speaking] words of Torah from our mouths day and night; that we place four fringes on the four corners of our garments; a mezuzah on our doorpost; and the tefillin on our arm and on our head. And all of this is to remind us to avoid the crimes of our hands and that we not stray after our eyes or after the impulse of the thoughts of our hearts. Therefore, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Zevachim 19a) that the priests and the Levites are exempt from them when they performed the [Temple] service. And as the foundation of the tefillin is as we have mentioned, we are commanded about them (Menachot 36b) that we not remove our thoughts from them. Now, my son, also see how much more power our bodies have than our souls; for despite all this, it sometimes comes up and “breaks our fence.” May God in His mercy aid us and protect us, amen.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (רמב"ם שם א ג) שֶׁעֲשָׂרָה דְּבָרִים יֵשׁ בַּתְּפִלִּין, בֵּין שֶׁל רֹאשׁ וּבֵין שֶׁל יָד, כֻּלָּם הֲלָכָה לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי, וְהַמְּשַׁנֶּה בְּאֶחָד מִכֻּלָּן הֲרֵי הַתְּפִלִּין פְּסוּלוֹת. שְׁנַיִם מֵהֶן בִּכְתִיבָתָן, וּשְׁמֹנָה בְּחִפּוּיָן וּקְשִׁירַת רְצוּעוֹתֵיהֶן, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַשְּׁנַיִם שֶׁבִּכְתִיבָתָן שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין אוֹתָן בִּדְיוֹ, וְשֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִכְתָּבוֹת עַל הַקְּלָף, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַשְּׁמֹנָה שֶׁבְּחִפּוּיָן א) שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מְרֻבָּעוֹת, וְכֵן תְּפִירָתָן בְּרִבּוּעַ, וַאֲלַכְסוֹנָן בְּרִבּוּעַ, עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶן אַרְבַּע זָוִיּוֹת שָׁווֹת. ב) שֶׁיִּהְיֶה בָּעוֹר שֶׁל רֹאשׁ צוּרַת שִׁי"ן מִיָּמִין וּמִשְּׂמֹאל. ג) שֶׁיִּכְרֹךְ הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בְּמַטְלִית. ד) שֶׁיִּכְרֹךְ אוֹתָם בְּשֵׂעָר שֶׁל בְּהֵמָה אוֹ חַיָּה טְהוֹרָה עַל הַמַּטְלִית, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מַכְנִיסָן בְּבָתֵּיהֶן שֶׁל עוֹר. ה) שֶׁיִּהְיוּ תּוֹפְרִין אוֹתָן בְּגִידִין. ו) שֶׁעוֹשִׂין לָהֶן מַעְבֹּרֶת מֵעוֹר הַחִפּוּי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס בָּהּ הָרְצוּעָה עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא עוֹבֶרֶת וְהוֹלֶכֶת בְּתוֹךְ תֵּבָה שֶׁלָּהּ. ז) שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָרְצוּעוֹת שְׁחוֹרוֹת. ח) שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַקֶּשֶׁר שֶׁלָּהֶן יָדוּעַ בְּצוּרַת דָּלֶ"ת.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 1:3) that there are ten things about tefillin — whether [it be] in the tefillin of the head or whether of the arm — that are “laws of Moshe from Sinai.” And one who changes [even] one out of all of them, behold, [his] tefillin are disqualified. Two of them are in the writing and eight are in the cover and the binding of the straps. And these are the two with their writing: That they must be written with ink; and that they must be written on parchment. And these are the eight in their cover (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 3:1): 1) That they be square and their sewing be square, and their diagonals be square to the point that the four corners are all even; 2) that there be the form of a [letter] shin from the right and the left [sides] on the leather of the head; 3) that he wraps the [Torah] sections in cloth; 4) that he wrap them with the hair of a pure beast or [wild] animal over the cloth, and afterwards, place them inside their leather boxes; 5) that he sew them with tendons; 6) that we make for them an aperture in the leather cover, that the strap may be inserted until it passes and goes though its box; 7) that the straps be black; 8) that their knots be the famous ones like the form of a [letter] dalet.
וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (גיטין מה, ב) שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין הַתְּפִלִּין וּרְצוּעוֹתֵיהֶן אֶלָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֹרֶךְ (רמב"ם שם ג יב) הָרְצוּעָה שֶׁל יָד כְּדֵי שֶׁתַּקִּיף הַזְּרוֹעַ בִּמְקוֹם הַנָּחָתָן בּוֹ וְיִקְשֹׁר מִמֶּנָּה הַקֶּשֶׁר הַיָּדוּעַ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת כְּצוּרַת יוּ"ד, וְתִמָּתַח עַד הָאֶצְבַּע הָאֶמְצָעִית וְיִכְרֹךְ מִמֶּנָּה עַל אֶצְבָּעוֹ שָׁלשׁ כְּרִיכוֹת וְיִקְשֹׁר, וְאִם הָיְתָה אֲרֻכָּה יָתֵר מִזֶּה כְּשֵׁרָה. וּבְאֵי זֶה מָקוֹם מִן הַזְּרוֹעַ קוֹשְׁרִין אוֹתָהּ? עַל הַקִּבֹּרֶת, וְהוּא הַבָּשָׂר הַתָּפוּחַ שֶׁבַּמַּרְפֵּק שֶׁבֵּין פֶּרֶק הַכָּתֵף וּפֶרֶק הַזְּרוֹעַ, שֶׁנִּמְצָא כְּשֶׁהוּא מְדַבֵּק מַרְפְּקוֹ לִצְלָעָיו יִהְיוּ הַתְּפִלִּין שׁוֹכְבִין כְּנֶגֶד לִבּוֹ, וְנִמְצָא מְקַיֵּם וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה עַל לְבָבְךָ. וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (מנחות לח, א) שֶׁתְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד אֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ אֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת שֶׁל יָד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן שְׁתֵּי מִצְוֹת, וְעַל שֶׁל רֹאשׁ מְבָרֵךְ עַל מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין, וְעַל שֶׁל יָד לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין, וּבַמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּשֶׁהִנִּיחַ אֶחָד מֵהֶן, אֲבָל אִם הִנִּיחַ שְׁנֵיהֶן יַחַד מְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה אַחַת בִּלְבַד וְהִיא לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין.
And [also] that which they said (Gittin 45b) that only an Israelite can make tefillin and their straps. And the length of the strap of the arm is enough to surround the forearm in the place that they are placed and he ties it from there with the famous knot that needs to be in the shape of a [letter] yud, and he stretches [it] until the middle finger and he wraps three rings around it on his finger and he ties it. And if it is longer than this, it is [still] fit (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 3:12). And upon which place in the upper arm do we tie it? Upon the biceps — and that is the protruding flesh in the [upper arm] between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint — such that it comes out that when he puts his [upper arm] next to his ribs, the tefillin will be laying across from his heart, and it comes out that he will fulfill, “And these words shall be [...] upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). And [also] that which they said (Menachot 38a) that the tefillin of the arm does not impinge upon the tefillin of the head, and [that] of the head does not impinge upon that of the arm, because they are two [separate] commandments. And he recites the blessing on that of the head, “about the commandment of tefillin”; and on that of the arm, “to place the tefillin.” And about what are these words speaking? When he puts on one of them. But if he put both of them on together, he only recites one blessing; and that is “to place the tefillin.”
וּמֵנִיחַ תְּחִלָּה שֶׁל יָד וְאַחַר כָּךְ שֶׁל רֹאשׁ, וּכְשֶׁהוּא חוֹלְצָן חוֹלֵץ שֶׁל רֹאשׁ תְּחִלָּה. וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (ברכות ט, ב רמב"ם שם ד י) שֶׁזְּמַן הַנָּחַת תְּפִלִּין בַּיּוֹם מִשֶּׁיִּרְאֶה חֲבֵרוֹ עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁקַע הַחַמָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יג י) וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת הַחֻקָּה הַזֹּאת לְמוֹעֲדָהּ מִיָּמִים יָמִימָה, וְחֻקָּה זוֹ הִיא מִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין. וְשַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב, וְהוּא הַדִּין לְחֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד אֵינוֹ זְמַן הַנָּחַת תְּפִלִּין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם (שם טז) וְהָיָה לְאוֹת, וְשַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים הֵן עַצְמָן אוֹת וְאֵין צְרִיכִין לְאוֹת אַחֵר.
And he first places that of the arm and afterwards that of the head; and when he removes them, he removes that of the head first. And [also] that which they said (Berakhot 9b; Mishneh Torah, Laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah and the Torah Scroll 4:10) that the time of tefillin during the day is from when one can see his friend until the sun sets, as it is stated (Exodus 13:10), “You shall observe this statute in its proper time from day to day” — and “this statute” is the commandment of tefillin. And Shabbat and holidays — and the same is true of the intermediate festival days — are not a time for the placing of tefillin, as it is stated about them (Exodus 13:16), “And it shall be a sign.” And Shabbat days and holidays are a sign themselves, and we do not need another sign.
וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (שבת מט, א) שֶׁתְּפִלִּין צְרִיכִין גּוּף נָקִי, וְאָמְרוּ בַּגְּמָרָא מַאי גּוּף נָקִי? שֶׁיִּזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָפִיחַ בָּהֶן, אֲבָל אֵין הָעִנְיָן לוֹמַר, שֶׁצְּרִיכִין גּוּף נָקִי מֵעֲבֵרוֹת אוֹ מִטֻּמְאָה, כִּי כָּל אָדָם וַאֲפִלּוּ טָמֵא וּבַעַל עֲבֵרוֹת מְחֻיָּב בְּמִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁיֵּדַע לְהִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָפִיחַ בָּהֶן, וְאוּלַי מִתּוֹךְ הַתְמָדָתוֹ בְּמִצְוַת תְּפִלִּין שֶׁהֵן זִכְרוֹן גָּדוֹל לָאָדָם בִּמְלֶאכֶת שָׁמַיִם יָשׁוּב מִדַּרְכּוֹ הָרָעָה וְיִטְהַר מִכָּל גִּלּוּלָיו. וַחֲכָמִים זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוכה מב, א) חִיְּבוּנוּ בְּמִצְוַת הַתְּפִלִּין לְחַנֵּךְ בָּהּ אֲפִלּוּ הַנְּעָרִים הַקְּטַנִּים כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לִכְלָל שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ לִשְׁמֹר אוֹתָן. וּמִזֶּה יֵשׁ לְהָבִין שֶׁדַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לִהְיוֹת כָּל אָדָם מַחְזִיק בְּמִצְוָה זוֹ וְרָגִיל בָּהּ כִּי הִיא עִקָּר גָּדוֹל וּשְׁמִירָה רַבָּה מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת, וְסֻלָּם חָזָק לַעֲלוֹת עִמָּהּ לְהִכָּנֵס בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְהַמַּחְמִירִים בִּקְדֻשַּׁת הַמִּצְוָה וּמְנִיאִים לֵב הֶהָמוֹן בְּדִבְרֵיהֶם מֵהִתְעַסֵּק בָּהּ, אוּלַי כַּוָּנָתָם לְטוֹבָה, אֲבָל בֶּאֱמֶת יֵשׁ בָּזֶה מְנִיעָה לִבְנֵי אָדָם בְּכַמָּה מִצְוֹת וְהִיא רָעָה רַבָּה. וְאִם יָדַעְתִּי כִּי יִסְמְכוּ הַדּוֹרְשִׁים דְּרָשׁוֹת אֵלּוּ עַל מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁנִּזְכַּר בַּיְּרוּשַׁלְמִי (ברכות פ"ב ה"ג) בְּחַד בַּר נַשׁ דְּאַפְקִיד גַּבֵּי חַבְרֵהּ כָּסָא דְּכַסְפָּא, וְלִזְמַן תַּבְעָהּ נִהֲלֵהּ וְכָפַר בֵּהּ, וְאָמַר לֵהּ בַּעַל הַכּוֹס, לֹא לְךָ הֵימְנִית אֶלָּא לְאִלֵּין שֶׁבְּרֹאשְׁךָ, וְכַוָּנָתָם לוֹמַר, שֶׁיֵּשׁ חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם לְהִתְחַסֵּד בִּקְצָת מִצְוֹת וּלְהַרְשִׁיעַ בִּקְצָתָן, וְלֹא כֵן בֵּיתִי אֲנִי עִם הָאֵל, כִּי יָדַעְתִּי שֶׁאֵין צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה טּוֹב וְלֹא יֶחֱטָא, וְעִם כָּל זֶה לֹא נִמְנָעֵהוּ מֵהִתְעַסֵּק בְּמִצְוָה בְּעֵת רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים טוֹבָה יִלְבָּשֵׁהוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת טוֹב, כִּי מִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם אוּלַי יִמָּשֵׁךְ בְּדַרְכּוֹ הַטּוֹבָה עַד עֵת מוֹתוֹ, וְהַמָּוֶת פִּתְאֹם יָבוֹא, וּכְבָר לִמְּדוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (אבות פ"ד מ"ב), שֶׁמִּצְוָה גּוֹרֶרֶת מִצְוָה, וְשֶׁשְּׂכַר מִצְוָה מִצְוָה. בְּכָל אֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים וּמוּסָרִים טוֹבִים, קִדְּמוּנוּ וְהוֹרוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, וְהַמִּתְחַכְּמִים לְהוֹסִיף עַל דִּבְרֵיהֶם אוֹ לִגְרֹעַ אֵינָהּ חָכְמָה.
And [also] that which they said (Shabbat 49a) that tefillin requires a clean body, and they said in the Gemara, “What is a clean body? That he be careful not to pass gas with them [on].” But the matter is not to say that it requires a body clean of sins or of impurity. As every man, even one impure or a sinner is obligated about the commandment of tefillin, so long as he knows to be careful not to pass gas with them [on]. And maybe from being constant with the commandment of tefillin — as they are a great memory device for a person about his service to the Heavens — he will repent from his evil way and purify himself from all of his filth. And the Sages, may their memory be blessed, obligated us about the commandment of tefillin to educate even the small youths about it, so long as they have arrived to the category [of those] that know to guard them. And from here it can be understood that the opinion of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, was that every man should grab onto this commandment and be accustomed to it, since it is a great fundamental, a protection from sin and a strong ladder to climb with to enter into the service of the Creator, blessed be He. And maybe the intention of those that are stringent about the holiness of the commandment, and discourage the hearts of the masses with their words from being involved with it, is good. But in truth, through this, there is the prevention of people from several commandments, and [so] it is a great evil. And [this is] even though I know that those that preach these lessons base themselves on the Talmud Yerushalmi Berakhot 2:3, “About a certain man who deposited a glass with his fellow, and afterwards demanded it [back] from him and [the other] denied [having it].” And the owner of the glass said to him, “‘It is not you that I trusted, but that which is on your head that I trusted’” — and their intention is to say that there is a desecration of God’s name, to be pious about some commandments and to be evil about others. But this is not my home with God (not how I understand the ways of God); as I know that “there is no righteous man in the world who does good and never sins,” and nonetheless he is not prevented from being involved with commandments when the good spirit of God clothes him to do the good. As who knows whether maybe he will continue in his good path until the time of his death — and death will come suddenly. And they, may their memory be blessed, have already taught us (Avot 4:2) that “a commandment leads to another commandment” and “the reward for a commandment is another commandment.” About all of these things and the good ethics, they, may their memory be blessed, have preceded us and taught us. And those that want to be wise and add upon their words or take away [from them] are not [involved in] wisdom.
וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ (מנחות לד ב) שֶׁסִּדּוּר הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בִּקְלַף הַתְּפִלִּין כָּךְ הוּא, שֶׁכּוֹתְבִים תְּחִלָּה פָּרָשַׁת קַדֵּשׁ לִי, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּרָשַׁת וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ, וַאֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ שֶׁכּוֹתְבִין הֲוָיוֹת בְּאֶמְצַע, כְּלוֹמַר פָּרָשַׁת וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ וּפָרָשַׁת וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ בָּאֶמְצַע, וּפָרָשַׁת קַדֵּשׁ לִי בָּרֹאשׁ, וּפָרָשַׁת שְׁמַע בַּסּוֹף, לֹא כִּוְּנוּ הָעִנְיָן יָפֶה, וַהֲרֵי רַשִׁ"י וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה וְרַבֵּנוּ הַאי דַּעַת כֻּלָּם הִיא, שֶׁלֹּא נִכְתֹּב הֲוָיוֹת בָּאֶמְצַע, אֶלָּא כְּסֵדֶר שֶׁהֵם כְּתוּבִין בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהָרְאָיָה מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּמְצָא בְּפֶרֶק הַקּוֹמֵץ בִּמְנָחוֹת (שם), גַּבֵּי סִדּוּר הַתְּפִלִּין שֶׁאָמְרוּ שָׁם וְהַקּוֹרֵא קוֹרֵא כְּסִדְרָן כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַקּוֹרֵא קוֹרֵא כְּסֵדֶר הַתּוֹרָה, וְנֹסַח זֶה, וַדַּאי לֹא מְצָאוּהוּ בַּסְּפָרִים אוֹתָם בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָיָה דַּעְתָּם לוֹמַר דְּכָתְבִינַן הֲוָיוֹת בָּאֶמְצַע, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם כֵּן הִסְכִּימוּ מוֹרֵינוּ יִשְׁמְרֵם אֵל, עַכְשָׁו, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ, שֶׁנִּכְתְּבֵם כְּסֵדֶר הַפָּרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁכְּתוּבוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה.
And [also] that which they said (Menachot 34b) that the order of the [Torah] sections on the parchment is thus — that we first write the section of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me,” and afterwards the section of “And it shall be when He will bring you,” and afterwards the section of “Hear Israel,” and afterwards the section of “And it shall be if you listen.” And those that said that we write the “beings” in the middle — meaning to say the section of “And it shall be when He will bring you” and the section of “And it shall be if you listen” in the middle, the section of “Sanctify your firstborn to Me” at the beginning and the section of “Hear Israel” at the end — did not properly discern the matter. As behold, it is the common opinion of Rashi and Rambam, may their memory be blessed, and Rabbenu Hai that we do not write the “beings” in the middle, but rather like the order that they are written in the Torah. And the proof is from that which is found in the chapter [entitled] Hakomets in Menachot 34b concerning the order of the tefillin; as they said there that one who reads [them], reads like the order in the Torah. And this text was certainly not found in the [copies of] the books of those people whose opinion was to say that we write the “beings” in the middle. And regardless, our teachers, may God protect them, agreed now [that it is] like we wrote, that we write them like the order of the sections that are written in the Torah.
וְדִין כְּתִיבָתָן, וְדִין הַתָּגִין שֶׁבָּהֶן, וְדִין הַכּוֹתֵב בָּהֶן אֶת הַשֵּׁם בֵּין הַשִּׁטִּין אוֹ אוֹת אַחַת מֵהֶן מַה דִּינוֹ, וְדִין עִבּוּד הָעוֹר, וּמֵאֵיזֶה צַד מִן הָעוֹר הֵן נִכְתָּבִין, וְדִין אִם כְּתָבָן מִין אוֹ גּוֹי, וְדִין שֶׁאֵינָן צְרִיכִין בְּדִיקָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ לְמֵאָה שָׁנָה, כְּמוֹ מְזוּזָה, וְדִין הַלּוֹקֵחַ תְּפִלִּין מִמִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מֻמְחֶה, וְדִין תְּפִירָתָן בְּגִידִין שֶׁל בְּהֵמָה אוֹ חַיָּה טְהוֹרָה, וְדִין תְּפִלִּין שֶׁנִּפְסְקוּ הַתְּפִירוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶם אוֹ רְצוּעוֹתֵיהֶן, וְדִין מִי שֶׁתְּפִלִּין עָלָיו וְצָרִיךְ לֶאֱכֹל, אוֹ לְהִכָּנֵס בְּבֵית הַכִּסֵּא קָבוּעַ אוֹ עֲרַאי, אוֹ שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְנִכְנַס בָּהֶן, וְדִין הַנִּכְנָס בָּהֶן לְבֵית הַמֶּרְחָץ, וְיֶתֶר פְּרָטֵי הַמִּצְוָה, מְבֹאָרִים בִּמְנָחוֹת פֶּרֶק רְבִיעִי [א"ח סי' כה].
And the law of their writing; the law of the crowns in them; the law of one who writes the name [of God] between the lines, or what is the law if [only] one letter from it [is written there]; the law of processing the leather; from which side of the leather are they written; the law if they were written by a heretic or a gentile; the law that they do not need to be checked — even for a hundred years — like a mezuzah [does]; the law of one who buys tefillin from someone who is not an expert; the law of their sewing with the sinews of a pure beast or [wild] animal; the law of tefillin, the sewing or the straps of which have broken; the law of someone whose tefillin are upon him but needs to eat or to enter the toilet with them, or one who forgot and entered with them; the law of one who enters the bathhouse with them, and the rest of the details of the commandment are [all] elucidated in the fourth chapter of Menachot. (See Tur, Orach Chaim 25.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים, אֲבָל לֹא בִּנְקֵבוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁהַזְּמַן גְּרָמָא, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם רָצוּ לְהָנִיחַ אֵין מְמַחִין בְּיָדָן, וְשָׂכָר יֵשׁ לָהֶן, אֲבָל לֹא כִּשְׂכַר הָאִישׁ, שֶׁאֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה שְׂכַר הַמְּצֻוֶּה וְעוֹשֶׂה, כִּשְׂכַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְצֻוֶּה וְעוֹשֶׂה (קידושין לא א). וּבְמַסֶּכֶת עֵרוּבִין בְּרֵישׁ פֶּרֶק הַמּוֹצֵא תְּפִלִּין (צו, א) אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, שֶׁמִּיכַל בַּת שָׁאוּל הָיְתָה מַנַּחַת תְּפִלִּין וְלֹא מִחוּ בְּיָדָהּ חֲכָמִים וְשָׁם אָמְרוּ, אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל יוֹנָה, הָיְתָה עוֹלָה לָרֶגֶל וְלֹא מִחוּ בְּיָדָהּ חֲכָמִים. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה, וְאֵינוֹ מֵנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד וְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ בִּטֵּל שְׁמֹנָה עֲשֵׂה (מנחות מד א), שֶׁהֲרֵי בְּאַרְבַּע פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת צִוָּה הַכָּתוּב עַל תְּפִלִּין שֶׁל יָד וְשֶׁל רֹאשׁ.
And it is practiced in every place and at all times by males, but not by females; because it is a positive commandment determined by time. And nonetheless, if they want to lay tefillin, we do not protest [against them] and there is reward for them; but not like the reward of a man — as the reward of someone who is commanded [something] and does [it] is not similar to the reward of someone who is not commanded [it] and does [it] (Kiddushin 31a). And in Tractate Eruvin 31a in the chapter [entitled] Hamotseh Tefillin, they, may their memory be blessed, said that Michal the daughter of Shaul would lay tefillin and the Sages did not protest [against her]. And there they [also] said the wife of Yonah would go up in pilgrimage and the Sages did not protest [against her]. And one who transgresses this and does not lay tefillin of the arm and of the head has violated eight positive commandments (Menachot 44a); as behold, Scripture commanded about the tefillin of the arm and of the head in four sections.