Berakhot 24a (כד.) — the Talmud in English

Anything

that he does in order

to guard them

from thieves and mice—

is more

preferable

for them than their disgrace, since he is commanded to safeguard them.

And where may he place them?

Rabbi Yirmeya said: Between a pillow and a cushion—

not opposite

his head.

The Gemara asks: Why did Rabbi Yirmeya prohibit placing them opposite his head?

But Rabbi Hiyya taught: He places them in a hat,

in the tefillin-bag, and he places the bag

beneath his head!

And it must be that this applies even opposite his head, where the tefillin must be in one vessel within another; but when they are not opposite him, he need not place them in a hat. The Gemara answers:

He extends the protruding part of the hat—

outward.

He draws the edge of the bag outward, so that it is not opposite his head, and the tefillin are located at this edge.

Bar Kappara would wrap them

He would bundle his tefillin

in a bed-curtain,

which is the sheet spread around the bed,

and he would extend their protruding part—

the place where the tefillin were tied protrudes — from the bed-curtain,

outward—

toward the outside of the bed.

Rav Shisha, son of Rav Idi, would place them on a small bench,

a small bench,

and spread a cloth over them.

Rav Hamnuna, son of Rav Yosef, said: Once I was standing before Rava, and he said to me: “Go and bring me tefillin.” I found them between a pillow and a cushion, not opposite his head, and I knew that it was the day of immersion

of his wife of Rava

and

he had marital relations that night,

and

I understood that he had sent me in order

to teach me the practical halakha

in accordance with Shmuel, who permitted it even when one’s wife is with him,

and that is what he did.

Rav Yosef, son of Rav Neḥunya, asked Rav Yehuda: Two people who sleep in one bed

when they are naked —

what is the ruling as to whether one may turn his face

to one side

and recite Keriat Shema, while the other turns his face

to the other side

and recites Keriat Shema?

He said to him: This is what Shmuel said: “Even when his wife is with him

in the bed, he may recite.”

Rav Yosef objected:

How could he infer from Shmuel’s words that his intent was to say, “Even

his wife,” and it goes without saying that this applies to another

who is with him in the bed? For

on the contrary,

only with

his wife

did he permit it, because she is

like his own body,

and since he is accustomed to her, she does not cause him to entertain such thoughts, and therefore one may be lenient; but

another person—

is not like his own body

and it is forbidden to recite with him in the bed!

He raises an objection: Two people who sleep in one bed—

one turns his face and recites, and the other turns his face and recites.

And another beraita was taught: One who sleeps in a bed, with his children and members of his household beside him—

he may not recite Keriat Shema unless a cloak separates

between them .

And if his children and members of his household are minors—

it is permitted.

Granted, according to Rav Yosef

who permitted it with one’s wife and forbade it with another,

this is not difficult: this

that states, “he turns his face and recites,” is speaking

when his wife

is with him, whereas

that

which states, “he may not recite unless a cloak separates between them,” is speaking

of another person [

and “members of his household” does not include his wife].

But according to Shmuel

who does not distinguish—

it is difficult!

Shmuel could say to you:

And

is it satisfactory according to Rav Yosef? But it was taught: If he was sleeping in a bed, and his children and members of his household were in the bed [

including his wife] —

he may not recite Keriat Shema unless his cloak

separates between them!

Thus, even when his wife is in the bed with him, it is forbidden to recite.

Rather, what can you say?

When he is with

his wife

in the bed,

according to Rav Yosef

there is a dispute

between tanna’im—

according to me as well,

whether he is with his wife or with another person , there is a dispute

between tanna’im.

The Master said: “This one turns his face and recites Keriat Shema.”

The Gemara asks:

But there are buttocks

that is, the backsides of the two people, which touch one another . It follows that his flesh is touching nakedness; how, then, may he recite Keriat Shema?

The Gemara answers:

This supports Rav Huna, for Rav Huna said: Buttocks—

are not considered nakedness.

Shall we say that this supports Rav Huna: A woman sits and separates her ḥalla while naked

and recites the blessing over separating ḥalla,

because she can cover her lower parts

with

the ground. But not a man,

because it is forbidden for him to recite a blessing when his nakedness is exposed. Yet even when she sits on the ground, her lower parts are not covered; it is merely sufficient that they not be exposed. Her buttocks, however, are exposed. Why, then, may she recite the blessing? It must be that buttocks are not considered nakedness.

Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak explained it

For example, her lower parts were

of the lower body

pressed [

pressed closely and attached]

against the ground,

so that her buttocks were also covered.

The Master said: “And if his children and members of his household are minors”—

it is permitted.

And until what age?

Rav Ḥisda said:

Until they reach the age at which they are fit for intercourse—

a girl is three years and one day old, and a boy is nine years and one day old.

Some say:

until they reach the age at which a person desires them—

a girl of eleven years and one day, and a boy of twelve years and one day .

Both this and that,

a boy and a girl—

up to the point of [Ezekiel 16:7]

“The breasts were formed and your hair grew.”

“The breasts were formed and your hair grew.”

Rav Kahana said to Rav Ashi: There,

with regard to placing the tefillin beneath one's head,

Rava said: Although there is

an

objection to Shmuel—

the halakha is in accordance with Shmuel.

Here,

with regard to reciting the Shema when one's wife is with him in bed [which Shmuel permitted]—

what

does Rava rule?

He said to him: Is it the case that all

these halakhot

were woven in one fabric,

in a single weaving,

were they woven [unclear: the bracketed gloss explains the metaphor as “were woven”]?

were interwoven ]?

Rather: Where it was stated

that the halakha is in accordance with Shmuel,

it was stated; and where it was not stated—

it was not stated.

Rav Mari said to Rav Pappa: What is the status of hair

that was over the pubic area and

protruded

through a hole

in his garment—

what

is the halakha?

Does it have the status of the pubic area itself [which is covered]? Rav Pappa responded to him

with an expression of dismissal:

“Hair, hair.”

That is to say: What basis is there for considering this hair nakedness?

Rabbi Yitzhak said: A handbreadth

of a woman

is nakedness.

The Gemara asks:

For what

practical difference does it make if it is considered nakedness even though it is not literally nakedness?

If you say

that it concerns the prohibition

of gazing at her [when she is a married woman, or even when she is unmarried but menstruating ]?

when she is a married woman, or also when she is an unmarried woman who is menstruating ]?

But Rav Sheshet said: Why did Scripture enumerate

the outer ornaments in the account of the spoils brought from the war against Midian,

the ornaments worn externally,

such as a bracelet,

together with the ornaments worn internally,

a kumaz, which is placed like a clasp over the opening of the womb?

To tell you: Whoever gazes at a woman's little finger

who is forbidden to him in intercourse, intending to derive pleasure from this sight —

it is as though he gazes at the place of the private parts!

Rather: With one's wife

they said this,

and with regard to reciting the Shema.

It is forbidden to recite it opposite a handbreadth that is exposed in a place that is normally covered, but opposite another woman it is forbidden even when less than a handbreadth of her flesh is exposed .

Rav Hisda said: The calf

of a woman

is considered

nakedness,

with regard to gazing at another woman, and with one's wife, with regard to reciting the Shema .

As it is stated [Isaiah 47:2],

[Isaiah 47:2]:

“Uncover your calf, cross the rivers.” And it is written

in the following verse [Isaiah 47:3]:

“Your nakedness shall be uncovered

and your shame shall also be seen,”

which implies that “calf” is called “nakedness.”

Shmuel said: A woman's voice is nakedness, as it is stated [Song of Songs 2:14],

[Song of Songs 2:14]:

“For your voice is sweet and your appearance is comely.”

Anything that arouses desire is forbidden under the category of nakedness.

Rav Sheshet said: A woman's hair is nakedness,

as it is stated [Song of Songs 4:1]:

[Song of Songs 4:1]:

“Your hair

is like a flock of goats.”

Rabbi Hanina said: I saw Rabbi hang his tefillin

on a peg.

An objection was raised: One who hangs his tefillin—

his life shall be hung up. The interpreters

of closed and

severe passages said: [Deuteronomy 28:66]

[Deuteronomy 28:66]

“And your life shall hang in the balance before you” —

this refers to one who hangs his tefillin!

as it is stated concerning them, “so that your days may be multiplied” [ibid. 11:21].

The Gemara answers:

It is not difficult. This

prohibition against hanging one's tefillin applies only when he hangs them

by the straps,

so that the batim of the tefillin hang beneath them, which is disgraceful to them; whereas

this

case in which Rabbi hung his tefillin means that he hung them

by the box—

he placed the box itself on the peg, and only the straps remained hanging below.

And if you wish, say: It makes no difference whether the straps or the box; it is forbidden

to hang them.

And when Rabbi hung them—he

hung them in a pouch,

in the tefillin bag—

he hung them.

If so, what is it teaching us?

Lest you say: The tefillin require

a placement,

a placing

in a proper location,

like a Torah scroll,

which is forbidden to place on a peg,

it teaches us

that the law of tefillin differs from that of a Torah scroll.

And Rabbi Hanina said: I saw Rabbi, when

he was praying,

belched,

yawned,

and sneezed, and only

on the ground,