Berakhot 24a — the Talmud in English

Every

thing that he does in order

to guard them

from thieves and mice—

is more

preferable

to them than their disgrace, since he is warned regarding guarding them.

And where does he place them?

Rabbi Jeremiah said: Between the pillow and the mattress—

not opposite

his head.

The Gemara asks: Why did Rabbi Jeremiah forbid placing them opposite his head?

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

in the bag of the tefillin, and he places the bag

beneath his head!

Necessarily, this is even opposite his head, for there the tefillin must be in one vessel inside another vessel; but when they are not opposite him, he need not place them in a hat. The Gemara answers:

He takes the protruding part of the hat

outward.

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

Bar Kappara depicted it for them:

he would tie his tefillin

in a curtain,

which is the sheet spread around the bed,

and he takes out their protruding part—

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

outward—

toward the outside from the place of the bed.

Rav Shisha, son of Rav Idi, places them on a small bench,

a small bench,

and spreads a cloth over them.

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

of his wife of Rava

was,

and he had intercourse that night,

and

I understood that he had sent me in order

to teach them to me as practical halakha

as Samuel, who permitted [it] even when his wife was with him;

that is what he did.

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

when they are naked —

what is [the law] that this one turns his face

to one side

and recites the recitation of Shema, and this one turns his face

to the other side

and recites the recitation of Shema?

He said to him: Thus said Samuel: Even when his wife is with him

in the bed, he may recite.

Rav Yosef challenged this:

How did he infer from Samuel’s words that his intention was to say, “Even

his wife, and it is unnecessary [to say] another

with him in the bed”? But

on the contrary,

he permitted only with

his wife

because she is

like his own body,

and since he is accustomed to her, she does not bring him to a thought, and therefore one may be lenient; but

another—

is not like his own body,

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

An objection was raised: Two who sleep in one bed—

this one turns his face and recites, and this one turns his face and recites.

And another [teaching] was taught: One who sleeps in a bed, while his sons and the members of his household are beside him—

he may not recite the recitation of Shema unless a cloak is separating

between them . And if his sons and the members of his household are minors

—

permitted.

Granted, according to Rav Yosef,

who permitted with his wife and forbade with another,

there is no difficulty: this

[teaching], which says “turns his face and recites,” is speaking

of his wife

being with him, whereas

that

[teaching], which says “he may not recite unless a cloak separates between them,” is speaking

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

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

But according to Samuel,

who does not distinguish—

there is a difficulty!

Samuel could say to you:

And

according to Rav Yosef, is it satisfactory? For it was taught: One was sleeping in a bed, and his sons and the members of his household were in the bed

(his wife included) —

he may not recite the recitation of Shema unless his cloak

separates between them!

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

But what can you say: When he is with

his

wife

in the bed,

according to Rav Yosef

it is a dispute

of tannaitic opinions—

for me as well

both when he is with his wife and when he is with another , it is a dispute of tannaitic opinions

.

The master said: This one turns his face and recites the recitation of Shema.

The Gemara asks:

But there are buttocks,

that is, the backsides of both of them, and they touch one another . Thus his flesh is touching nakedness; how can he recite the recitation of Shema?

The Gemara answers:

It supports Rav Huna. For Rav Huna said: Buttocks—

do not involve nakedness.

Let us say that it supports Rav Huna: A woman sits and separates her hallah while naked

and recites the blessing over the separation of hallah,

because she can cover her lower face

with the ground.

But not a man,

because it is forbidden to recite a blessing when his nakedness is exposed. But even when she sits on the ground, her lower face is not covered; rather, it is sufficient that it is not exposed. Yet her buttocks are exposed—why, then, can she recite the blessing? Necessarily, buttocks do not involve nakedness.

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak explained it

For example, her

lower face

was pressed

[close and attached]

against the ground,

and thus her buttocks were also covered.

The master said: If his sons and the members of his household are minors—

permitted.

And until what age?

Rav Hisda said:

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

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

There are those who 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.”

Rav Kahana said to Rav Ashi: There,

with regard to placing the phylacteries beneath his head,

Rava said: Even though there is

an

objection to Shmuel—

the halakha is in accordance with Shmuel.

Here,

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

what

does Rava rule?

He said to him: Is it so that all

these halakhot

were struck with one blow

in one weaving,

were they struck

they were woven]?

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: The hair

that was above the genitals, which was

protruding

from a hole

in his garment—

what

is the halakha?

Is it considered like the genitals themselves [which are covered]? He applied to it

Rav Pappa, as an expression of rejection,

“Hair, hair.”

That is, from where would one derive that this hair should be considered nakedness?

Rabbi Yitzchak said: A handbreadth

in a woman—

is nakedness.

The Gemara asks:

For what

practical difference is there if it is considered nakedness, although it is not actual nakedness?

If you say

with regard to the prohibition

of looking at her [when she is a married woman, or also when she is an unmarried woman while 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

in the passage concerning the spoils they brought from the war with Midian

ornaments on the outside,

such as a bracelet,

together with ornaments on the inside,

a kumaz, which they place as a fastening for the womb?

To tell you: Anyone who looks at the little finger of a woman

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

it is as though he looks at the place of the genitals!

Rather: With his wife

they said

and for reciting 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 Chisda said: The thigh

of a woman

is considered

nakedness,

with regard to looking at another woman, and with his wife, with regard to reciting Shema.

As it is stated [Isaiah 47:2],

“Isaiah 47:2”

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

in the following verse [Isaiah 47:3],

“Your nakedness shall be uncovered

and your disgrace shall also be seen,”

implying that “thigh” 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.”

And something that arouses desire is forbidden by the law 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—

like a flock of goats”

Rabbi Chanina said: I saw Rabbi hang his phylacteries

on a peg.

It was objected: One who hangs his phylacteries—

his life shall be hung. The expounders of

sealed passages and

difficult passages said: [Deuteronomy 28:66]

[Deuteronomy 28:66]

“And your life shall hang in suspense before you” —

This refers to one who hangs his phylacteries!

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

The Gemara answers:

It is not difficult. This

prohibition against hanging his phylacteries applies only when he hangs them

by the strap, and

the phylacteries case is found hanging beneath them, which is disgraceful to them; whereas

this

in which Rabbi hung his phylacteries means

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 strap or the box; it is forbidden

to hang them.

And when Rabbi hung them—

he hung them in a bag,

in the phylacteries bag,

he hung them.

If so, what does it teach us?

You might have said: It requires

the phylacteries

to be placed

on a surface,

like a Torah scroll,

which is forbidden to place on a peg;

it teaches us

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

And Rabbi Chanina said: I saw Rabbi who,

during the prayer,

belched,

and yawned,

and sneezed, and only

on the ground,