Menachos 35a

מנחות ל״ה ע״א

Menachot 35a

Learn Menachos 35a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Menachos 35a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Rules for making תפילין: the order of the passages, features that are a הלכה למשה מסיני, strap color, square shape, and torn compartment walls

Overview

This amud opens in the middle of אביי's rule about switching the four passages in the head-תפילין, and רבא argues that any switch at all makes them פסול. The גמרא then lists parts of the תפילין that are a הלכה למשה מסיני: the base (תיתורא), the strap passage (מעברתא) and the letter שי"ן. אביי and רב דימי מנהרדעא disagree twice: whether the groove between compartments must reach the stitches, and whether the parchment must be checked before writing. רבי יצחק says black straps are a הלכה למשה מסיני. A ברייתא allowing other colors seems to contradict him. The גמרא answers that the outside of the strap must be black, while the inside may be any color except red. Next, a ברייתא teaches that תפילין must be square, and רב פפא explains what that means. Finally, רב הונא, רב חסדא and רבא discuss when torn inner walls make head-תפילין פסול, and רב יוסף gives a test for telling new תפילין from old.

Opening lines

The steps (30)

1. StatementOnly switching inner and outer passages is a problem
2. Challengeרבא argues that every switch puts a passage on the wrong side
3. ConclusionThere is no difference: any switch is invalid
4. StatementThe base of the תפילין is a law given to משה at סיני
5. StatementThe strap passage is a law given to משה at סיני
6. StatementThe letter שי"ן is a law given to משה at סיני
7. StatementThe groove must reach down to the stitches
8. Statementרב דימי: a visible groove is enough
9. Statementאביי says the parchment must be checked before writing
10. Statementרב דימי מנהרדעא says the quill does the checking
11. Statementרבי יצחק says black straps are a tradition from סיני
12. ChallengeA ברייתא allows green and white straps too
13. Proofרבי יהודה's story: רבי עקיבא's student used תכלת strips
14. RejectionThe answer: רבי עקיבא never saw it
15. ProofA second story: הורקנוס used purple wool strips
16. RejectionThe same answer: the father never saw it
17. ChallengeBack to the challenge: the ברייתא allows several colors
18. ResolutionInside of the strap vs. outside of the strap
19. ChallengeWhy would red matter on the hidden inside?
20. ResolutionStraps sometimes flip over
21. Statementתפילין must be square
22. StatementSquare along the seams and the diagonals
23. ProofA משנה about round תפילין seems to support the rule
24. RejectionThe משנה means nut-shaped תפילין
25. StatementTorn head-תפילין are valid while the outer surface is whole
26. StatementTwo torn walls is valid, three is invalid
27. StatementTwo tears are valid only if they are not aligned
28. StatementAligned tears invalidate only new תפילין
29. QuestionHow do we tell new תפילין from old?
30. ResponseThe pull test for old and new