SECTION 44 The Prohibition against Sleeping while Wearing Tefillin. (1–2)
סימן מד אִיסּוּר שֵׁנָה בִּתְפִלִּין, וּבוֹ ב סְעִיפִים:
1 As long as one [is wearing] tefillin on his head or arm, he is forbidden to sleep in them,1 even briefly, for it is disrespectful to the tefillin to sleep while wearing them when they are uncovered. If one covers them with a cloth and his wife is not together with him, he may take a nap, but may not sleep for an extended period, lest he vent wind while wearing them.2
What should he do [as a precaution] that he not fall into a deep sleep and sleep for a lengthy period? He should nap while sitting, with his head between his knees.
[It is forbidden to divert one’s attention from tefillin while wearing them, but] sleep is not considered a diversion of attention. [Examples of] diversion of attention [from tefillin] are frivolity or levity (or excessive preoccupation with one’s material concerns),3 as stated in sec. 28[:1]. While sleeping, however, one forgets all the vanities of this world. [Nevertheless,] when his wife is together with him in bed, he should not sleep at all while [wearing tefillin], lest he forget them and engage in relations.
If one is not [wearing tefillin] on his head and arm but has them tied around his hand,4 he may sleep while [holding them], even for an extended period. There are, [however,] authorities who forbid sleeping for an extended period near tefillin even if they are placed on a table, unless one covers them with a cloth. This is a precautionary decree, lest one vent wind [in their presence].
The halachah follows the first approach, for [the Sages] were concerned with venting wind only when one is wearing [the tefillin], for [tefillin] require bodily purity.5
If one holds [tefillin] in his hand but they are not tied around it, he may not take even a brief nap [while holding] them, lest they fall from his hand.
When does the above apply? When one holds them without their container. If, however, they are in their container, according to all opinions one may sleep for even an extended period, for there is not as serious a concern if they fall.6 And even according to the latter opinion mentioned above, [if they are in their container] there is no need at all to be concerned about venting wind.
א כָּל זְמַן שֶׁתְּפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ אוֹ בִּזְרוֹעוֹ – אָסוּר לִישֹׁן בָּהֶןא,1 אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַת עֲרַאי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁגְּנַאי הוּא לַתְּפִלִּין שֶׁיָּשֵׁן בָּהֶם וְהֵן מְגֻלִּין.ב וְאִם פָּרַס סוּדָר עֲלֵיהֶן וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אִשָּׁהג – יָשֵׁן בָּהֶם שְׁנַת עֲרַאי, אֲבָל לֹא שְׁנַת קֶבַע, שֶׁמָּא יָפִיחַ בָּהֶן.2
כֵּיצַד הוּא עוֹשֶׂהד שֶׁלֹּא יֵרָדֵם בַּשֵּׁנָה וְיִישַׁן שְׁנַת קֶבַעה? יַנִּיחַ רֹאשׁוֹ בֵּין בִּרְכָּיוו וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב וְיָשֵׁן.ז וְאֵין בַּשֵּׁנָה מִשּׁוּם הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת, לְפִי שֶׁהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת הוּא כְּשֶׁעוֹמֵד בִּשְׂחוֹק אוֹ קַלּוּת רֹאשׁח,3 (אוֹ שֶׁמַּטְרִיד דַּעְתּוֹ בְּצָרְכֵי הַגּוּף הַרְבֵּה)ט כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן כח,י וּכְשֶׁיָּשֵׁן הוּא שׁוֹכֵחַ כָּל הַבְלֵי עוֹלָם.יא אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ אִשָּׁה עִמּוֹ בַּמִּטָּה – לֹא יִישַׁן בָּהֶם כְּלָל, שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁכַּח וִישַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ.יב
אֲבָל אִם אֵינָן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וּזְרוֹעוֹ אֶלָּא כְּרוּכִין בְּיָדוֹ4 – מֻתָּר לִישֹׁן בָּהֶם אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַת קֶבַע.יג
וְיֵשׁ אוֹסְרִיןיד לִישֹׁן שְׁנַת קֶבַע אֵצֶל הַתְּפִלִּין אֲפִלּוּ כְּשֶׁהֵן מֻנָּחִים עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן עַד שֶׁיִּפְרֹס סוּדָר עֲלֵיהֶן, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יָפִיחַ.
וְהָעִקָּר כַּסְּבָרָא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה,טו שֶׁלֹּא חָשְׁשׁוּ לַהֲפָחָה אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהֵן עָלָיו שֶׁהֵן צְרִיכִין גּוּף נָקִי.טז,5
וְאִם אוֹחֲזָן בְּיָדוֹ וְאֵינָן כְּרוּכִין בְּיָדוֹ – אָסוּר לִישֹׁן בָּהֶם אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַת עֲרַאי שֶׁמָּא יִפְּלוּ מִיָּדוֹ.יז
בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזָן בְּלֹא נַרְתִּיקָן, אֲבָל כְּשֶׁהֵן בְּנַרְתִּיקָן – מֻתָּר אֲפִלּוּ שֵׁנַת קֶבַע לְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל,יח שֶׁאֵין לָחוּשׁ כָּל־כָּךְ אִם יִפְּלוּ,יט,6 וְגַם אֵין לָחוּשׁ כְּלָל לַהֲפָחָה אַף לַסְּבָרָא הָאַחֲרוֹנָה:כ
Alter Rebbe's Shulchan Aruch (SIE)
The new layout – with the original text and the facing translation – provides a unique user-friendly approach to studying the Alter Rebbe’s work. An inclusive commentary provides insightful explanations and guidelines for actual practice.
2 It is customary to fast if tefillin fall from one’s hand7 to the ground when they are not in their container,8 and similarly, [to fast] if a Torah scroll falls,9 even when it is in its encasement.
ב נָהֲגוּ הָעוֹלָם לְהִתְעַנּוֹת כְּשֶׁנּוֹפֵל תְּפִלִּין מִיָּדוֹ7 עַל הָאָרֶץ בְּלֹא נַרְתִּיקָן.8 וְהוּא הַדִּין אִם נָפַל סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה9 אֲפִלּוּ בְּנַרְתִּיקוֹ:כא
Start a Discussion