Talmud for Deuteronomy 6:9

The hand-tefillah is put on the upper part of the hand³⁵The biceps, and not on the palm of the hand. [because Scripture declares, And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand,³⁶Ex. 13, 9. which means that the sign shall be for thee³⁷Where only he who wears the tefillah can see it, i.e. on the biceps covered by the sleeve. but not for others³⁸Had the tefillah been put on the palm of the hand it would be visible to all.]. ³⁹The part enclosed in square brackets is based on Men. 37b (Sonc. ed., p. 229).So also [the Scriptural expression] between thine eyes⁴⁰Ex. 13, 9. [implies] the upper part of the head, [because] upon thy hand and between thine eyes [occur in juxtaposition we infer]: as upon thy hand [means] on the upper part of the hand, so between thine eyes [means] on the upper part of the head. This is according to R. Eliezer b. Jacob; R. Judah says: It is stated upon thy hand and it is also stated [in the same verse] between thine eyes [the inference being that] as upon thy hand [refers to] a place that is susceptible of ritual uncleanness by one [symptom of] leprosy,⁴¹The biceps, like any other part of the body that is free from hair, is declared ritually unclean by one symptom only, viz. white hair in the leprous spot. so also between thine eyes [refers to] a place that is susceptible of ritual uncleanness by one [symptom of] leprosy.⁴²Viz. the upper part of the head, whose symptom of uncleanness is yellow hair in the leprous spot. The region between the eyes, however, where both hair and clean flesh are to be found, can be declared unclean by either of the two symptoms (yellow or white hair) and must therefore be ruled out. [Another reason:] It is stated between thine eyes and it is also stated, Nor make any baldness between your eyes:⁴³Deut. 14, 1. as baldness occurs where there is hair [on the head] so you must put the tefillah only where there is hair [on the hand].⁴⁴Since both verses contain the expression between … eyes. It is stated, And thou shalt write them⁴⁵Referring to the mezuzah (Deut. 6, 9). and it is also stated [in juxtaposition] and thou shalt bind them;⁴⁶The tefillin (ibid. 8). [hence the inference that] the hand that writes [the mezuzah]⁴⁷i.e. the right hand, with which most people write. is the hand that binds [the tefillah].⁴⁸The hand-tefillah is therefore put on the left hand.

⁷⁹Similar texts are in Tanhuma Qorah 2 (Buber 4), Num. rabba 18(2), Midrash Prov. 11(27). Rav said, Koraḥ was an Epicurean. What did he do? He went and made togas completely of blue wool. He came before Moses and asked him, does a toga made completely out of blue wool need ṣiṣit? He answered, it is an obligation since it is written⁸⁰Deut. 22:12. While from Num. 15:37–41 one might free a blue toga from exhibiting a blue thread, this verse makes it clear that a knotted appendage is needed.: braids you shall make for yourselves. Does a house full of Torah scrolls need a mezuzah? He answered, it needs a mezuzah since it is written⁸¹Deut. 6:9, 11:20., you shall write them on the door-posts of your house, etc. He asked him, what is the rule for a white spot the size of a bean⁸²Lev. 13:18–23. By rabbinic interpretation, a white spot indicates skin disease only if it is at least the size of a Cilician bean.? He answered him, it is impure. If it spread over his entire body? He answered him, it is pure⁸³Lev. 13:13.. At that moment, Koraḥ said that the Torah is not from Heaven, nor is Moses a [true]^G prophet, nor Aaron a High Priest. ⁸⁴Cf. Num. rabba 18(15), Midrash Prov. 11(27). Then Moses said, Master of all worlds! If a mouth of the earth had been created during the Six Days of Creation, it is fine. Otherwise it should be created now: If the Eternal would create a Creation⁸⁵Num. 16:30..

“All lodges which were in the Temple were not liable for mezuzah except for the Palhedrin lodge which was the abode of the High Priest for seven days every year. Rebbi Jehudah said, also this is a decree which was decreed about it.” In your gates¹⁰⁵Deut.6:9.. There are Tannaim who state, to exclude the gates of the Temple Mount and the Courtyards¹⁰⁶Babli 11b, Sifry Deut. 36.. There are Tannaim who state, to include. He who said to exclude, Rebbi Jehudah. He who said to include, the rabbis. Rebbi Jehudah says it correctly; what is the rabbis’ reason? In your gates, are these lodgings? Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun asked, but did we not state, in your gates, to include city gates¹⁰⁷Babli 11a.? Are these lodgings? But through them one enters lodgings, so also here through them one enters lodgings.

And for mezuzah, as it is written (Deut. 6:9): “You shall write them on the doorpost of your house and your gates¹⁴¹This is an obligation of ownership, not of person..

Rebbi Abin said, only if the roof is at least four [cubits] square. Just as a house does not induce ṭevel unless it is at least four [cubits] square, so the roof does not exempt unless it is at least four [cubits] square, as it is stated¹¹⁴A similar baraita in Babli Sukkah 3a/b.: A house less than four [cubits] square is free from the obligations of mezuzah¹¹⁵Deut. 6:9, 11:20. and the parapet¹¹⁶Deut. 22:8., from the obligation of eruv¹¹⁷If a courtyard belongs to a single owner except that a hut enclosing an area less that four cubits square belongs to another person, that courtyard may be used on the Sabbath by the majority owner without an eruv (cf. Demay 1, Notes 192–193)., does not induce ṭevel, is not counted as a connection to a town¹¹⁸On the Sabbath, one may not go outside one’s town more than 2000 cubits (cf. Peah 8, Note 56). Any house which is within 70 cubits of a house of the town is also counted as part of the town; the count of 2000 cubits starts only at the outermost house. A small building does not count as a house.; he who makes a vow not to be in a house may sit there; one does not give it four cubits before its entrance door¹¹⁹In a courtyard belonging to several owners, the four cubits in front of the entrance of each house are the private domain of this house, to be used to load and unload. This does not apply to a small hut.; it does not remain with the buyer in the Jubilee¹²⁰Lev. 25:30.; it cannot become impure by scale disease¹²¹Lev. 14:34 ff., and its owner does not return from the army because of it¹²²Deut. 20:5..

HALAKHAH: ¹³²Partial parallels are in the Babli, 43a; Sifry Deut. 194; Tosephta 7:17.“Who built a house”, not only who built; if he bought, inherited, or it was given to him as a gift, from where? The verse says, “the man,” “who is the man”¹³³In the interpretation of Rashi, this means that the verse would have been intelligible if the word האיש were missing: מִ אֲשֶׁה בָּנָה “Who built …”. Therefore, the additional word must imply an extension of the circle of those who have to go and start using their new property.. From where he who builds a barn, a cow-shed, a wood-shed, a storage facility, from where? The verse says, “who builds”. I could think that one who builds a portico¹³⁴A formal structure at the entrance to a courtyard common to several houses. It has no walls and confers no privacy., a covered walkway¹³⁵Greek ἐξέδρα, cf. Ma‘serot 3:6, Note 101., and a verandah would return; the verse says “house”; the house is distinguished by the fact that it can be used as a dwelling¹³⁶Even if it is used as agricultural facility, a barn etc. could be used as a dwelling, having walls on all sides.. This excludes those items which cannot be dwellings. It also excludes a house which does not enclose four by four cubits. As it was stated¹³⁷Ma‘serot 3:7, Notes 114–122. Babli Sukkah 3a/b.: A house which does not enclose four by four cubits is free from the obligation of a parapet¹³⁸Deut. 22:8., or a mezuzah¹³⁹Deut. 6:9, 11:20., or an erub¹⁴⁰If a courtyard belongs to a single owner except that a hut enclosing an area less that four cubits square belongs to another person, that courtyard may be used on the Sabbath by the majority owner without an eruv (cf. Demay 1, Notes 192–193).. It also does not induce ṭevel for tithes¹⁴¹Freshly harvested produce may be eaten untithed. Once the harvest has been removed to a storage area, it is forbidden as food until heave and tithes were given; cf. Ma‘serot 3:5–8. A small shed does not qualify as a storage area. and one does not give it four cubits in front of its door¹⁴²In a courtyard belonging to several owners, the four cubits in front of the entrance to each house are the private domain of this house, to be used to load and unload, and is out of bounds for the other owners. This does not apply to a small hut., and it is not counted as a connection to the town¹⁴³On the Sabbath, one may not go outside one’s town more than 2000 cubits (cf. Peah 8, Note 56). Any house which is within 70 cubits of a house or the city wall of the town is also counted as part of the town; the count of 2000 cubits starts only at the outermost house. A small building does not count as a house., and one who forswears any use of a house is permitted to sit in it¹⁴⁴In popular language, a small shelter is not called a house. Therefore, a person vowing not to sit in a house may sit in a small shelter., and it does not remain with the buyer in the Jubilee year¹⁴⁵It is agricultural property, not a city dwelling; Lev. 25:30., and it cannot become impure by disease¹⁴⁶Lev. 14:34 ff. The rules of diseased structures are explicitly restricted to “a house of the Land of your inheritance”., and its owner does not become exempt from the war because of it.