סימן כו - דין מי שאין לו אלא תפלה אחת ובו ה' סעיפים

Recording: Seifim 1–5

1. If he has only one of the tefillin, whether it is the arm tefillin or the head tefillin, he puts on the one he has and recites the blessing on it,

because each is a mitzvah in its own right^[1].

And they do not hold each other back^[2].

2. The same applies if he has both but is under some compulsion^[3] that lets him put on only one of them:

he puts on the one he can and recites the blessing on it.

3. One who rises early to set out on the road with a caravan, when the caravan will not wait for him^[4], and he cannot stay to put on the arm tefillin,

puts on the head tefillin alone, since putting it on does not take so much time^[5].

When does this apply? When he will be able to put on the arm tefillin as well later on^[6].

But if he will not be able to put on the arm tefillin later,

he must now, before leaving his home, put on both the arm tefillin and the head tefillin,

for the delay to his journey did not permit him to neglect the mitzvah of tefillin^[7].

4. If he puts on only the head tefillin, he recites two blessings on it: "להניח תפילין" ("to put on tefillin") and "על מצות תפילין" ("concerning the mitzvah of tefillin")^[8],

for the reason explained in Siman 25 [seif 14].

5. If he puts on only the arm tefillin, he recites only "להניח תפילין"^[9].

And some say that even if he puts on only the head tefillin, he recites only "על מצות תפילין"^[10].

And it has already been explained in Siman 25 [seif 23] that the custom in these lands follows the first view^[11].

Notes

1. Each is a mitzvah in its own right: As above, Siman 25, seif 13: "The arm tefillin and the head tefillin are not one mitzvah; they are two mitzvos that do not hold each other back." The Rebbe explains, following the Tzafnas Paneach, why they are two mitzvos and not one like tzitzis, where the white and the techeiles likewise do not hold each other back: "כי תפילין של יד ותפילין של ראש חלוקים בעצם גדרם, דשל יד מצותה מעשה הקשירה, ואילו בשל ראש המצוה היא שיהיו מונחים על הראש" ("For the arm tefillin and the head tefillin differ in their very definition: the mitzvah of the arm tefillin is the act of binding, while in the head tefillin the mitzvah is that they should lie on the head") (Likkutei Sichos vol. 39, Va'eschanan 2).

2. Do not hold each other back: In the Mishnah: "תפלה של יד אינה מעכבת את של ראש ושל ראש אינה מעכבת את של יד" ("The arm tefillin does not hold back the head tefillin, and the head tefillin does not hold back the arm tefillin") (Menachos 38a). In the Gemara: "אמר רב חסדא לא שנו אלא שיש לו אבל אין לו מעכבת. אמרו לו אמרת? אמר להו לא, אלא מאן דלית ליה תרי מצות חד מצוה נמי לא ליעביד? ומעיקרא מאי סבר? גזירה שמא יפשע" ("Rav Chisda said: This was taught only when he has them, but if he does not have one, it does hold back. They said to him: Did you say this? He said to them: No. Should one who does not have two mitzvos not do even one? And what did he hold at first? It was a decree, lest he be negligent") (Menachos 44a). Rashi there: "אי אמרי' דאינה מעכבת יפשע ולא יקנה האחרת" ("If we say it does not hold back, he will be negligent and not acquire the other"). That is, Rav Chisda was at first concerned that if we say one fulfills with one, he will neglect to buy the second. In the conclusion, one who has only one, "אותה מצו' מיהא קיים" ("has at least fulfilled that mitzvah") (Rashi there).

3. Some compulsion: On one who cannot put on the arm tefillin, see below, Siman 27, seif 8: "And if the wound covers the whole biceps, and it pains him to put it on the wound, he is exempt from the arm tefillin"; and there, seif 3: "One whose left arm was cut off above the biceps need not put tefillin on his right arm."

4. Will not wait: A caravan is a company of travelers. Similarly regarding prayer: "It is likewise forbidden to set out on the road in the morning until he has prayed the Amidah, unless he is leaving with a caravan that will not wait for him" (below, Siman 89, seif 4); and see there, seif 9.

5. So much time: That is, putting on the head tefillin takes less time than the arm tefillin, for which he must bare his arm and tighten the knot.

6. Later on: Although the order of putting them on is, "First he should put on the arm tefillin and then the head tefillin" (above, Siman 25, seif 12), here he puts the head tefillin first because of the pressure.

7. Neglect the mitzvah: "אמר רב ששת כל שאינו מניח תפילין עובר בשמונה עשה" ("Rav Sheshes said: Whoever does not put on tefillin transgresses eight positive commands") (Menachos 44a).

8. Two blessings: The blessing "להניח" is the one that also applies to the head tefillin, as above, Siman 25, seif 13. The blessing "על מצות" is what the Sages ordained: "to recite another blessing on the head tefillin, because it is more important" (there, seif 14). All this follows the first view; on the Chabad custom, see below, note 11.

9. Only להניח: For the blessing "על מצות תפילין" was ordained only on the head tefillin, "because it is more important" (above, Siman 25, seif 14).

10. Only על מצות: This is the view above, in Siman 25, seif 23: "that the head tefillin never requires two blessings, only one like all other mitzvos." The Rebbe explains, on the view of the Sephardim: "וכל זה בשלא שח בין תפלה לתפלה, אבל אם הפסיק בין תש"י לתש"ר או כשאין לו אלא תפלה של ראש, שאז חסרה השלימות. אזי צריך לברך על התש"ר" ("All this is when he did not talk between one tefillin and the other. But if he interrupted between the arm tefillin and the head tefillin, or when he has only the head tefillin, so that the completeness is lacking, then he must recite a blessing on the head tefillin") (Igros Kodesh vol. 2, no. 196).

11. The first view: But the Chabad custom, following the Siddur, is according to the Beis Yosef; see above, Siman 25, note 39 and note 38. In the Siddur: "ואם שח בין תפלה לתפלה יברך על של ראש" ("If he talked between one tefillin and the other, he recites a blessing on the head tefillin") (Siddur, Laws of Tefillin). The law of one who puts on only the head tefillin is not mentioned there.