English translation — עקב ב

1.

Infinite laws of mezuzah¹

says the Rambam,

And this is his language:

A person is obligated to be careful with mezuzah because it is a duty for everyone always.

Whenever he enters and exits he will encounter²

the unity of the Name, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and will remember His love and awaken from his sleep and his errors in the vanities of time³.

And he will know that nothing stands forever and for eternities of eternities⁴

except the knowledge of the Rock of the world, and immediately he returns to his knowledge and walks in paths of uprightness.

The early sages said⁵

Whoever has tefillin on his head and on his arm⁶

and tzitzit on his garment and mezuzah on his door, it is assured⁷

that he will not sin, for he has many reminders, and they are the angels who save him from sinning, as it is said⁸

An angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.

Blessed is the Merciful One who helps.

One must understand: Why does the Rambam bring the statement "Anyone who has <b>tefillin</b> etc. <b>tzitzis</b> etc. and mezuzah etc." here in the laws of mezuzah⁹,

and not <b>earlier</b> in the laws of tefillin¹⁰

(the <b>first</b> commandment that is mentioned in the statement)?

At any rate — also there?

And if the Rambam wants to bring the statement after he states the laws of <b>all</b> three commandments — he should have brought it <b>later,</b>

in the laws of tzitzis

(which comes after the other two laws)?

And in particular, since the matter of remembrance is explicit in the Torah¹¹

regarding the commandment of tzitzis,

"And you shall see it &lt;b&gt;and remember &lt;/b&gt;all the commandments of Hashem"¹²

(Not regarding

(tefillin and)

mezuzah)

— and as the Rambam himself brings this down at the end of Hilchos Tzitzis — he should have there

(at the end of Hilchos Tzitzis)

brought

(also)

the statement about "those who remind many"?

Furthermore: The source of the statement "Whoever has tefillin on his head etc." is indeed in

(Maseches Menachos¹³

— in)

the sugya regarding the commandment of tzitzis,

and likewise in the Rif

(and the Rosh¹⁴)

the statement is brought at the end)

of Hilchos Tzitzis¹⁵

— why does the Rambam bring it

(not in Hilchos Tzitzis,

but)

in Hilchos Mezuzah¹⁶?

2.

Also one must understand the change in the language of the Rambam regarding the language of the Gemara — and this is the language of the Gemara:

Whoever has tefillin on his head and tefillin on his arm and tzitzis on his garment and a mezuzah on his door, all are in a stronghold that he will not sin, as it is said¹⁷

And the threefold cord will not quickly be broken.

And it says⁷

An angel of Hashem encamps around those who fear Him and rescues them.

That is: the Rambam

(a)

omits

(I have a proof from)

the first verse that the Gemara brings "as it is said, and the threefold cord will not quickly be broken",

and

(b)

adds "for he has many who remind him, and they are the angels who save him from sinning".

The addition of the Rambam can be explained simply,

that the Rambam wants to add an explanation¹⁸

in the words of the Talmud

(in the manner of the Rambam,

and in general — in the manner of later authorities regarding earlier ones¹⁹)

; but it is not understood why the Rambam <b>omits</b> a matter that is brought in the Talmud,

and especially since it stands in the Talmud as the first matter?

Seemingly one could answer on this: According to the view of the Rambam, tefillin of the arm and tefillin of the head are two separate commandments²⁰,

so that the Rambam counts them as two commandments in the <b>count </b>of the 613 commandments²¹

— and therefore it is not appropriate to bring the verse "and the <b>threefold </b>cord²²

<b> </b>will not quickly be broken"²³,

since according to the opinion of the Rambam there are

(not three commandments,

but)

<b>four commandments.</b>

It is, however, not plausible that for this reason the Rambam omits: a)

Even from the aspect that these are <b>four </b>commandments,

the <b>addition </b>of the fourth commandment does not detract from the <b>virtue </b>of "and the <b>threefold </b>cord will not quickly be broken"²⁴

(the general includes two hundred maneh).

b)

After all, also according to the opinion of the Rambam there exist three <b>types </b>of commandments — tefillin

(of the head and of the arm)²⁵,

tzitzit and mezuzah²⁶.

3.

And it can be said that one can understand this by first explaining that regarding mezuzah the Rambam is precise to say "A person is obligated to be careful <b>with mezuzah</b>" — unlike regarding tzitzis²⁷,

where he says²⁸

(Always should a person)

be careful <b>with the commandment of tzitzis</b> for the Scripture weighed it and equated²⁹

with it all the commandments, as it is said¹¹

And you shall see it and remember all the commandments of the L-rd".

At first glance one must say: That what the Rambam says "A person is obligated to be careful with mezuzah because it is an obligation for everyone always",

his intention is,

that although mezuzah is a "commandment that is not an obligation upon the person but is like a permission ..

that a person is not obligated to dwell in a house that is obligated in mezuzah in order to make a mezuzah, but if he wishes to dwell all his days in a tent or on a ship he may sit"³⁰

— nevertheless, a Jew must strive to place himself in a situation that he should be obligated in the commandment³¹

— he should have a house,

a room to be able to fulfill the commandment of mezuzah³²

; and since the intention in the Rambam is the striving that he should bring himself to the point of obligation of mezuzah

(which <b>the</b> striving is an action in a matter of permission),

the Rambam says the wording "A person is obligated to be careful with mezuzah",

not <b>"the commandment of</b> mezuzah".

That regarding tzitzis the Rambam says "Always should a person be careful &lt;b&gt;in the mitzvah of &lt;/b&gt;tzitzis": regarding tzitzis the halacha "Always should a person be careful in the mitzvah of tzitzis" comes &lt;b&gt;after &lt;/b&gt;the Rambam said in the previous halacha "Even though a person is not obligated to buy himself a tallis and wrap himself in it in order to make tzitzis on it,

it is not proper for a pious person to exempt himself from this mitzvah but rather always should he endeavor to be wrapped in a garment obligated in tzitzis in order to fulfill this mitzvah.

And at the time of prayer one needs to be most careful; a great disgrace it is for Torah scholars that they pray and they are not wrapped";

It is understood,

that the &lt;b&gt;continuation &lt;/b&gt;

(in the last halacha)

"Always should a person be careful in the mitzvah of tzitzis" the intention is &lt;b&gt;&lt;/b&gt;

(and at length)

in the previous halacha — rather the intention thereby is]

that he should constantly fulfill the &lt;b&gt;mitzvah,&lt;/b&gt;

be wrapped in tzitzis.

Therefore the Rambam says the phrase "Always should a person be careful &lt;b&gt;in the mitzvah of &lt;/b&gt;tzitzis",

because he speaks about the carefulness in the fulfillment of the mitzvah,

in the fringed garment that he already has].

It is however forced to explain thus,

because since here

(by mezuzah)

it is after all speaking about a carefulness and effort in a matter of permission

(not an "obligation upon the person"),

it is not so fitting the phrase &lt;b&gt;"A person is &lt;/b&gt;obligated to be careful",

whose implication is an obligation

(of a mitzvah)&lt;sup&gt;34&lt;/sup&gt;,

and the Rambam ostensibly should have&lt;sup&gt;35&lt;/sup&gt;

used the phrase effort and the like — as we indeed find in such a case in his language by the mitzvah of tzitzis

(as above)

"Even though etc. but always &lt;b&gt;should one endeavor &lt;/b&gt;to be wrapped etc.".

Therefore it follows finally,

then "a person is obligated to be careful regarding mezuzah" means the obligation in the commandment of mezuzah — and the question returns: why does the Rambam not write here explicitly "to be careful in the commandment of mezuzah"?

D.

And one can say the explanation in this:

What the Rambam says "a person is obligated to be careful" he does not mean the obligation of carefulness in his &lt;b&gt;fulfilling &lt;/b&gt;the &lt;b&gt;commandment &lt;/b&gt;of mezuzah,

but the carefulness in the action upon him&lt;sup&gt;36&lt;/sup&gt;

of the &lt;b&gt;object &lt;/b&gt;of the mezuzah and its content,

and that he is the &lt;b&gt;specifier &lt;/b&gt;in the continuation of his words "and every time he enters and leaves he will encounter the unity of the Name, the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and will remember His love and awaken from his sleep and his errors in the vanities of time and know that nothing stands forever and for all eternities except knowledge of the Rock of the world and immediately he returns to his mind and walks in paths of uprightness".

&lt;b&gt;The &lt;/b&gt;matter in mezuzah

("and every time he enters etc.")

is not the &lt;b&gt;fulfillment of the commandment &lt;/b&gt;of mezuzah&lt;sup&gt;37&lt;/sup&gt;

— the &lt;b&gt;action &lt;/b&gt;of the commandment is &lt;b&gt;"its affixing &lt;/b&gt;

(at the door of the house)

that is the commandment"&lt;sup&gt;38&lt;/sup&gt;,

and the &lt;b&gt;continuation of its existence&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;39&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;of the commandment,

consists in that he has a mezuzah on the door of the house in which he dwells

(fulfillment of the commandment of mezuzah is not only at the times &lt;b&gt;"he enters and leaves")&lt;/b&gt;

; i.

e.

it is not that what the person needs to do is the &lt;b&gt;fulfillment of the commandment,&lt;/b&gt;

but

(on the contrary),

what the object of the commandment needs to effect upon the person: since the mezuzah contains in itself "the unity of the Name,

the name of the Holy One blessed be He",

it must arouse in the Jew the "he will remember&lt;sup&gt;40&lt;/sup&gt;

His love and awaken from his sleep etc. and know etc."

And according to this it comes out,

that the matter of "a person is obligated to be careful with mezuzah" is an <b>additional thing</b> upon the fulfillment of the commandment: having a mezuzah on the entrance of his house,

the <b>carefulness</b>⁴¹ must

<b> </b>in mezuzah be in a manner that "every time he enters and goes out he will encounter the unity of the Name etc. and remember His love etc." until it brings him that "and he walks in the paths of the upright."

5.

Based on this one will understand why the Rambam brings the statement "Whoever has etc." specifically in the laws of mezuzah — because specifically mezuzah is a "reminder" from the aspect of its object itself.

Regarding tefillin, the Rambam says&lt;sup&gt;42&lt;/sup&gt;

: The holiness of tefillin, their holiness is great, for as long as the tefillin are on a person's head and on his arm, he is humble and G-d-fearing, and does not engage in frivolity and idle conversation, and does not think evil thoughts, but turns his heart to words of truth and righteousness. Therefore, a person should strive to have them on him all day, for such is their commandment.

Regarding the mitzvah of tzitzit, the language of the Rambam

(as above)

"The mitzvah of tzitzit ..

the verse weighed it and hung all the mitzvot upon it."

It comes out,

that according to the Rambam there is a fundamental difference between the three mitzvos in the manner of their effect on the person who fulfills them:

By tefillin the effect on the person is from the side of <b>"the holiness of </b>tefillin",

which is not the essence of the object of tefillin⁴³

or from the essence of the mitzvah⁴⁴

Also by tzitzis — that which it calls out in the person the remembering of all the commandments,

it is not connected with the object of tzitzis &lt;b&gt;in and of itself,&lt;/b&gt;

but because &lt;b&gt;"the Scripture weighed it and hung &lt;/b&gt;upon it all the commandments" — according to the command in the Torah the fulfillment of the commandment is set up in such a number of threads etc. and the color of techeiles etc. which are allusive and remind of all the commandments&lt;sup&gt;45&lt;/sup&gt;

— but not that the object of tzitzis effects the remembering

that is,

by means of that which the person fulfills the commandment of tzitzis the commandment reminds him

(through the aforementioned)

of all the 613 commandments].

But not so by mezuzah&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;,

which &lt;b&gt;contains &lt;/b&gt;"the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He"*&lt;sup&gt;46&lt;/sup&gt;,

is the very&lt;sup&gt;47&lt;/sup&gt;

mezuzah&lt;sup&gt;48&lt;/sup&gt;

a "reminder"&lt;sup&gt;49&lt;/sup&gt;.

And based on this, one must also explain why the Rambam does not bring the verse "and the threefold cord will not quickly be severed"

(unlike in the Gemara)

From the language of the verse "and the threefold cord will not quickly be severed" it is proven,

that <b>the mitzvos themselves,</b>

being <b>three</b> together,

protect him "that he will not sin"⁵⁰,

i.

e.

the merit of fulfilling

(being encompassed by)

the three mitzvos,

is strong to be a protection from sin,

and therefore "everything is strengthened so that he will not sin".

The Rambam speaks however about &lt;b&gt;di- verse &lt;/b&gt;actions through the mitzvos⁵¹,

not from the merit of their fulfillment as "the threefold cord"— and as above — therefore⁵²

it is not appropriate to bring the matter of "and the threefold cord etc."⁵³.

6.

According to all the above one can explain a perplexing matter here in the Rambam:

In the editions before us⁵⁴

it stands at the conclusion of the laws of Mezuzah "Blessed is the Merciful One who helped us".

And at first glance,

the way of the Rambam everywhere is to write the language at the conclusion of a book⁵⁵

(or according to some versions⁵⁶

also at the conclusion of a "Halacha" - generally*⁵⁶),

but not in the middle of the continuation of the halachos - why does the Rambam add this praise-phrase "Blessed is the Merciful One who helped us" in the middle of the continuation - are the laws of Tefillin, Mezuzah, and Sefer Torah one continuation of the halachos?

Based on the above, one can say,

that this language has a special connection to the laws of Mezuzah:

In that the three commandments — tefillin, mezuzah, and tzitzis — are effective and help a Jew in his service,

the concept of "assisting" is primarily suited by mezuzah,

being a commandment whose object,

the "unification of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He,"

that it is a "great commandment which is the unification of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and love of Him and service of Him"]

— assists the Jew.

But regarding the other two commandments — by tefillin the manner of their effect,

not from the aspect of the object of tefillin but from the aspect of their holiness

(as above),

it does not fit to say that the Almighty gave tefillin as a reminder,

an assistant;

And likewise regarding the mitzvah of tzitzis, which "the Scripture weighed and equated it with all the mitzvos" — not that the very existence of tzitzis reminds and assists the Jew

(as above).

And therefore the Rambam specifically in the mitzvah of mezuzah concludes — a blessing and praise upon that which the Most High gave a reminder,

an assistant.

7.

In greater depth: with the addition "Baruch Rachmana d'sayei'an" comes an additional explanation in the special action of mezuzah and its difference from the mitzvos of tefillin and tzitzis:

The concept of "mesayei'a" in a thing,

is appropriate to say when one helps the other to do the thing,

but not when the helper himself does the entire thing — then he is not a "mesayei'a,"

but the

(entire)

doer: and on the other hand,

when the other's help is such that it ensures not that the one being helped can accomplish the thing,

this is also not the true assistance.

And in this is

(you)

the effect of mezuzah relative to tefillin and tzitzis:

Regarding tefillin the Rambam says as above,

that through that "their holiness is great" is &lt;b&gt;"all and from &lt;/b&gt;that the tefillin are on a person's head and on his arm &lt;b&gt;he is &lt;/b&gt;humble and G-d-fearing and does not pursue laughter and idle talk and does not think evil thoughts but turns his heart to words of truth and righteousness".

D.

E.

That the tefillin are not

(only)

&lt;b&gt;assisting &lt;/b&gt;the person in his service&lt;sup&gt;58&lt;/sup&gt;,

but the holiness of the tefillin themselves &lt;b&gt;works &lt;/b&gt;and &lt;b&gt;affects &lt;/b&gt;in the person,

that he should at the time of action be a "humble and G-d-fearing etc.".

Regarding the mitzvah of tzitzis,

about which "the Scripture equated and included all the mitzvos with it, as it says, 'And you shall see it and remember all the mitzvos of Hashem',"

it is on the other hand — the mitzvah reminds the Jew of all the mitzvos,

but it is not said,

that the remembering is an assistance and help⁵⁹

in actually fulfilling the mitzvos: it reminds [him] of all the mitzvos,

but not necessarily to such an extent,

that being occupied with vanities of the time and the like, the remembering should help him to bring him to the fulfillment of all the mitzvos <b>in actuality</b>⁶⁰.

But not so with mezuzah

(says the Rambam)

"Every time he enters and exits he will encounter the unity of the Name.

The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, <b>and he will remember</b> His love <b>and he will awaken</b> from his slumber and his errors in the vanities of time <b>and he will know</b> that there is nothing that endures etc. <b>and immediately</b> he <b>returns to his senses and walks</b> in the paths of the upright."

D.

E.

On one side it is not like by

(the holiness of)

tefillin,

that everything that a person attains through this mitzvah,

is the <b>action</b> of the <b>tefillin,</b>

not through his own service — but not so by mezuzah, the unity of the Name of the mezuzah <b>makes known and awakens</b> the <b>man</b> that <b>he</b> should

(through the mezuzah)

remember "His love" and "awaken from his slumber" etc.

Etc.

Etc.

And from the second side,

it is not like by the mitzvah of tzitzis,

that "the Scripture weighed it and hung on it all the mitzvos ..

And you shall remember all the mitzvos of Hashem",

but it does not affect the person to place himself in the state of a change of person: in contrast by mezuzah it is in a manner,

that it causes that the person be changed through that "he will remember his love and awaken from his sleep and his errors in the vanities of time",

until that he returns to his knowledge and he walks in paths of uprightness.

And with this it is understood,

that the true essence of the matter of "one who assists",

so that it causes the one being assisted to bless for this the Most High,

is specifically by mezuzah,

which assists the Jew that he should go in the upright path.

8.

According to the above it is also understood,

that the matter of "we mention the many etc. that it saves him from sinning",

the Rambam brings specifically by mezuzah — because in essence this is the true definition of "mentioning":

The true and complete action of mentioning is

(not merely a reminder of a thing,

which is not connected with an effect in deed

(or at least "as if he did"),

rather in the well-known expression and interpretation)

— "they are remembered &lt;b&gt;and done"&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;61&lt;/sup&gt;,

that the remembrance is in such a manner that it effects and causes an action&lt;sup&gt;62&lt;/sup&gt;.

that the remembrance in completeness is — when it is in a manner that he is &lt;b&gt;seeing and feeling it)&lt;/b&gt;

— "Chayav&lt;sup&gt;64&lt;/sup&gt;

liros es &lt;b&gt;atzmo &lt;/b&gt;ke'ilu &lt;b&gt;hu &lt;/b&gt;yotza &lt;b&gt;hayom&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;65&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;miMitzrayim".

And such a "mazkir" is specifically in mezuzah,

and as mentioned above that mezuzah

(helps and)

causes that he should transform himself into a state that is fitting and go "in the ways of the upright".

9.

Thus the "advantage" of the mezuzah is not only in the quality of assistance as above,

but also in the quantity thereof:

In the order of life of

(most)

Jews there are generally two states — as the Jew finds himself "inside",

within the four cubits of Torah and prayer and mitzvos,

in a state of holiness and service of G‑d,

and — as he goes out into the "outside" of the world,

in the conduct⁶⁶

in them the custom of worldly conduct.

And this is in general the difference between the mitzvos — tefillin and tzitzis or mezuzah⁶⁷

Through the mitzvos of tefillin and tzitzis,

when the Jew places on his head and his arm and wears on his body,

he is surrounded by mitzvos,

he is "inside"; the Jew is separated from worldly matters,

he is connected with the Above and His mitzvos.

A mezuzah that is located at the entrance of his house "in the handbreadth adjacent to the outside",

emphasizes the Jew's connection with the Most High

(also)

when he goes out into the world outside.

And this is the content of the matter that the Rambam explains and emphasizes in Hilchos Mezuzah: The mezuzah comes to remind the Jew,

that not only when inside his house,

inside,

must the Jew and all his affairs be in accordance with the unity of G-d's name,

the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, that is in the mezuzah — but also when he goes out into the world outside of it, he must also there be permeated with the unity of G-d's name that is in the mezuzah;

And the "encounter with the unity of G-d's name, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He," that is in the mezuzah must cause that even when he has fallen into the vanities of the time,

then "he will remember his love and awaken from his sleep and his errors in the vanities of the time."

But even this is still not sufficient — the remembrance must effect an inner action "and he will know that there is nothing that endures forever and for all eternities except the knowledge of the Rock of the world,

and immediately he returns to his knowledge

(until — in actual deed)

and walks in paths of uprightness."

And specifically then,

when even while being outside of a Jewish home — his service of G-d is proper,

there is,

and he feels in completeness the <b>assistance </b>from the Above,

and this brings him to bless the Name — "Blessed is the Merciful One who assists".

(From the talk of Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar 5734)