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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman ל׳ · The time to put on the tefilin (זמן הנחתן)
זמן הנחתן — the tefilin belong to the day and not to the night: one puts them on in the morning once one can recognize a familiar person at four amot, never at night (שמא ישן), and the traveler who leaves early blesses when the zman arrives
סימן ל׳ · ה׳ סעיפים
זמן הנחתן
🌱 Introductory level · Beginners
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When does one put on the tefilin? This siman sets the זמן הנחתן — their time: in the morning, as soon as there is enough light to recognize a familiar person one is somewhat used to, at four amot away; never at night (a gezera שמא ישן, lest one fall asleep with them); the traveler who leaves before dawn puts them on and blesses when the zman arrives; and one learns what to do with the tefilin when the sun sets or Chabbat enters on the road. Vocalized Hebrew text, clear English translation and explanations of the five seifim, with a section of practical cases.
Topic: The time to put on the tefilin — in the morning (משיכיר את חבירו), forbidden at night, the traveler, sunset and the entry of Chabbat on the road, and one who prayed Arvit early
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ל׳ · חמשה סעיפים
Compiled by: Rav Yossef Haim Samama
DAAT · daattorah.com
The previous siman taught us that one says no berakha when removing the tefilin (siman 29). There remains the question that opens the day: from when does one put them on? The Shulchan Aroukh answers that the tefilin belong to the day and not to the night: one puts them on in the morning as soon as the light suffices to recognize a familiar person one is somewhat used to, at four amot away — the same שיעור as for the tsitsit (siman 18). At night one does not put them on: the Sages forbade it lest one fall asleep with them (שמא ישן). But one who sets out on a journey before dawn may put them on early and bless when the zman arrives — for, having risen and set out on the road, he will not fall asleep. The siman finally settles the cases of one who, on the road, sees the sun set or Chabbat enter with the tefilin on his head, and of one who has "made it night" by praying Arvit too early. We study here at the level of principle; for the finer conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
📑 Study outline
A. זמן הנחתן in the morning — once one can recognize a familiar person at four amot (seif 1)
B. אסור להניח בלילה — no putting on at night (gezera שמא ישן); one who already wore them (אין מורין כן / מורין כן) (seif 2)
C. The early traveler — he puts them on early and blesses at the zman, with no fear of sleep (seif 3)
D. Sunset / the entry of Chabbat on the road — יניח ידו עליהם until home (seif 4)
E. One who prayed Arvit early — מבעוד יום: he no longer puts them on (seif 5)
+ Practical cases and comprehension questions
A. זמן הנחתן — the time to put them on, in the morning (seif 1)
Original text (seif 1)
[א] זְמַן הֲנָחָתָן בַּבֹּקֶר מִשֶּׁיִּרְאֶה אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ הָרָגִיל עִמּוֹ קְצָת בְּרִחוּק אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וְיַכִּירֶנּוּ.
[1] The time to put them on is in the morning, as soon as one sees a companion whom one is somewhat used to, at a distance of four amot, and recognizes him.
מִשֶּׁיַּכִּיר אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ — "as soon as he recognizes his companion" — the tefilin is a mitsva of the day. The שיעור (measure) that marks the start of the day here is a visual cue: there is enough light to recognize, at four amot (about two meters), a person one is somewhat used to (הרגיל עמו קצת) — neither a close acquaintance one would recognize even in the dark, nor a stranger one would recognize only in full daylight. It is the same cue as for the tsitsit (siman 18).
What this seif says:
- In the morning: the זמן to put on the tefilin is the day, not the night — and it opens in the morning.
- The cue: as soon as there is enough light to recognize a familiar person one is somewhat used to, at four amot away.
- Like the tsitsit: it is the same שיעור as for the tsitsit (siman 18) — two mitsvot "of the day."
The seif in one sentence: one puts on the tefilin in the morning, as soon as one can recognize a familiar person at four amot away.
B. One does not put on the tefilin at night — שמא ישן (seif 2)
Original text (seif 2)
[ב] אָסוּר לְהָנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין בַּלַּיְלָה שֶׁמָּא יִשְׁכָּחֵם וְיִישַׁן בָּהֶם. אִם הֱנִיחָם קֹדֶם שֶׁתִּשְׁקַע הַחַמָּה וְחָשְׁכָה עָלָיו אֲפִלּוּ הֵם עָלָיו כָּל הַלַּיְלָה מֻתָּר וְאֵין מוֹרִין כֵּן. אִם לֹא חָלַץ תְּפִלִּין מִשֶּׁשָּׁקְעָה חַמָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מָקוֹם לְשָׁמְרָן וְנִמְצְאוּ עָלָיו כְּדֵי לְשָׁמְרָן מֻתָּר וּמוֹרִין כֵּן.
[2] It is forbidden to put on tefilin at night, lest one forget and fall asleep with them. If one had put them on before sunset and darkness fell upon him, even if they remain on him all night, it is permitted — but one does not teach this (אין מורין כן). If one did not remove the tefilin after sunset because there was no place to keep them safe, and they are found on him in order to preserve them, it is permitted, and one does teach it (מורין כן).
גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִישַׁן — the decree "lest one fall asleep" — the respect owed to the tefilin requires that one not fall asleep while wearing them (the body must not be in the slackness of sleep). The Sages therefore forbade putting them on at night, the time of sleep, lest one fall asleep with them. This is a gezera — a protective safeguard.
אֵין מוֹרִין כֵּן / מוֹרִין כֵּן — "one does not teach this" / "one does teach it" — sometimes a conduct is permitted yet one does not publicize it as public instruction, lest people draw too broad a conclusion. Here: one who was already wearing the tefilin by day and upon whom night fell may keep them — but one does not teach this (אין מורין כן), so no one infers that it is permitted to put them on at night. Whereas one who keeps them for lack of a safe place to store them — one does teach it (מורין כן), for preserving the tefilin is a clear and evident reason.
What this seif says:
- Forbidden to put on at night: by gezera — lest one fall asleep with them (שמא ישן).
- Already on by day: if he wore them before sunset and night fell, he may keep them — but אין מורין כן.
- For lack of a safe place: one who keeps them to preserve them does so openly — מורין כן.
The seif in one sentence: one does not put on the tefilin at night (lest one fall asleep); one who was already wearing them by day may keep them (but one does not teach it), and all the more so if he keeps them for lack of a safe place.
C. The early traveler — he puts them on early and blesses at the zman (seif 3)
Original text (seif 3)
[ג] הָיָה רוֹצֶה לָצֵאת לַדֶּרֶךְ בְּהַשְׁכָּמָה מַנִּיחָם וּכְשֶׁיַּגִּיעַ זְמַנָּם יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בָּהֶם וִיבָרֵךְ, דְּלֵיכָּא לְמֵיחַשׁ שֶׁמָּא יִישַׁן בָּהֶם כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִשְׁכִּים וְיָצָא לַדֶּרֶךְ.
[3] If he wished to set out on a journey early in the morning, he puts them on; and when their time arrives, he touches them (משמוש) and recites the blessing — for there is no fear that he will fall asleep with them, since he rose early and set out on the road.
יְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בָּהֶם וִיבָרֵךְ — "he touches them and blesses" — the traveler put the tefilin on before the zman (he cannot wait), and therefore without a berakha — for one does not bless outside the proper time. When the זמן arrives on the road, he touches the tefilin (the משמוש, that gesture of attention and contact — see siman 28) to renew his awareness of the mitsva, and he then recites the berakha. The משמוש stands here in place of a "fresh" beginning of the mitsva at the moment its time opens.
What this seif says:
- He puts them on early: the traveler who leaves before dawn puts the tefilin on before the zman — but without blessing.
- He blesses at the zman: when the time arrives, he touches the tefilin (משמוש) and then recites the berakha.
- No fear here: the gezera "שמא ישן" does not apply — having risen and set out, he will not fall back asleep.
The seif in one sentence: the early traveler puts on the tefilin early (without blessing), then, once the zman comes, he touches them and blesses — with no fear of sleep, since he is already on the road.
D. Sunset / the entry of Chabbat on the road (seif 4)
Original text (seif 4)
[ד] הָיָה בָּא בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּתְפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וְשָׁקְעָה עָלָיו חַמָּה, אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וּתְפִלִּין בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וְקָדַשׁ עָלָיו הַיּוֹם, יַנִּיחַ יָדוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם עַד שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לַבַּיִת. וְאִם יֵשׁ בַּיִת קָרוֹב לַחוֹמָה שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּמְּרִין שָׁם, חוֹלְצָן וּמַנִּיחָם שָׁם.
[4] If he was walking on the road, the tefilin on his head, and the sun set upon him; or if he was sitting in the Beit haMidrash, the tefilin on his head, and the day (Chabbat) was sanctified upon him — he places his hand over them (יניח ידו עליהם) until he reaches home. And if there is a house near the wall where they can be kept safe, he removes them and deposits them there.
יַנִּיחַ יָדוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם — "he places his hand over them" — at sunset, or at the entry of Chabbat (the day "is sanctified"), the tefilin are no longer in their time and one must remove them; but if one is on the road or far from home, one can neither carry them exposed (מראית העין) nor abandon them. One therefore covers the tefilin with one's hand until home. If there is a safe house nearby ("near the wall"), one removes and deposits them there. On the conduct at sunset and at the entry of Chabbat, see also simanim 25, 29 and 31.
What this seif says:
- Two cases: the sun sets on the road; or Chabbat enters while one studies in the Beit haMidrash — tefilin on the head.
- The hand over them: one covers the tefilin with one's hand (יניח ידו עליהם) until home — out of respect and for מראית העין.
- A house nearby: if there is a safe place close by, one removes and deposits them there.
The seif in one sentence: caught on the road by sunset or the entry of Chabbat with the tefilin on the head, one places the hand over them until home — or deposits them in a safe place nearby.
E. One who prayed Arvit before nightfall — מבעוד יום (seif 5)
Original text (seif 5)
[ה] יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר שֶׁאִם הִתְפַּלֵּל תְּפִלַּת עַרְבִית מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם עַד שֶׁלֹּא הֵנִיחַ תְּפִלִּין, אֵין לוֹ לְהָנִיחָם אַחַר כָּךְ.
[5] There is one who says (יש מי שאומר) that if one prayed the Arvit prayer while it was still day (מבעוד יום), before he had put on the tefilin, he should not put them on afterward.
מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם — "while it was still day" — by praying Arvit (the evening prayer) before nightfall, one has, by one's own conduct, "made it night" upon oneself (עשה לילה). From then on a contradiction (תרתי דסתרי) arises: putting on the tefilin would treat this moment as day, whereas one has already held it to be night. This is why this יש מי שאומר concludes that one no longer puts them on afterward.
What this seif says:
- Arvit anticipated: one who prayed Arvit before nightfall (מבעוד יום), without having yet put on the tefilin…
- He no longer puts them on: according to this יש מי שאומר, he no longer puts them on afterward.
- The reason: he "made it night" by his prayer — putting them on would hold the same moment as both day and night (תרתי דסתרי).
The seif in one sentence: one who prayed Arvit before nightfall, before having put on the tefilin, no longer puts them on afterward — for he has already treated that time as night.
Practical cases
Case 1 — From when does one put on the tefilin in the morning?
Situation: one rises early, it is still somewhat dark. From what moment may one put on the tefilin?
Conduct: as soon as there is enough light to recognize a familiar person one is somewhat used to, at four amot away (seif 1). It is the same cue as for the tsitsit (siman 18): the tefilin is a mitsva of the day, and this שיעור marks the opening of the day.
Case 2 — Not at night; the early traveler
Situation: it is still night and one must set out on a journey before dawn. May one put on the tefilin now?
Conduct: as a rule, one does not put on the tefilin at night (gezera שמא ישן — lest one fall asleep with them, seif 2). But the traveler who leaves early in the morning may put them on early without blessing, then, when the zman arrives on the road, touch them (משמוש) and bless at that point (seif 3) — with no fear of sleep, since he is already up and on the road.
Case 3 — Sunset / the entry of Chabbat on the road
Situation: one is on the road (or studying in the Beit haMidrash), the tefilin still on the head, and now the sun sets or Chabbat enters.
Conduct: one places the hand over the tefilin (יניח ידו עליהם) until home — one does not leave them exposed (מראית העין) nor abandon them. If there is a safe place close by, one removes and deposits them there (seif 4). For the precise manner of removing and storing the tefilin at the entry of Chabbat, and the details of these conducts, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.
Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- By what cue does one put on the tefilin in the morning? To which other mitsva is this שיעור common?
- Why does one not put on the tefilin at night? What is a gezera?
- What do אין מורין כן and מורין כן mean? To which cases do they apply here?
- How does the early traveler reconcile putting them on before the zman with the berakha (the role of the משמוש)?
- What does one do with the tefilin if the sun sets or Chabbat enters while one is on the road?
- Why does one who prayed Arvit before nightfall no longer put on the tefilin afterward?
Going further
If you wish to deepen this siman:
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: for the pilpoul — זמן הנחה : משיכיר את חבירו and the שיעור shared with the tsitsit (מנחות מ״ג, ברכות ט׳); לילה לאו זמן תפילין — גזרה שמא ישן (מנחות ל״ו); אין מורין כן / מורין כן; the traveler; שקעה עליו חמה / קדש היום and ערבית מבעוד יום — תרתי דסתרי
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: for review and quick memorization
- 👑 Level 4 — Daat HaRav (the Alter Rebbe): the shitah of the Shulchan Aroukh HaRav — זמן הנחתן, the prohibition at night, the early traveler, the entry of Chabbat on the road, and the order of Arvit and tefilin
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה
Talmid Chacham · Teacher of shiurim in halakha and Chassidut
סימן ל׳ · חמשה סעיפים · Level 1 — Introduction
♥ Support DAAT