And it contains two seifim (ב׳ סעיפים):בשבת ויו״ט אסור להניח תפילין מפני שהם עצמם אות — on Shabbat and Yom Tov it is forbidden to don the tefillin, because these days are themselves a sign (אות); and placing another sign upon them would be a זלזול, a disparagement of their own sign. The second seif extends the same reasoning to Chol haMoed — days that are themselves a sign — with the Rama's gloss: וי״א that חוה״מ is obligated in tefillin (Beit Yossef in the name of the Rosh), and the custom of these lands to don them without blessing aloud in the synagogue.
The 4 levels of study — Siman ל״א, 2 seifim
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Available
רמת המתחיל
Level 1 — Beginner & Intermediate
Vocalized Hebrew text of the seifim with a fluent English translation. Pedagogical, uplifting explanation: on Shabbat and Yom Tov one does not don the tefillin because these days are themselves a sign (אות), and adding another sign would be a זלזול of their own sign; on Chol haMoed, the same reasoning according to the Mechaber, with the Rama's gloss on the custom of these lands. Practical cases: Shabbat and Yom Tov (no tefillin), Chol haMoed (per community custom), and the meaning of the tefillin as a אות.
In-depth pilpul: the yesod תפילין אות (והיה לך לאות — Shemot 13) and שבת ויו״ט אות (אות היא ביני וביניכם — Shemot 31); one who already has a אות needs no second (Menachot 36b, Eiruvin 96a); the great machloket on חול המועד — sign or not (Rosh/Tur obligated; Zohar/mekubalim exempt); the מנהג and the ברכה בחשאי / מראית העין; the זלזול באות. Beit Yossef, Tur, רמב״ם, הרא״ש, Mg״A, Taz, Pri Megadim, Mishna Berura and Beour Halakha.
Structured summary for review and memorization: Shabbat and Yom Tov are themselves a sign (אות) — no tefillin, lest there be a זלזול לאות; Chol haMoed according to the Mechaber (days that are themselves a sign) and the Rama's gloss (וי״א obligated, custom to don without blessing aloud in the synagogue). Conduct le-maaseh in daily life, with a referral to a Rav and cf. siman 24, 25, 29, 30 and 32.
The Choulhan Aroukh HaRav of the Admour HaZaken on Orach Chaim siman 31 (two seifim): full text and the force of the psak relative to the Mechaber — why Shabbat and Yom Tov are פטורים (they are themselves a אות, and donning the tefillin on them would be a זלזול of their sign), and the machloket on חול המועד (the ikar: the days of חוה״מ are also a sign; the Ashkenazi מנהג — referral to the Rama). The yesod and the conduct le-maaseh developed from the Rav's actual text. For in-depth study, a referral to a Chabad Rav.
Rebuild this siman according to the Rabbanim YOU follow. Choose your Poskim (Rav Ovadia, the Admour HaZaken, the Rebbe, Ben Ish Chai, Mishna Berura, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu…) — Daat AI rebuilds the siman with their opinions, their reasoning, and their disagreements. If your Poskim do not address a point, the AI asks you before expanding.
The tefillin are a sign of the covenant — והיה לך לאות (Shemot 13). One who already possesses a sign has no need to add a second one.
שַׁבָּת וְיוֹם טוֹב אוֹת
Shabbat and Yom Tov, a sign
Shabbat is itself a sign — אות היא ביני וביניכם (Shemot 31) — and likewise the Yamim Tovim: these days are themselves a sign, so one does not don tefillin on them.
זִלְזוּל לָאוֹת
disparaging the sign
Placing a second sign upon a day that is itself a sign would be a זלזול — an affront to its own sign.
חוֹל הַמּוֹעֵד
the intermediate days
Machloket: are they too a sign (Mechaber — exempt) or obligated in tefillin (וי״א, Beit Yossef in the name of the Rosh)?
מִנְהַג הַמָּקוֹם
the local custom
Rama: in these lands one donned the tefillin on Chol haMoed and blessed upon them — the custom varies today among communities.
בְּרָכָה בַּחֲשַׁאי
blessing in silence
Those who donned on Chol haMoed would bless upon them, but without blessing aloud in the synagogue as on the other days of the year.
Structure of the Siman — the two seifim
Seif
Subject
Theme
Detail
סעיף א
Shabbat & Yom Tov
✦ heart of the siman
בשבת ויו״ט אסור להניח תפילין מפני שהם עצמם אות — these days are themselves a sign; placing another sign upon them would be a זלזול לאות.
סעיף ב
Chol haMoed
וי״א חייב
Chol haMoed too is exempt (days that are themselves a sign); Rama: וי״א that חוה״מ is obligated (ב״י בשם הרא״ש), and the custom of these lands to don and bless — but without blessing aloud in the synagogue.
חול המועד — a sign or not
Position
Source
Conduct
Central idea
חוה״מ אות
Mechaber · seif 2
✦ exempt from tefillin
According to the Mechaber, the days of Chol haMoed are themselves a sign — one does not don tefillin on them, like Shabbat and Yom Tov.
וי״א חייב
Rama · ב״י בשם הרא״ש
dons and blesses
Some say that חוה״מ is obligated in tefillin; and such was the custom of these lands, to don them on the festival and to bless upon them.
מנהג בני אשכנז
Rama · seif 2
without blessing aloud
Because of the doubt, those who donned them would bless upon them but without blessing aloud in the synagogue as on the other days of the year.
Frequently asked questions — Siman ל״א
Why does one not don the tefillin on Shabbat and Yom Tov, according to Siman 31?
According to the Choulhan Aroukh, Orach Chaim 31:1, בשבת ויו״ט אסור להניח תפילין מפני שהם עצמם אות — on Shabbat and Yom Tov it is forbidden to don the tefillin, because these days are themselves a sign (אות); and placing another sign upon them would be a זלזול, a disparagement of their own sign.
In what sense are Shabbat and Yom Tov themselves a sign?
The tefillin are a אות — והיה לך לאות (Shemot 13). Now Shabbat is itself a sign — אות היא ביני וביניכם (Shemot 31), and likewise the Yamim Tovim. One who already possesses a sign has no need to add a second one; this is why one does not don the tefillin on these days.
Does one don the tefillin on Chol haMoed, according to Siman 31?
According to the Mechaber (Orach Chaim 31:2), no: the days of Chol haMoed are themselves a sign, for the same reasoning. The Rama reports that some say (וי״א) that חוה״מ is obligated in tefillin (Beit Yossef in the name of the Rosh), and that the custom of these lands was to don them on Chol haMoed and to bless upon them. The custom varies among communities — one follows one's Rav.
Why did one not bless aloud in the synagogue on Chol haMoed?
According to the Rama's gloss (Orach Chaim 31:2), because of the doubt about the obligation of tefillin on Chol haMoed, those who donned them would bless upon them but without blessing aloud in the Beit haKnesset as on the other days of the year.