Kiddushin

and phylacteries.1 And what are affirmative precepts not limited to time? Mezuzah,2 ‘battlement’,3 [returning] lost property,4 and the ‘dismissal of the nest.’5 Now, is this a general principle? But unleavened bread,6 rejoicing [on Festivals],7 and ‘assembling’,8 are affirmative precepts limited to time, and yet incumbent upon women.9 Furthermore, study of the Torah, procreation, and the redemption of the son, are not affirmative precepts limited to time, and yet women are exempt [therefrom]?10 — R. Johanan answered: We cannot learn from general principles, even where exceptions are stated. For we learnt: An ‘erub11 and a partnership,12 may be made with all comestibles, excepting water and salt. Are there no more [exceptions]: lo, there are mushrooms and truffles! But [we must answer that] we cannot learn from general principles, even where exceptions are stated. AND AFFIRMATIVE PRECEPTS LIMITED TO TIME, WOMEN ARE EXEMPT. Whence do we know it? — It is learned from phylacteries: just as women are exempt from phylacteries, so are they exempt from all affirmative precepts limited to time. Phylacteries [themselves] are derived from the study of the Torah: just as women are exempt from the study of the Torah, so are they exempt from phylacteries. But let us [rather] compare phylacteries to mezuzah?13 — phylacteries are assimilated to the study of the Torah in both the first section and the second;14 whereas they are not assimilated to mezuzah in the second section.15 Then let mezuzah be assimilated to the study of the Torah?16 — You cannot think so, because it is written, [And thou shalt write them upon the mezuzah of thine house . . .] That your days may be multiplied:17 do then men only need life, and not women! But what of sukkah, which is an affirmative precept limited to time, as it is written, ye shall dwell in booths seven days,18 yet the reason [of woman's exemption] is that Scripture wrote ha-ezrah,19 to exclude women,20 but otherwise women would be liable? — Said Abaye, It is necessary: I would have thought, since it is written: ‘ye shall dwell in booths seven days’, ‘ye shall dwell’ [meaning] even as ye [normally] dwell [in a house]: just as [normal] dwelling [implies] a husband and wife [together], so must the sukkah be [inhabited by] husband and wife!21 — But Raba said, doorpost. and placed in a court-yard of one of the houses. This turned all the court-yards into a single domain, and carrying from one into the other on the Sabbath was then permitted. That dish was called the ‘erub (of court-yards). ‘Erub means something which joins, combines, Fr. ‘arab, to commingle. Similarly, several side streets could be combined. Pentateuchal passages contained in the phylacteries, and the only two written in the mezuzah. In the first section, Deut. VI, 7f: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children . . . and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand. In the second section, XI. 18f: and ye shall bind them . . . and ye shall teach them etc. connection. viz., in vv. 19 and 20.