Women, bondsmen, and minors are exempt from the Shema and from tefillin. [Even though the Shema is a time-oriented positive commandment (mitzvath aseh shehazman grama), a class of mitzvah from which women are exempt, we would think that it is, nonetheless, binding upon them because it contains the acceptance of the kingdom of Heaven — for which reason we must be apprised otherwise. And the mitzvah of tefillin is a time-oriented positive commandment, for it does not obtain at night and on the Sabbath; but we would think that since it is likened to mezuzah, it is binding upon women. We must, therefore, be apprised otherwise. "Minors": A father is not obligated to train in the recital of the Shema even a minor who had arrived at the age of training; for the son is not always to be found with his father at the time of recital. And a father was not obligated to train a minor in the mitzvah of tefillin, for he cannot be expected to guard himself against expelling air while wearing them.] And tefillah, mezuzah, and the recital of grace are binding upon them. [For tefillah is the imploration of mercy, and a rabbinical ordinance; and it was instituted for women, too, and for the training of minors. "Mezuzah": We might think, since mezuzah is likened to Torah study, that just as women are exempt from Torah study, it being written (Deuteronomy 11:9): "And you shall teach them to your sons" — and not to your daughters, they should, likewise, be exempt from mezuzah, even though it is not a time-oriented positive commandment; we are, therefore, apprised otherwise. "The recital of grace": It is open to question whether the recital of grace is Scripturally binding upon women, it being written (Deuteronomy 8:10): "And you shall eat, and you shall be sated, and you shall bless" — so that it is a non time-oriented positive commandment — or whether it is not Scripturally binding upon women, it being written (Ibid.): "for the good land which He has given you"; and the land was not given to females. The question was not resolved.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
נשים ועבדים פטורים מקריאת שמע – Even though it is a “positive, time-bound commandment”, and women are exempt from all “positive time-bound commandments,” you may possibly think we say (i.e., you may be misled to interpret) that [women] should be required, since there is [mention concerning the recitation of the Shema of] the “sovereignty of heaven,” it comes to teach us [that women are nevertheless exempt]; for [the wearing of] Tefillin is a “positive time-bound” commandment, but the nighttime and the Sabbath (and Festivals) are not times [for the wearing of Tefillin] and that since there is a juxtaposition between the [commandments of] Tefillin to that of the Mezuzah (which women are obligated to observe -see especially Deuteronomy 6:8-9) that women should be obligated [in the Mitzvah of Tefillin], it comes to teach us that this is not the case.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Introduction
This mishnah deals with other categories of people who are exempt from the Shema and some other mitzvoth.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
קטנים – [A minor] who has arrived at the age of where he can be educated, they [the Rabbis] did not place upon his father the obligation to teach him to recite the Shema since he is not always with him at the times when the Shema is recited (morning and evening) and neither with Tefillin since [even] a normal minor does not know how to guard his Tefillin [properly] so that he would not [desecrate the Tefillin] by breaking wind in them.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Berakhot
Women, slaves and minors are exempt from reciting the Shema and putting on tefillin, but are obligated for tefillah, mezuzah, and Birkat Hamazon (the blessing after meals). The usual explanation for this mishnah is that women, children and slaves are exempt from time-bound positive commandments and obligated for non-time bound positive commandments, as well as all negative ones. The Shema is clearly time-bound and positive, as is tefillin (it is not worn at night, and according to most, not on Shabbat or Yom Tov). The mezuzah is clearly a positive non-time bound commandment. Birkat Hamazon is recited whenever someone eats, so it too is not time bound. The only problem with the list in the mishnah is that tefillah seems to be time-bound, as we shall learn in the next chapter. There are several answers to this. First of all, although each tefillah is time-bound, there is no time during the day when one could not recite the Amidah. When the time for reciting the morning Amidah is over, one can recite the Minhah (afternoon) Amidah, when Minhah time is over, one can recite the Maariv (evening) Amidah. Therefore, although each tefillah has its own set time, overall the mitzvah is not considered to be time-bound. A different explanation is that although the mitzvah is time-bound, women, children and slaves are obligated because every person is required to make requests and ask mercy directly from God. Tefillah is about asking for one’s needs and praising God for the needs that have already been fulfilled and women, children and slaves have needs as do free adult men. While I certainly don’t have the definitive answer to why women, children and slaves are exempt from these positive time-bound commandments, it seems that a strong possibility is that they don’t have full control over their own lives. They are, for the most part, subject to the free adult men with whom they live (father, husband, master). Since they don’t have control over their own lives, they are not subject to halakhot restricted in time. One problem with this theory is that a divorcee and a widow are still exempt, even though they are not attached to any man. My answer would be that the halakhah is addressed to the most common situation, and women are usually in some way attached to a man.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
וחייבין בתפילה – Since Tefillah/prayer [The Amidah] is [a request] for mercy, and it is Rabbinic (as opposed to Biblical in nature), and the Rabbis established that even women [are obligated in Tefillah] and to educate their young in praying.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
ובמזוזה – For you might have said that since there is a juxtaposition between it [Mezuzah] and [the commandment to] study Torah (see especially Deuteronomy 11:19-20), that just as women are exempt from [the commandment of] studying Torah, as it is written (Deuteronomy 11:19), “and teach them to your children” – and not your daughters, so also here that they [women] would be exempted from [the commandment of [putting up a] Mezuzah, even though it [the commandment concerning the Mezuzah] is a “positive commandment which is NOT time-bound,” nevertheless, it comes to teach us [that women are required to observe the commandment of Mezuzah].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot
ובברכת המזון – We must ask if women are obligated [in the recitation of] the Blessing After the Meal/Birkat HaMazon from [the perspective of] the Torah-law, since it is written (Deuteronomy 8:10) “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you],” this is a “positive commandment that is not time-bound” or possibly, [women] are not Torah-bound obligated to recite the Prayer after the Meal/Birkat HaMazon because it is written (Deuteronomy 8:10), “for the good land which He has given you,” but the land was not given to females, and it has not been [adequately] deduced.
