Quoting%20commentary for Megillah 4:8

הָאוֹמֵר אֵינִי עוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה בִצְבוּעִין, אַף בִּלְבָנִים לֹא יַעֲבֹר. בְּסַנְדָּל אֵינִי עוֹבֵר, אַף יָחֵף לֹא יַעֲבֹר. הָעוֹשֶׂה תְפִלָּתוֹ עֲגֻלָּה, סַכָּנָה וְאֵין בָּהּ מִצְוָה. נְתָנָהּ עַל מִצְחוֹ אוֹ עַל פַּס יָדוֹ, הֲרֵי זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּינוּת. צִפָּן זָהָב, וּנְתָנָהּ עַל בֵּית אֻנְקְלִי שֶׁלּוֹ, הֲרֵי זוֹ דֶּרֶךְ הַחִיצוֹנִים:

If one said: "I shall not act as prayer leader in dyed clothes," he may not do so even in white clothes. [We fear that he may have succumbed to heresy, the idolators being solicitous of such matters.] (If he said: "I shall not, etc.") in shoes, he may not do so even barefoot. If one made his (head) phylactery round [like a nut or an egg], he has placed himself in danger [of the phylactery piercing his head] and he has not fulfilled the mitzvah, [for square phylacteries are a "halachah to Moses upon Sinai."] If he placed it on his forehead or on the palm of his hand, this is the way of heresy. [For the heretics spurn the words of the sages and follow the literal meaning of the verse, saying that "between your eyes" and "on your hand" are to be taken literally, whereas the sages learned by identity (gzeirah shavah): "between your eyes" — on the hair site of the head, where an infant's brain throbs; "on your hand" — on the height of the hand, the biceps muscle at the top of the arm, so that it is opposite the heart.] If he plated it with gold [contrary to (Exodus 13:9): "so that the Torah of the L-rd be in your mouth" — from what is "permitted in your mouth" — that the whole (of the phylacteries) be of the hide of a clean animal and not of gold] (If he plated it with gold) and placed it on the sleeve of his garment [from the outside, contrary to (Ibid.): "to you as a sign" — and not to others as a sign], this is the way of the "outsiders" [those who follow their dictates "outside of" the dictates of the sages.]

Explore quoting%20commentary for Megillah 4:8. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.