עַד סוֹף הָאַשְׁמוּרָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר...רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר עַד שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה עַמּוּד הַשַּׁחַר
רש"י ד"ה עד סוף האשמורה הראשונה: שליש הלילה כדמפרש בגמרא (דף ג.) ומשם ואילך עבר זמן דלא מקרי תו זמן שכיבה ולא קרינן ביה בשכבך
It seems clear that the point of contention between these two opinions is how to understand the word ובשכבך. According to רבי אליעזר it refers to the time which is normal for individuals to actively lie down to sleep. Surely, רבן גמליאל (and the חכמים who, in essence, are in agreement) does not hold that it is normal for people to do so all night. Rather, they have a different understanding of the word ובשכבך. That is, any time which is normal for one to passively be lying down and sleeping.
It is interesting to note that we do not find a parallel מחלוקת when dealing with זמן קריאת שמע של שחרית. There is no opinion that the מצוה applies throughout the day since it is the time for people to be awake. One must say, therefore, that the word ובקומך does not lend itself to the same variance in interpretation. Rather, it must refer to the time when people actively arise.
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