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Why does the Gemara (גמרא) say Jews didn't accept tefillin with mesirus nefesh, illustrated through Elisha ba'al Kenafayim's story? Rashi (רש"י) holds Elisha showed mesirus nefesh by wearing tefillin publicly but correctly removed them when fear compromised his guf naki. Tosafos (תוספות) argues the real test was whether he'd affirm tefillin's protective power when caught—which he failed to do.
This shiur analyzes a complex Gemara (גמרא) in Shabbos (שבת) 130a focusing on the famous story of Elisha ba'al Kenafayim and the fundamental dispute between Rashi (רש"י) and Tosafos (תוספות) regarding mesirus nefesh. The Gemara begins with Rav Shimon HaLozer's teaching about mitzvos that Jews accepted with mesirus nefesh (like milah) versus those they did not (like tefillin). The discussion centers on why tefillin requires a 'guf naki' (clean body), illustrated through Elisha's story. Rashi's interpretation holds that Elisha demonstrated mesirus nefesh by wearing tefillin publicly during persecution. When caught by Roman authorities, his removal of the tefillin and claim they were 'kanfei yonah' (dove wings) was justified because once he feared losing bodily control due to terror, the tefillin were no longer halachically wearable. Thus, calling them dove wings was not a denial of their sanctity but recognition they could no longer function as tefillin for him.
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Shabbos 130a
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