Q&A: Nachmanides’ view on positive time-bound commandments
Nachmanides’ view on positive time-bound commandments
Question
Hello Rabbi,
According to Nachmanides, who holds that counting the Omer and first-fruits are not positive time-bound commandments, and as the Turei Even explained, that they are not caused by time but by something else (in the case of counting the Omer — the Omer offering, and in the recitation over first-fruits — the fruit being visible in the field), why are tzitzit and tefillin counted as positive time-bound commandments?
After all, tzitzit applies only during the day because of the exemption for a night garment, and tefillin because of the need for a clean body. It would seem that the daytime obligation is not due to the time itself.
Thank you,
Answer
As for tzitzit, this is a complicated topic / passage. You’re assuming things here that really are not agreed upon at all. Not long ago there was a discussion here about this, and maybe you should search for it. I’ve now found something here: https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9C%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%98%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%A9
But there was a thread in which I dealt with this in greater detail. Here it is: https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%94%D7%96%D7%9E%D7%9F-%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%90-%D7%91%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%99%D7%AA
As for tefillin, I didn’t understand where you got that from. The usual explanation is that they are not worn on the Sabbath, not because of the night. True, some connect it to the exemption at night, but in any case, Nachmanides can certainly hold that view.
Beyond that, even the exemption at night is not necessarily because of the need for a clean body. See an overview here:
https://www.etzion.org.il/he/%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%97%D7%AA-%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9F-%D7%91%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%94