The Frontplate, the Tefillin, and What Stays On the Forehead

"And it shall be upon his forehead continually" (Exodus 28:38). It was taught in the school of Rabbi Ishmael: A man may go out wearing tefillin on the eve of the Sabbath at twilight. What is the reason? Since Rabbah bar Rav Huna said: A person is obligated to touch his tefillin at all times, this is derived by an argument from minor to major from the frontplate [tzitz]: if the frontplate, which contains only a single mention [of the divine Name], the Torah says of it "it shall be upon his forehead continually," then tefillin, which contain many mentions, all the more so. Therefore one keeps them in mind constantly. It was taught: The frontplate, whether it is upon his forehead or not upon his forehead, effects acceptance [for the people's offerings]; these are the words of Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Yehudah says: while it is still upon his forehead it effects acceptance; when it is not upon his forehead it does not effect acceptance. Rabbi Shimon said to him: the High Priest on the Day of Atonement proves the point, for it is not upon his forehead and yet it effects acceptance. Rabbi Yehudah said to him: leave aside the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, since ritual impurity is permitted in a public context. From this it follows that Rabbi Shimon holds that impurity is merely set aside in a public context [not outright permitted]. Abaye said: where the frontplate has broken, all agree it does not effect acceptance; where they disagree is where it hangs on a peg. Rabbi Yehudah holds it must be "upon his forehead, and he shall bear"; Rabbi Shimon holds it is "continually, for acceptance for them." What is meant by "continually"? If you say continually upon his forehead, can you find such a case? Does he not need to sleep? Does he not need to go to the privy? Rather, "continually" means it continually effects acceptance. And for Rabbi Yehudah too is it not written "continually"? That teaches that he should not divert his attention from it, as Rabbah bar Rav Huna said: a person is obligated to touch his tefillin, and so forth. And for Rabbi Shimon, who said "continually" means it continually effects acceptance, is it not written "upon his forehead, and he shall bear"? That comes to fix a place for it. And Rabbi Yehudah, from where does he derive that it must have a fixed place? From "upon his forehead." And Rabbi Shimon too, let him derive it from "upon his forehead"! Indeed it is so. Then what does he do with "upon his forehead, and he shall bear"? He could say to you: it is fit for the forehead that effects acceptance, to exclude a broken frontplate, which does not effect acceptance. And Rabbi Yehudah, from where does he derive the case of a broken frontplate? He derives it from "forehead, his forehead." And Rabbi Shimon does not expound "forehead, his forehead."