Is the Rashbam a black sheep in Orthodox thought? How can we reconcile a seemingly unorthodox approach to one of orthodoxy's greatest thinkers? Please note- all translations are taken from Sefaria, and are subject to editing by the co-hosts when deemed appropriate.  Below is the verse the Rashbam is commenting onוְהָיָה֩ לְךָ֨ לְא֜וֹת עַל־יָדְךָ֗ וּלְזִכָּרוֹן֙ בֵּ֣ין עֵינֶ֔יךָ לְמַ֗עַן תִּהְיֶ֛ה תּוֹרַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה בְּפִ֑יךָ כִּ֚י בְּיָ֣ד חֲזָקָ֔ה הוֹצִֽאֲךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃“And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead—in order that the Teaching of the LORD may be in your mouth—that with a mighty hand the LORD freed you from Egypt.Below are the Rashbams we are referring to. לאות על ידך - לפי עומק פשוטו: יהיה לך לזכרון תמיד, כאלו כתוב על ידך. כעין, שימני כחותם על לבך.לאות על ידך, according to the simplest meaning: [an exhortation that this memory should be with you permanently], as if the subject matter had literally been inscribed on your hand. We find a similar syntax in Song of Songs 8,6 שימי כחותם על לבך, “place it on your heart as if it had been engraved there like a seal,”2בין עיניך - כעין תכשיט ורביד זהב שרגילין ליתן על המצח לנוי.בין עיניך, like a precious jewel which one places on one’s forehead as a decoration The 4 approaches discussed are:1. The Rashbam holds that at the giving of the Torah, Tefillin were completely metapahorical and the Sages implemented a pragmatic approach later on.2. The Rashbam was responding to Karaites who claimed the Tefillin went on the hand literally (Mottie Cohen)3. At that point in the narrative in Exodus, it was metaphorical because the narrative had not reached Sinai yet. 4. The lesson one should have in mind when wearing Tefillin is similar to the one in Song of Songs. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate