Of Fake Medrashim

WE WEAR TEFILLIN ONLY ON SHABBOS אין מניחין תפילין אלא בשבת

The Sefer מדרש פליאה (The Puzzling Midrash )  is a compilation of puzzling statements and riddles.

Contrary to popular belief, they are not מדרשי חז”ל. They  were invented by Darshonim who made up statements that
sound illogical and then solved them.

Harav Hagaon Ovadyah Yosef זצ”ל (Yechave Da’as 5-3) quotes a מדרש פליאה and a solution from R. Akiva Eiger zt”l

אין מניחין תפילין אלא בשבת”  You don’t put on Tefilin except on Shabbos.  The spelling of   בית שין בית תיו –are the Roshei Teivos of במקום שער במקום תפוח Rosh is placed where there is (was) hair. Yad is placed on part of the arm where the muscles are.

The מהרש”א in מהודרא בתרא  ( Shabbos 88b) explains, the פסוק in Tehillim (119 -164) “שקר שנאתי ואתעבה , תורתך אהבתי“. I have hated falsehood and abhorred it, your Torah I love.

Dovid Hamelech is referring to the Darshonim who fool the public with their lies. They say over מדרשים שקרים (invented Midrashim)  and then explain the Midrash with their lies. He only likes true Torah and not invented lies.

From Toras Aba, here.