Halachot of the Building of the Shul

From Halachipedia

Building a Shul

  1. The local Jewish community can force its members to pay for the building of a Shul and buying a Tanach.[1] Nowadays, the community can even force its members to pay for buying other sefarim such as mishna and shulchan aruch.[2]
  2. The Shul should be built at a high elevation in the town. Additionally, it should be the tallest building in the town with the exception of buildings that aren't used for dwelling space. [3]
  3. The Aron should be built in the direction in which the congregation will pray Shemonah Esrei. [4]Additionally, the doorway should be built to face the Aron, so that when a person enters he can bow towards the Aron. For example, if the Aron faces east as it does in American, then the doorway should be in the west. [5]

Selling a Bet Knesset

  1. In general, it is prohibited to sell the bet knesset of a city. However, it is permissible to sell the bet knesset of a village. [6]

Activities Appropriate for a Shul

  1. One shouldn't be involved in light-headedness, frivolity, idle chatter, eating, or drinking in a Shul.[7]
  2. One shouldn't lounge around or adorn oneself in the Shul. [8]
  3. One shouldn't enter the Shul to protect oneself from the sun or rain. [9]
  4. A Talmud Chacham may eat or drink in a Shul if it is necessary. [10] Some say that a Talmid Chacham may eat or drink in a Beit Midrash. [11]
  5. One should perform calculations unless it is for a mitzvah in a Shul. [12]
  6. A eulogy shouldn't take place in a Shul unless it is a eulogy for one of the greats of the town and everyone is coming to the eulogy. [13]
  7. If one needs to get someone in a Shul, one should walk inside, learn a little bit and then call that person. If one doesn't know how to learn one may wait inside the Shul a little bit (the time it takes to walk 8 Tefachim) and then call that person since just sitting in a Shul is a mitzvah.[14]
  8. One may not sleep in a Shul, however, it is permitted to sleep temporarily in a Beit HaMidrash. [15]
  9. One may not make a Shul into a shortcut. However, if the Shul was built in place of a path, it is permitted to continue using that path even after the Shul was built.[16]

Dismantling a Bet Knesset

  1. It is prohibited to demolish a bet knesset in order to build a new one. Rather, a new bet knesset must be built and then the old one can be taken down. [17]
  2. The same law applies regarding a bet midrash, and it does not make a difference whether the ownership is public or private. [18]
  3. It also does not matter if a more beautiful bet knesset will be built as a result of demolishing the current one. [19]

Sources

  1. ↑ S"A 150:1
  2. ↑ Aruch HaShulchan 150:1
  3. ↑ S"A 150:2
  4. ↑ Mishna Brurah 150:11
  5. ↑ S"A 150:5, Mishna Brurah 150:10
  6. ↑ Talmud Bavli, Masechet Megila 26a
  7. ↑ S"A 151:1
  8. ↑ S"A 151:1
  9. ↑ S"A 151:1
  10. ↑ S"A 151:1
  11. ↑ Rama 151:1
  12. ↑ S"A 151:1
  13. ↑ S"A 151:1
  14. ↑ S"A 151:1
  15. ↑ S"A 151:3
  16. ↑ S"A 151:5
  17. ↑ S"A 152:1
  18. ↑ Mishna Brurah 152:1
  19. ↑ Mishna Brurah 152:2
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