Halachot of the Building of the Shul

From Halachipedia

Building a Shul

  1. The local Jewish community may force its members to pay for the building of a Shul and to buy 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 are not used as dwelling spaces. [3]
  3. The Aron should be built in the direction in which the congregation will pray Shemona Esreh. [4]Additionally, the doorway should be built facing the Aron, so that when a person enters they can bow towards the Aron. For example, if the Aron faces east as it does in American Shuls, 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 should not be involved in light-headedness, frivolity, idle chatter, eating, or drinking in a Shul.[7]
  2. One should not lounge around or adorn oneself in the Shul. [8]
  3. One should not 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 Bet Midrash. [11]
  5. One should perform calculations, unless it is for a mitzvah in a Shul. [12]
  6. Eulogies should not take place in a Shul unless it is a eulogy for one of the great people of the town and everyone is coming to the eulogy. [13]
  7. If one needs to get someone who is in a Shul, one should walk inside, learn a little bit and then call that person. If one does not 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 Bet HaMidrash. [15]
  9. One may not use a Shul for 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 a public or private one. [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. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 150:1
  2. ↑ Aruch HaShulchan 150:1
  3. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 150:2
  4. ↑ Mishna Brurah 150:11
  5. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 150:5, Mishna Brurah 150:10
  6. ↑ Gemara Megillah 26a, Rambam (Tefillah 11:16)
  7. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  8. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  9. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  10. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  11. ↑ Rama 151:1
  12. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  13. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  14. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:1
  15. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:3
  16. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 151:5
  17. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 152:1
  18. ↑ Mishna Brurah 152:1
  19. ↑ Mishna Brurah 152:2
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