Halachot of the Building of the Shul: Difference between revisions

# The local Jewish community may force its members to pay for the building of a Shul and to buy a Tanach.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 150:1</ref> Nowadays, the community can even force its members to pay for buying other sefarim such as mishna and shulchan aruch.<ref>Aruch HaShulchan 150:1</ref>

# 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. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 150:2</ref>

# The Aron should be built in the direction in which the congregation will pray [[Shemona Esreh]]. <ref>Mishna Brurah 150:11</ref>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. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 150:5, Mishna Brurah 150:10</ref>

# One should not be involved in light-headedness, frivolity, idle chatter, eating, or drinking in a Shul.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# One should not lounge around or adorn oneself in the Shul. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# One should not enter the Shul to protect oneself from the sun or rain. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# A Talmud Chacham may eat or drink in a Shul if it is necessary. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref> Some say that a Talmid Chacham may eat or drink in a Bet Midrash. <Ref>Rama 151:1</ref>

# One should perform calculations, unless it is for a mitzvah in a Shul. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# 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. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# 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.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:1</ref>

# One may not sleep in a Shul, however it is permitted to sleep temporarily in a Bet HaMidrash. <Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:3</ref>

# 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.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch 151:5</ref>

# 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.  <ref> Shulchan Aruch 152:1 </ref>  

# The same law applies regarding a Bet Midrash, and it does not make a difference whether the ownership is a public or private one. <ref> Mishna Brurah 152:1 </ref>  

# It also does not matter if a more beautiful Bet Knesset will be built as a result of demolishing the current one. <ref> Mishna Brurah 152:2 </ref>