Mezuzah: Difference between revisions
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#A shul doesn't need a mezuzah unless people live in the shul building.<ref>The Gemara Yoma 11a establishes that a shul that no one lives in doesn't need a mezuzah. The Gemara 11b implies that the reason for this is that only a house that belongs to clearly designated owners needs a mezuzah excluding a shul that belongs to the community or public. Tosfot 11b s.v. shein accepts this understanding and says that a privately owned shul would require a mezuzah. He uses this idea to explain the Yerushalmi Megillah which speaks about a mezuzah on a shul unlike the Gemara Yoma and Brachot 47a that assumed that a shul doesn't need a mezuzah. The Rif (Hilchot Mezuzah 6b), Rosh (Mezuzah 6b), and Rambam (Mezuzah 6:6) distinguish between a shul in a city is exempt but in a village it is obligated because most likely people live in the shul building. The Shulchan Aruch YD 286:3 concludes that a shul does not require a mezuzah. | #A shul doesn't need a mezuzah unless people live in the shul building.<ref>The Gemara Yoma 11a establishes that a shul that no one lives in doesn't need a mezuzah. The Gemara 11b implies that the reason for this is that only a house that belongs to clearly designated owners needs a mezuzah excluding a shul that belongs to the community or public. Tosfot 11b s.v. shein accepts this understanding and says that a privately owned shul would require a mezuzah. He uses this idea to explain the Yerushalmi Megillah which speaks about a mezuzah on a shul unlike the Gemara Yoma and Brachot 47a that assumed that a shul doesn't need a mezuzah. The Rif (Hilchot Mezuzah 6b), Rosh (Mezuzah 6b), and Rambam (Mezuzah 6:6) distinguish between a shul in a city is exempt but in a village it is obligated because most likely people live in the shul building. The Shulchan Aruch YD 286:3 concludes that a shul does not require a mezuzah. | ||
*The Rambam Mezuzah 6:6 writes that a shul doesn't need a mezuzah since it is an area of kedusha. There is a difficulty regarding the Rambam's opinion regarding its source from the Gemara Yoma 11b which seems only to apply this reason to the bet hamikdash. The Chatom Sofer YD 291 however explains that the Rambam means that even though the shechina dwells in the shul it isn't considered as though it is a house used for dwelling since it needs to be used for human dwelling to be obligated in mezuzah.</ref> | *The Rambam Mezuzah 6:6 writes that a shul doesn't need a mezuzah since it is an area of kedusha. There is a difficulty regarding the Rambam's opinion regarding its source from the Gemara Yoma 11b which seems only to apply this reason to the bet hamikdash. The Chatom Sofer YD 291 however explains that the Rambam means that even though the shechina dwells in the shul it isn't considered as though it is a house used for dwelling since it needs to be used for human dwelling to be obligated in mezuzah. | ||
* [https://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/1037812/Rabbi%20Mordechai%20I.%20Willig/Mezuzah%20Shiur%2029%20-%20Emergency%20Exits,%20Cellars,%20Hospitals,%20Safek%20Safeka%20in%20Hilchos%20Mezuzah Rav Mordechai Willig (Mezuzah Shiur 29, min 20)] quotes Rav Shlomo Zalman (Halichot Shlomo Tefillah 19:8) that a shul is exempt and not obligated like a storage house for the siddurim or other items left there since it isn't built in order to be a storage house. Shaarei Hamezuzah p. 110 writes that the minhag of the world is to put up a mezuzah on a shul, but Rav Willig disagrees and doesn't have a mezuzah on his shul to indicate that people shouldn't eat in the shul.</ref> | |||
#A bet midrash doesn't need a mezuzah but because some rishonim hold that it should have a mezuzah it is proper to put up a mezuzah on a bet midrash without a bracha. The reason that the bet midrash is different than a shul is since talmidei chachamim use it day and night they consider it like their home.<ref>The Gemara Yoma 11b treats a shul and bet midrash equally regarding mezuzah. Tosfot Yoma 11b writes that based on Yoma it sounds like there is no obligation to have a mezuzah for a bet midash, but Menachot 33a implies otherwise. Tosfot concludes that if it is privately owned or if it has a door from the bet midrash that opens into someone's private house then that door is obligated in a mezuzah. The Rosh (Mezuzah no. 10) writes that the Maharam Rotenberg learned from the Yerushalmi that a bet midrash should have a mezuzah. He added that a evil spirit bothered him when he slept in the bet midrash during the day until put up a mezuzah. Shulchan Aruch YD 286:10 concludes that a bet midrash does not need a mezuzah but since some say it should have one it is proper to put up one without a bracha. The Shach 286:19 explains that the reason to distinguish between a shul and bet midrash is that the talmidei chachamim live in the bet midrash day and night.</ref> | #A bet midrash doesn't need a mezuzah but because some rishonim hold that it should have a mezuzah it is proper to put up a mezuzah on a bet midrash without a bracha. The reason that the bet midrash is different than a shul is since talmidei chachamim use it day and night they consider it like their home.<ref>The Gemara Yoma 11b treats a shul and bet midrash equally regarding mezuzah. Tosfot Yoma 11b writes that based on Yoma it sounds like there is no obligation to have a mezuzah for a bet midash, but Menachot 33a implies otherwise. Tosfot concludes that if it is privately owned or if it has a door from the bet midrash that opens into someone's private house then that door is obligated in a mezuzah. The Rosh (Mezuzah no. 10) writes that the Maharam Rotenberg learned from the Yerushalmi that a bet midrash should have a mezuzah. He added that a evil spirit bothered him when he slept in the bet midrash during the day until put up a mezuzah. Shulchan Aruch YD 286:10 concludes that a bet midrash does not need a mezuzah but since some say it should have one it is proper to put up one without a bracha. The Shach 286:19 explains that the reason to distinguish between a shul and bet midrash is that the talmidei chachamim live in the bet midrash day and night.</ref> | ||
