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Getting High In Shul

The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos [11a] clearly states that the shul must be the tallest building in town. The Shulchan Aruch [150/2] codifies this ruling. Yet, I am not aware of even one shul anywhere which meets this standard. Why don't we keep this halacha??

The sefer Orach Neéman suggests that the reason the shul must be the tallest building is because that is considered the most beautiful. However, in our day and age when a building's beauty is not measured by it's height but by other standards, it need not be the highest. But according to this understanding the shul must be the most beautiful in town. I am not sure if that is always the case.

3 comments

Isn't this because the shul has to be modeled after the beis hamikdash which had to be the tallest and nicest building in town.

OFRAH! the shul there rests on the top of the hill right in the center of the and is (aside from being huge) the tallest building in all the yishuv.

Married- mazel Tov!!!!!!!! Yes the pasuk the gemara quotes is referring to the beis hamikdash.

Amichai- My luck. Never been to Ofrah

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  • I'm Rabbi Ally Ehrman
  • From Old City Jerusalem, Israel
  • I am a Rebbe in Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh.
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