Megillah 28b (כח:) — the Talmud in English

And therefore,

one may not eat in them, nor drink in them,

nor derive benefit from them

adorning oneself]

with them; one may not enter them in the

summer

months—

because of the heat; nor

in the

rainy season—

because of the rain; and one may not deliver an individual eulogy in them.

However, one may read in them, study in them, and deliver a public eulogy in them,

meaning a eulogy for a Torah scholar, for which the public must gather to eulogize him. A synagogue is suitable for this, since it is a large place.

Rabbi Yehuda said: When does this apply? When they are in their settled state. But when they are in ruins,—

they are left, and grass is allowed to grow in them, and one may not uproot it—

because of the anguish it causes.

And we wonder:

Grass—

who mentioned it?

Where did the first tanna say that one does something to prevent grass from growing, such that Rabbi Yehuda says that when they are in ruins, grass is allowed to grow in them?!

And we answer: The Mishna is

incomplete. And this is what it teaches: One cleans them, and

afterward

sprinkles water over them,

meaning that one sprinkles water in order to settle the dust—

so that grass will not grow in them.

And concerning this

Rabbi Yehuda said: When does this apply,

when we perform these actions—

when they are in their settled state. But when they are in ruins,—

they are left

[the grass]

to grow. If grass has grown in them—

one may not uproot it, because of the anguish it causes.

Rabbi Asi said: The synagogues in Babylonia are made conditionally

so that they may be used when they are not in use —

that is how they are made.

And even so,

despite the fact that they were made conditionally, while they are in their built state —

one may not behave frivolously in them.

And what is it

that is meant by this frivolous behavior, which Rabbi Asi came to teach us is not practiced in them?

Even calculating

accounts.

For it might have entered your mind to say that specifically eating and drinking, which constitute an especially frivolous behavior, are prohibited; therefore he teaches us that even calculating accounts is prohibited.

Rav Asi said: In a synagogue in which accounts are calculated—

they will ultimately lodge a met mitzva there.

And we wonder:

Will lodge

specifically

enter your mind?

Is it an obligation to lodge the dead in them?

Is it impossible otherwise?!

Rather,

this is what he is saying:

Ultimately, they will lodge a met mitzva there.

For metei mitzva—people who die in the city and have no one to bury them—will occur.

We learned in our Mishna:

“Nor may one derive benefit from them.”

Rava said: Torah scholars and their students—

are permitted.

As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What

is the reason that we call the house of study

“Bei Rabbanan”?

Because it is

the house of the Sages,

as it is like their home for all purposes.

We learned in our Mishna:

“Nor may one enter them in the summer because of the heat, or in the rainy season because of the rain.”

This is like that incident involving Ravina and Rav Adda bar Mattana, who were standing

[they were standing]

and asking a question of Rava.

A strong downpour came

[rain that came down forcefully],

and they entered the synagogue.

They said: Our entering the synagogue—

is not because of the rain , ,

that is, we did not enter so that the synagogue would protect us from the rain,

but because a halakhic matter requires a clear mind

[a lucid understanding]—

like a day of the north wind.

That is, a day on which a northerly wind blows, for it is a bright day and comfortable in every respect.

Rav Aha, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi: If a person needs to call someone from the synagogue, what should he do?

How should he act, since one may not enter a synagogue without a purpose?

He said to him: If he is a young Torah scholar—

let him recite a halakhic ruling

when he enters the synagogue.

And if he is a tanna—

let him recite a beraita.

And if he is a reader of Scripture

[one versed in the biblical text]

he is—

let him recite a verse.

And if not, let him say to a child: “Recite your verse to me!”

Alternatively, let him remain for a short while

in the synagogue—

and then stand up.

We learned in our Mishna:

“And one may deliver a public eulogy in them.”

What are the circumstances of a public eulogy?

Rav Hisda demonstrated—

for example, a eulogy in which

[Rashi's version: “in which Rabbi]

Rav Sheshet was present,

that is, a eulogy for a person who died from the household of Rav Sheshet .

Rav Sheshet demonstrated—

for example, a eulogy in which Rav Hisda was present.

Rafram delivered a eulogy for his daughter-in-law

in the synagogue. He said: “If it is for my honor or for the honor of the deceased—

everyone comes,”

and consequently it was a public eulogy.

Rabbi Zeira delivered a eulogy for a certain Torah scholar in the synagogue. He said: “If it is for my honor or for the honor of the deceased—

everyone comes.”

Reish Lakish delivered a eulogy for a certain young Torah scholar,

who

was

frequently present in Eretz Yisrael and used to teach halakha

[he would study Mishnayot]

in twenty-four rows

[rows of students ]. And this is what he

said: “Woe, Eretz Yisrael has lost a great man.”

That

man

used to teach halakha, Sifra, Sifrei, and Tosefta—

and he died.

They came and said to Rav Naḥman: “Let the Master eulogize him!”

He said: “How shall I eulogize him?”

Should I eulogize him in this manner:

“A basket full of books

[a basket full of books]

that is empty”?!

For just as a basket full of books does not understand what is inside it, so too this man had not served Torah scholars who could teach him the reasons underlying the Mishna. At times, the words of one Mishna contradict another Mishna, and one must resolve the contradiction; but this man did not know what he was studying.

Come and see the difference between the forceful scholars of Eretz Yisrael,

namely, Reish Lakish , who, although that Torah scholar was not from among the people of Eretz Yisrael, but merely frequently came there, and although he taught only halakha and sat in the twenty-fourth row, nevertheless eulogized him with the words: “Eretz Yisrael has lost a great man”—

and the pious scholars of Babylonia,

namely, Rav Naḥman, who did not eulogize the man who taught halakha, Sifra, and so on, and who was from Eretz Yisrael [Maharsha].

We learned there

in tractate Avot:

“And one who uses the crown

[crown]—

will pass away

from the world .

Reish Lakish taught: This refers to one who uses one who studies halakhot as the crown of Torah .

And Ulla said: Let a person make use of one who teaches,

who studies for himself,

four

orders,

but let him not make use of one who teaches

[who teaches others]

four

orders .

This is like that incident in which Reish Lakish was traveling on the road. He reached a water channel

[he reached a puddle of water].

A certain man came, mounted him,

with Reish Lakish on

his shoulders—

and carried him across.

Reish Lakish said to him,

to that man:

“Have you read,”

meaning, have you studied Torah?

He said to him: “I have read!”

He asked him further:

“Have you studied,”

Mishnayot?

He said to him:

“I have studied the four orders of Mishna.”

He said to him: “You have called yourself the master of four mountains, and you have carried Bar Lakish on your shoulders

?! Throw Bar Lakisha

[throw Reish Lakish, and he was saying this about himself]

into the water!”

He said to him:

Nevertheless,

I am pleased to hear something from

[to serve]

the Master.

Reish Lakish said to him:

“If so, learn this matter from me

Rabbi Zeira said: The daughters of Israel imposed this stringency upon themselves, that even if they see a drop of blood the size of a mustard seed—

they sit in its account for seven clean days.”

For by Torah law, the counting of seven clean days is required only when a woman sees blood for three consecutive days during the days of her discharge, meaning the eleven days between one menstruation and the next. But during the days of menstruation, even if she saw blood throughout all seven days and ceased seeing blood at the onset of the evening of the seventh day, she immerses immediately and is pure.

And the daughters of Israel imposed this stringency upon themselves because not everyone is expert in determining when they are in the days of menstruation and when they are in the days of discharge .

The school of Elijah taught: Anyone who studies halakhot is guaranteed that he is a member of the World to Come. As it is stated: “His ways are eternal.” Do not read: “halikhot,” ways, but rather: “halakhot,” laws.

And this is how we expound the verse: Whoever studies “halakhot”—the “World” to come will be “his” .