Megillah 28b — the Talmud in English

Therefore,

they do not eat in them, and they do not drink in them, ![](pamud.bmp "

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and they do not derive benefit

[adorn themselves]

from them, and they do not stroll in them, and they do not enter them in the

days of the

sun—

because of the sun, and in the

days of the

rains—

because of the rains; and they do not deliver in them the eulogy of an individual.

But they read in them, study in them, and deliver in them the eulogy of the many,

that is, the eulogy of a Torah scholar, for whom the many need to assemble in order to eulogize him. And the synagogue is suitable for this, since it is a large place.

Rabbi Judah said: When is this so? When they are in their settled state. But when they are in their ruined state,

they leave them, and grass grows in them, and one must not pluck it—

because of anguish.

And we raise a difficulty:

grass—

who mentioned its name?

Where did the first tanna say that one performs something that prevents grass from growing, so that Rabbi Judah says that in their ruined state they leave them so that grass may grow in them?!

And we answer: The Mishna

is incomplete, and this is what it teaches: And they sweep them, and

afterward

sprinkle them,

that is, they sprinkle water in order to settle the dust—

so that grass will not grow in them.

And concerning this

Rabbi Judah said: When is this so,

that we perform these matters?—

when they are in their settled state. But when they are in their ruined state,

we leave them

[the grass]

to grow. If grass has grown in them,—

one must not pluck it, because of anguish.

Rabbi Asi said: The synagogues in Babylonia are made on condition

that they may use them when they are idle —

that is how they are made.

And nevertheless,

although they are made on condition, while they are in their built state —

one does not conduct oneself frivolously in them.

And what is this?

What is this frivolous conduct that Rabbi Asi comes to teach us that one does not conduct oneself in them?

Even to calculate in them

accounts.

For it might have entered your mind to say that specifically eating and drinking, which constitute the greatest frivolous conduct, are forbidden; he teaches us that even accounts are forbidden.

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

they will lodge a corpse in it.

And we raise a difficulty:

“They will lodge”

specifically—

could it enter your mind?

Is it indeed an obligation to lodge a corpse in them?

Is it not sufficient that this not be done?!

Rather,

this is what he is saying:

In the end, a neglected corpse will be lodged in it.

For people in the city will die who have no one to bury them.

We learned in our Mishna:

“And they do not derive benefit from them.”

Rava said: Sages and their students—

are permitted.

For Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: What is the reason that we call the house of study

the

“house of the rabbis”?

Because it is

the house of the rabbis,

for it is like their house for every matter.

We learned in our Mishna:

“And they do not enter them in the sun because of the sun, or in the rains because of the rains.”

As in this incident involving Ravina and Rav Adda bar Mattana, who were standing

[they were standing]

and asking a question of Rava.

A forceful rain came,

[rain that came with force],

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 teaching requires clarity of mind

[a clear mind]—

like a day of the north wind.

That is, a day on which a north wind blows, for it is a day of light and comfortable for everything.

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

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

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

let him say a halakhic statement

when he enters the synagogue.

And if he is a tanna,—

let him say a beraita.

And if he is a reader

[one versed in Scripture]

he is—

let him say a verse.

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

Alternatively, let him remain a little while

in the synagogue—

and then stand up.

We learned in our Mishna:

“And they deliver in them the eulogy of the many.”

What are the circumstances of a eulogy of the many?

Rav Hisda indicated—

for example, a eulogy over which

[Rashi’s version reads: “in which”]

Rav Sheshet presides,

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

Rav Sheshet indicated—

for example, a eulogy over which Rav Hisda presides.

Rafram delivered a eulogy for his daughter-in-law

in the synagogue. He said: “Because of my honor and the honor of the deceased,”—

everyone came,

and it was therefore a eulogy of the many.

Rabbi Zeira delivered a eulogy for a certain Torah scholar in the synagogue. He said: “Whether because of my honor, or whether because of the honor of the deceased,”—

everyone came.

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

who

was

frequently in the Land of Israel, who would teach halakha

[he would study Mishnayot]

in twenty-four rows

[rows of students ]. And so

he said: “Woe, the Land of Israel has lost a great man.”

That

man

who would teach halakha, Sifra, Sifrei, and Tosefta—

died.

They came and said to Rav Nahman: “Let the master eulogize him!”

He said: “How shall I eulogize him?”

And should I eulogize him in this way:

“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 this man did not serve Torah scholars who would make him understand the reasons for the Mishna; and sometimes the words of one Mishna contradict another Mishna, and one must resolve them, while this man did not know what he was studying.

Come and see what difference there is between the powerful ones of the Land of Israel,

that is, Resh Lakish , for even though that Torah scholar was not among the people of the Land of Israel, but merely was frequently present there, and he taught only halakha, and sat in twenty-four rows, nevertheless he eulogized him with the words: “The Land of Israel has lost a great man”—

and the pious ones of Babylonia,

that is, Rav Nahman, who did not eulogize the one who taught halakha, Sifrei, and so forth, and who was among the people of the Land of Israel [Maharsha].

We learned there

in tractate Avot:

“And one who uses the crown

[crown]

will pass away

from the world .

Resh Lakish taught: This is one who uses one who studies halakhot—the crown of Torah .

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

who studies for himself,

four

tractates,

but let him not use one who teaches others

[who instructs others]

four

tractates .

As in this incident involving Resh Lakish, who was traveling on the road. He reached a stream of water

[he reached a puddle of water].

A certain man came and mounted him,

Resh Lakish, on

his shoulders—

and he carried him across.

He said to him,

Resh Lakish to that man:

“Have you read,”

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 four orders of Mishna.”

He said to him: “You have cut out four mountains, and you have carried the son of Lakish on your shoulders

?! Throw the son of Lakisha

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

into the water!”

He said to him:

Even so,

“I am pleased to let the master know

[that I will serve]

you.”

Resh Lakish said to him:

“If so, learn this matter from me”

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

they sit because of it seven clean days.

For by Torah law, sitting seven clean days applies only to one who sees blood for three consecutive days during the days of ziva, that is, the eleven days between one nida period and the next. But during the days of nida, even if she saw blood throughout all seven days, and on the evening of the seventh day she ceased seeing, she immerses immediately—and is pure.

And the daughters of Israel took this stringency upon themselves because not everyone is expert in knowing when they are in the days of nida and when they are in the days of ziva .

The school of Elijah taught: Whoever studies halakhot is assured that he is a person of the World to Come. As it is stated: “The ways of the world are his.” Do not read: “ways,” but rather: “halakhot.”

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