Megillah 26b

מגילה כ״ו ע״ב

Learn Megillah 26b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Megillah 26b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Selling and repurposing a בית כנסת, disposing of holy objects, and ranking levels of קדושה

Overview

This amud first finishes the topic of selling a בית כנסת. After a proper sale by the שבעה טובי העיר במעמד אנשי העיר, even the money from the sale may be spent on beer. רב אשי tells רבינא to buy the land of a ruined shul this way before planting it. רב פפא and רב הונא forbid רמי בר אבא to tear down an old shul before the new one is built, even though he planned to use its materials for the new one. רבא then rules that a shul may be sold or exchanged but not rented or mortgaged, and the same applies to its old bricks. רב אחא and רבינא disagree about giving a shul as a gift. Next, a ברייתא separates תשמישי מצוה, which may be thrown out, from תשמישי קדושה, which need גניזה. רבא applies this split to the reading stand, the ark curtain, broken arks, worn curtains and storage cases, and he fails to find a way for כהנים to pray in a shul next to a room with a dead body. The amud ends with rules for burying worn-out wrappings and ספרי תורה, and two opposite versions of רבא on turning a בית כנסת into a בית מדרש. A statement of רב אחא on this continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (32)

1. ConclusionEven drinking beer with the sale money is fine
2. Questionרבינא asks about planting on the land of a ruined shul
3. Responseרב אשי: buy it properly first, then plant
4. Statementרמי בר אבא wants to reuse an old shul's materials
5. QuestionDoes רב חסדא's rule apply when the old shul feeds the new one?
6. Responseרב פפא and רב הונא both forbid it
7. Statementרבא: exchanging or selling a shul is allowed, renting or mortgaging is forbidden
8. ResponseThe reason: a rented shul stays holy
9. StatementThe same rule applies to a shul's bricks
10. StatementThe rule applies only to old bricks, not new ones
11. ResolutionWhy setting new bricks aside does not make them holy
12. Statementרב אחא and רבינא disagree about giving a shul as a gift
13. ResponseReason for forbidding a gift
14. ResponseReason for permitting a gift: a gift is like a sale
15. Statementברייתא‎: מצוה objects may be thrown out, holy objects must be buried
16. StatementWhich items belong to each group
17. Statementרבא changes his mind about the reading stand
18. Statementרבא changes his mind about the ark curtain
19. StatementReusing a broken ark
20. StatementReusing a worn-out ark curtain
21. StatementStorage cases and sacks for scrolls require burial
22. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
23. ResolutionItems made for protection still count as holy
24. QuestionPriests want to pray in a synagogue next to a room with a dead body
25. Responseרבא says to use the ark as a barrier in the doorway
26. ChallengeThe רבנן object that the ark is sometimes carried with a ספר תורה inside
27. Conclusionרבא accepts the objection and says there is no solution
28. StatementWorn-out Torah wrappings become shrouds for an abandoned body
29. StatementA worn-out ספר תורה is buried next to a תלמיד חכם
30. StatementThe buried Torah scroll is placed in a clay vessel
31. StatementA בית כנסת may become a בית מדרש, but not the reverse
32. StatementAnother version of רבא's ruling teaches the opposite