17 Feb PARSHAS TERUMAH: A “BEIS” NAP

And you shall make
for Me a sanctuary,
and I will dwell
among you.
Shemos 25:8

Introduction
Yeshiva students have a tendency to keep late
hours, often diligently extending their learning
late into the night. This leads to the fairly
common practice of falling asleep in the beis
medrash during the following afternoon. Is
this practice of putting one’s head down on the
table for a short nap while remaining in the
beis medrash (colloquially referred to as a
“beis nap”) acceptable according to halacha,
or is it a violation of kavod beis hamedrash?
The Potential Issur
The Gemara in Megillah (29a) refers to a beis
haknesses as a Mikdash me’at. Although a
beis medrash may not have all of the dinim of
a shul, it certainly has kedushah that is similar
to that of a beis haknesses. The Mishna Berura
(151:2) points out that one should be extremely
careful to avoid violating issurim while in a
shul or a beis medrash, as it is far worse to
speak lashon hara or to involve oneself in

machlokes in a beis medrash, which is similar
to the king’s palace, than in one’s own home.
Nevertheless, sleeping is not an issur and
might not constitute a level of disgrace that
would prohibit it in a beis medrash.
Eating in a Beis Medrash
In the previous chapter, we discussed whether
one is permitted to eat in a shul or a beis
medrash. The main positions that we derive
from the rishonim are:
1. One may not eat in shul at all.
2. One may eat a seudas mitzvah in shul.
3. One may eat a communal meal or
perform a tzorech rabbim in shul.
4. Only talmidei chachamim may eat in
shul.
The Shulchan Aruch (OC 151:1) prohibits
engaging in kalus rosh and eating and sleeping
in shul, but talmidei chachamim and their
students may eat in shul “midochak.” The
Rema adds that in a beis medrash, they may
eat under normal circumstances as well. The
Mishna Berura defines “midochak” as one
who is in the middle of learning and doesn’t
want to be mivatel his learning in order to
leave to eat, even if he doesn’t learn there all
day.

Why Are We More Lenient in a Beis
Medrash?
It seems that the beis medrash has a lower
level of kedushah than a beis haknesses, as we
are more permissive of eating there. However,
Rav Asher Weiss points out that this is not so.
He explains that even though the kedushah of
a beis medrash is actually greater than that of
a shul, one is permitted to eat there, and even
to sleep there, since the nature of a beis
medrash is that it is the home of talmidei
chachamim and their talmidim. The Gemara
(Megillah 28b) refers to a beis medrash as a
“Bei Rabbanan,” the house of the rabbis,
meaning that those who learn there can treat it
in a manner more similar to that of their own
homes than they can in a shul.
Applying This to Sleeping
Although sleeping is not mentioned in the
Shulchan Aruch, the Mishna Berura (6) cites
the Teshuvos HaRashba (4:278), who rules
that the leniency for eating also applies to
sleeping. However, one must still observe all
of the other halachos of kavod beis hamedrash,
such as not using it as a shortcut, not entering
to get away from inclement weather, and
avoiding kalus rosh. Obviously, a talmid
chacham is not exempt from the mitzvah of

mora Mikdash; he is merely privileged to use
the beis medrash as his home for the sake of
talmud Torah.
Distinguishing Between Situations
Sometimes, sleeping in the beis medrash is a
sign of one’s status as a masmid and indicates
that he does not want to waste a moment of his
time from learning. Other times, one’s
sleeping in the beis medrash demonstrates a
lack of kavod, as he merely uses it as a place
to rest.
Thus, one must make a proper cheshbon when
taking a “beis nap.” If the goal is to improve
his learning by reinvigorating him to continue,
it is certainly permitted. If he is simply resting
and is too lazy to leave the beis medrash, or if
he finds it a more comfortable place to sleep,
it would be much more appropriate to find
another place to rest.