100. Priority in Answering Questions

Talmud Torah 4:8

Let’s say that two students asked questions at the same time. If one question is relevant and the other is not, the teacher should answer the relevant question. If one question is about practical application and the other is a hypothetical, the teacher should answer the practical question. If one question is about law (halacha) and the other is about interpreting verses (midrash), the teacher should answer the question about law. If one question is about midrash and the other is about aggadah (the non-legal portions of the Talmud), the teacher should answer the question about midrash. If one question is about aggadah and the other is about a kal v’chomer (drawing an inference a fortiori), the teacher should answer the question about the kal v’chomer. If one question is about a kal v’chomer and the other is about a gezeirah shava (an analogy based on similar words in different verses), the teacher should answer the question about the kal v’chomer.

If one question was asked by a scholar and the other by a student, the teacher should answer the scholar. If one question was asked by a student and the other by an unlearned person, the teacher should answer the student. If both questions are asked by scholars, students, or unlearned people, or if two people both ask questions about halacha, or if two people both want to reply to something, or if both questions are about practical application, etc. – in all such cases, the teacher’s intermediary may use his discretion.

Talmud Torah 4:9

One may not sleep in a study hall. If a person sleeps in the study hall, his learning will be torn to shreds as per Proverbs 23:21, “Drowsiness will clothe a person in rags.” One should only talk about Torah in the study hall. One shouldn’t even say gesundheit if someone sneezes. It goes without saying that other forms of conversation are prohibited. The sanctity of a study hall exceeds even that of a synagogue.