entering a shul through 2 doors

Rav Chisda said: A person should always enter through 2 doors in the synagogue.

The Gemara is "surprised" about this one, wondering what one should do if there aren't 2 doors to enter through, and edits his statement to be that Rav Chisda meant that one should enter into the synagogue the distance equal to the width of two doors and then pray.

Rashi interprets this that one shouldn't sit by the door, because he's positioning himself (or making it seem as though he's positioning himself) to make a quick exit.

Rashba interprets this to mean that one should wait a certain length of time before praying, that your mind needs a little time to settle in after coming into the synagogue.

Some explain that this is to distance a person in the midst of prayer from the distractions available outside the doors!

We decided that this had one of two meanings:
1. It's not enough just to "walk through the doors" of the synagogue, that's just a good place to start. Once you walk through the physical doors, then it's time to open the doors of yourself, and open yourself up to the Divine presence and the kavannah of the prayers....once you open one door, you have to work a little harder to get the second door open.

or/and

2. Many synagogues have two sets of doors, one for the "school wing" and one for the "synagogue." Perhaps Rav Chisda was saying that it's not enough to come to the synagogue just to pray or just to learn, but that one should walk through both doors on a regular basis. It's not enough to just pay dues, or just come to services occasionally, but one must walk through other doors in the synagogue as well....(this is my personal favorite explanation)


Each daf contains so many yummy tidbits of learning that I can't possibly share them all...or learn them all! But I look forward to continuing to discover them....my chevruta will be out of town for about a week, so I'm on my own with the next few dapim...