Communal Funds

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Building a Shul

See Respect for a Shul for the obligation to build a shul.

Hiring a Rabbi

  1. There is a very important imperative on a community to hire a rabbi.[1]
  2. There is an obligation of everyone in the community to pay for the rabbi even if they personally don't need the rabbi.[2]
  3. If a community doesn't have enough money to hire a chazan and rabbi they should hire a rabbi.[3]

Building a Mikveh

It is every individual's responsibility to ensure that there is a functioning mikvah in the community even if they will not use it.[4]

Sources

  1. Biur Halacha 53:24 s.v. shaliach
  2. Mishna Brurah 53:71 citing the Chatom Sofer OC 206
  3. The Rosh Teshuva 6:1 writes that if a community could only afford to hire a shaliach tzibbur or a rabbi if the rabbi will be an expert in Halacha and Torah they should hire the rabbi but otherwise they should hire the shaliach tzibbur. The Shulchan Aruch O.C. 53:22 quotes this Rosh. The Gra explains that in the event that the rabbi is qualified and an expert he should be hired even at the expense of the community being able to daven since Talmud Torah is greater than Davening (Peah 1:1, Kiddushin 40b). The Biur Halacha s.v. shaliach adds that even if the rabbi isn't an expert the community should hire a rabbi over a shaliach tzibbur if people can just daven from a printed siddur without a shaliach tzibbur.
  4. Rama, Shulchan Arukh Choshen Mishpat 163,3