[Avodah] Handicapped Accessibility in Jerusalem

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Oct 04, 2018 at 11:13:44PM -0400, Akiva Miller via Avodah wrote:
: Orach Chayim 150:2 (it seems to me) teaches the halacha that - all else
: being equal - the town's shul should be built at the highest point in town.
: I can certainly see the kavod and prestige that would result from such a
: location, but wouldn't this also make it difficult for the weak and
: elderly? I can't imagine that this halacha was speaking only to communities
: of young folks.

RJR suggests that the advantage to the tzibbur would indeed trump the
disadvantage for the individual.  On Fri, Oct 05, 2018 at 1:14pm UCT,
he wrote:
: ...                                                                Western
: liberal thought is very focused on the individual, AIUI traditional Jewish
: thought is more on the klal with each individual playing their role
: and being fulfilled with that role no matter what it be...

The comment RAM was replying to (I think) was my discussion of the
advantage to the majority of the community of being pushed to think
about those who need more help.

IOW, not accessible shuls for the sake of those who need accessibility,
but for the sake of those who need practive remembering as they pursue
qedushah they they must consider others.

(Especially leshitas RSShkop, where qedushah is /defined/ as commitment
"leheitiv im hazulas". Not exclusively so.)

I think it's simply that the hill wasn't thought of as a major
inconvenience. And perhaps an obstacle likely to keep someone from
coming wouldn't be a proper place for your elevated shul.

Or, possibly that yes, this halakhah was only speaking "when all else is
equal".

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             A pious Jew is not one who worries about his fellow
micha at aishdas.org        man's soul and his own stomach; a pious Jew worries
http://www.aishdas.org   about his own soul and his fellow man's stomach.
Fax: (270) 514-1507                       - Rav Yisrael Salanter