Beis Medrash

The term "Beis Medrash" refers to a place designated specifically for Torah study, in contrast to a shul which is designated for davening. Today, the distinction between Beis Medrash and shul rarely exists, but yeshiva halls effectively serve as a Beis Medrash.

Background

In the times of Chazal, it was customary to designate a special place for davening, while having a separate place dedicated solely to engaging in Torah study. This practice likely took root from the desire to allow extended time for those who would spend longer in davening, who would spend at least a full hour in hisbonenus before davening, as Chazal testify: "The early Chassidim would wait one hour and then daven, in order to direct their hearts to Hashem." This was in addition to the avodah of davening itself, so that in total they would daven a minimum of nine hours per day.

Time for Going to the Beis Medrash

Immediately after davening, the talmidei chachamim would hurry to the Beis Medrash, a practice that Chazal praised exceptionally, as the Gemara states: Rabbi Levi bar Chiya said, "One who leaves shul and enters the Beis Medrash to engage in Torah study merits to receive the Shechinah's presence, as it says 'They go from strength to strength, each of them appears before G-d in Zion.'"

Indeed, the custom in the time of Chazal was to rush to the Beis Medrash immediately after davening, even before eating, as the Gemara states: "It was taught: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya said, 'When we celebrated Simchas Beis Hashoeiva, we didn't see sleep in our eyes. How so? First hour - morning Tamid offering, from there to davening, from there to the Musaf offering, from there to Musaf davening, from there to the Beis Medrash, from there to eating and drinking, from there to Mincha, from there to the afternoon Tamid offering, from then on to Simchas Beis Hashoeiva'" (Sukkah 53a).

The Be'er Mayim Chaim also establishes: "Regarding meal time, the time for a talmid chacham's meal is six hours into the day, for he should not eat until he has learned all his set daily shiurim, and as long as he hasn't learned all his shiurim it is forbidden for him like the prohibition of 'do not eat on the blood,' while the common people have already filled their stomachs at one or two o'clock."

However, it should be noted that there were Amoraim who were also particular to daven in the Beis Medrash.