Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/150
Laws of the synagogue
150: Building a synagogue, and that it should be tall.
1 The residents of the city force one another to build a synagogue and to buy for themselves Torah, Prophets and Writings.
(And see above, Chapter 55, Paragraph 22, whether they force one another to hire for themselves a minyan).
2 A synagogue is only built at the height of the city. And it is raised until it will be higher than all the houses of the city that are used, with the exemption of biraniyoth [explanation: buildings which are made for decoration. Targum of "the delightful imagery" is "beautiful biraniyoth") and towers which are not used. And a roof that is slanted and is not fit for use – we evaluate until the place which is fit for use, meaning, that if there is an attic under the roof, it shouldn't be higher than the synagogue.
Gloss: And at a time of need, or if there's fear of the monarchy, that they are not allowed to build a synagogue as its law, it is permitted to pray in a house even though they are living in the story above it; and only providing that they should behave in the story above it with cleanliness as will be explained, end of Chapter 151 [Beit Yosef, Chapter 154, in the name of Rabbi Jacob ben Habib].
3 One who raised his house higher than the synagogue – there are those who say that we force him to lower it. [And if he made a construction that is taller on one corner of the synagogue, it suffices with that). (Haggahot Maimun, Chapter 11 of Laws of Prayer, that such was the incident).
4 One who builds opposite the window of a synagogue – a distancing of 4 cubits does not suffice for him because it needs a great amount of light.
5 The entrance of a synagogue is only opened opposite the side at which they pray in that city; that if they pray toward west, they should open it to the east, so that they should bow down from the entrance toward the ark which is at the direction toward which they pray. Gloss: And a bimah is made in the middle of the synagogue, on which the one who reads in the Torah should stand and all of them should hear. And when the emissary of the congregation prays, his face is toward the ark. And the order of seating is such: The elders sit, their faces toward the people. And the rest of the people all sit in rows, their faces toward the ark and the faces of the elders (Tur).