מגילה ג׳Megillah 3

Mishnah 1א׳

בְּנֵי הָעִיר שֶׁמָּכְרוּ רְחוֹבָהּ שֶׁל עִיר, לוֹקְחִין בְּדָמָיו בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת. בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, לוֹקְחִין תֵּבָה. תֵּבָה, לוֹקְחִין מִטְפָּחוֹת. מִטְפָּחוֹת, לוֹקְחִין סְפָרִים. סְפָרִים, לוֹקְחִין תּוֹרָה. אֲבָל אִם מָכְרוּ תוֹרָה, לֹא יִקְחוּ סְפָרִים. סְפָרִים, לֹא יִקְחוּ מִטְפָּחוֹת. מִטְפָּחוֹת, לֹא יִקְחוּ תֵבָה. תֵּבָה, לֹא יִקְחוּ בֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת. בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, לֹא יִקְחוּ אֶת הָרְחוֹב. וְכֵן בְּמוֹתְרֵיהֶן. אֵין מוֹכְרִין אֶת שֶׁל רַבִּים לְיָחִיד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמּוֹרִידִין אוֹתוֹ מִקְּדֻשָּׁתוֹ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי יְהוּדָה. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אִם כֵּן, אַף לֹא מֵעִיר גְּדוֹלָה לְעִיר קְטַנָּה:

Inhabitants of a town who have sold the open [or marketplace] of the town, may buy for that money a synagogue. The proceeds of the sale of a synagogue, they may apply to the purchase of an ark [in which Torah scrolls are stored]; for the proceeds of the sale of such an ark, cloaks or wrappers [for Torah scrolls] may be purchased; for the proceeds of the sale of such wrappers, sefarim [books of the Tanach written in holiness, on parchment, and used for personal or public study, or for reading aloud in public. Sometimes the intent is specifically Torah scrolls] may be purchased; for the proceeds of the sale of sefarim, a Torah [scroll] may be purchased; but if they had sold a Torah [scroll], it will not be lawful to apply the proceeds to the purchase of [other] sefarim, nor wrappers for the proceeds of sefarim, nor an ark for the proceeds of wrappers, nor a synagogue with the proceeds of an ark, nor an open [or market] place with the money obtained by the sale of a synagogue, and even so in respect to any surplus fund. According to Rabbi Yehudah, it is unlawful to sell sacred public property to private individuals, because its sanctity becomes thereby lowered: but the sages replied, "If so, it would be also prohibited for a large town to sell sacred things to a smaller one."

Mishnah 2ב׳

אֵין מוֹכְרִין בֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֶלָּא עַל תְּנַאי שֶׁאִם יִרְצוּ יַחֲזִירוּהוּ, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, מוֹכְרִים אוֹתוֹ מִמְכַּר עוֹלָם, חוּץ מֵאַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים, לְמֶרְחָץ וּלְבֻרְסְקִי וְלִטְבִילָה וּלְבֵית הַמָּיִם. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מוֹכְרִין אוֹתוֹ לְשֵׁם חָצֵר, וְהַלּוֹקֵחַ מַה שֶּׁיִּרְצֶה יַעֲשֶׂה:

A synagogue may, according to Rabbi Meir, only be sold on condition that it may at any time be repurchased by the original owners; but the sages permit it to be sold permanently, only it may not be sold to be applied to the following occupations: namely, as a bathing-house, as a tanning place [or pit], as a diving-bath, and as a laundry. Rabbi Yehudah says, "It may be sold on the condition that it be made an open court, and then the purchaser is at liberty to turn it to what purpose he pleases."