Shtisel 101, Last Class: Holy Books in the Bathroom

(15) Since your God Hashem moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you, let your camp be holy; let [God] not find anything unseemly among you and turn away from you.

Rav Adda bar Ahava said: A person may, ab initio, recite his prayer in the bathhouse. The Gemara raises an objection from what was taught in the Tosefta: One who enters the bathhouse, in the first room, a place where all people stand dressed, it is like any other place and reading the Torah and prayer are permitted there, and, needless to say, in that room greeting [shalom] others is permitted. And he may don phylacteries there, and, needless to say, if he was already donning phylacteries that he need not remove them. In the next room, a place where people dress and undress and they stand both naked and dressed, greeting others is permitted there. However, reading the Torah and prayer are not permitted there. And if one was already donning phylacteries there, he need not remove the phylacteries. However, he may not don phylacteries there ab initio. In the innermost room, which is a place where people stand naked, greeting others is not permitted there, and, needless to say, reading the Torah and prayer are prohibited there. And if he is donning phylacteries there, he must remove the phylacteries, and, needless to say, he may not don them there ab initio. Apparently, the Tosefta contradicts the statement of Rav Adda bar Ahava as he was, no doubt, referring to the innermost room in the bathhouse, which alone is referred to simply as a bathhouse, and, according to him, one may pray there ab initio. The Gemara answers: When Rav Adda bar Ahava said his halakha, he was referring to an empty bathhouse in which there are no people.

(4) Not only the sections of the Shema, but anything that appertains to things sacred may not be uttered in a bath house or latrine, even in a secular language. It is forbidden to speak there of such topics. Even to meditate silently on the words of the Torah in a latrine, in a bath house, or in any unclean place that contains ordure or urine, is also prohibited.

(5) Secular matters may be discussed in a latrine, even in the Sacred (Hebrew) language. Thus also, the terms used to express the Divine Attributes, such as "Merciful", "Gracious", "Faithful", etc., may be uttered in a latrine. But the Proper Names of the Deity—which may not be erased—must not be uttered in a latrine or in a bath house that had been used. If, however, there is occasion in a bath house or latrine, to restrain one from what is forbidden, this should be done, even if the Sacred Tongue has to be used and the matter appertains to things sacred.

(2) Even to consider matters of Torah, is forbidden in the bathroom, and in the bathhouse, and in a filthy place - and this is in a place in which there is excrement or urine. Rem"a: and it is even forbidden to study the laws of the bathhouse in the bathhouse . It is permitted to speak of secular matters in the holy tongue there. And similarly, nicknames [for God] such as Merciful One, Faithful One, and similar, it is permitted to say them there. But the names that may not be erased - it is forbidden to mention them there. And if one happened upon someone there [who is doing something that is prohibited, and they are required] to restrain them from that prohibited matter, they may restrain them, and even using the holy tongue and even regarding holy matters. Rem"a: And in a place that it is permitted to contemplate matters of Torah [but not discuss them], it is permitted to rule in a matter of law as long as one does not say the rationale regarding the matter.