בְּרֹ֥אשׁ הֹמִיּ֗וֹת תִּ֫קְרָ֥א בְּפִתְחֵ֖י שְׁעָרִ֥ים בָּעִ֗יר אֲמָרֶ֥יהָ תֹאמֵֽר׃
훤화하는 길 머리에서 소리를 지르며 성문 어귀와 성중에서 그 소리를 발하여 가로되
Mishneh Torah, Prayer and the Priestly Blessing
When a synagogue is to be built, the highest part of the town should be selected for the site, as it is said, "At the head of the noisy streets she [Wisdom] calleth" (Proverbs 1:21). The building is to be raised sufficiently high to overtop all the other courtyards of the town, as it is said, "To exalt the house of our God." (Ezra 9:9). The doors of the Synagogue are to be made to open only on the East side, as it is said, "And those who encamped before the Tabernacle eastwards" (Numbers 3:38). Within, a shrine is built to contain a scroll of the Law. This shrine is erected on the side towards which the people in that town turn when praying, so that when they are standing engaged in prayer, they will face the shrine.