1. Torah study is interrupted in order to listen to the reading of the Megillah. Therefore, one must go to a place where the Megillah will be read in public – because of the principle ofA multitude of people is a king’s glory(Mishlei14:28)- even if it will mean that a public Torahshiur (lesson) will have to be canceled as a result. Even a person who has a privateminyanin his home should go to the synagogue to listen to the reading of the Megillah (Shulchan Aruch, Mishnah BerurahandSha’ar Hatzion689).
2. However, worshipers in small synagogues, even if they have few congregants relative to the large synagogue, do not have to go to the largest synagogue in the town. Rather, each person may go and pray in the synagogue he regularly attends (ibid.).
