At some point in our history, the rabbi's Derashah, or sermon, went from being taboo to being so integral to the service that some Shuls have ushers to keep the doors closed at that time so that no one may enter or leave.
I'll refrain from asking about the provenance of this transition or the appropriateness of affording more respect to the sermon than (in many places) even Shemoneh 'Esreh. What I'm really interested in is, now that this has taken on such an important status, does that mean that there is some Halachic weight to the sermon, such that (aside from general Kavod for the sensibilities of those around us) one would actually be required to stay in the Shul for the sermon, one may not talk during the sermon, and/or one may not engage in other Torah learning during the sermon?
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