Why does staying long in shul lengthen one's life? Secondly, why does staying long in shul have this effect and not necessarily staying long in the House of Study?
Mr. Mordechai Perlman, Jerusalem, Israel
Regarding your first question, the Kli Yakar (Devarim 11) explains based on Chazal's statement that in the time of Mashiach the synagogues and houses of study will be uprooted from their places and transplanted in Israel (Megilah 29b). This implies that these places are effectively part of Israel while in the Diaspora and therefore they have the same unique qualities as the land of Israel. Those who arrive earliest in the Beit Midrash are most likely to benefit from this. Similarly, the Zohar writes that Hash-m took ashes from the Beit ha'Mikdash and spread them in all of the synagogues in the Diaspora and therefore they are partially part of the land of Israel with all the attendant qualities.
Regarding your second question, it would seem that Chazal are emphasizing that even those who are unlearned and cannot benefit from the Torah's life-lengthening attributes (the Tree of Life, etc.) can still lengthen their lives by attending the synagogue daily and effectively living in Eretz Yisrael.
We apologize for the delay in responding.
Yoel Domb