(טז) ההולך בדרך והגיע לעיר ורוצה ללון בה אם לפניו עד ד' מילין מקום שמתפללים בי' צריך לילך שם ולאחריו צריך לחזור עד מיל כדי להתפלל בי':
(16) One who travels and reaches a city and wishes to spend the night there - if there is a place up to 4 mil ahead of one where they pray with 10, one needs to go there. And if [there is such a place behind one], one needs to go back up to a distance of 1 mil, in order to pray in with 10.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said to Rav Naḥman: Why did the Master not come to the synagogue to pray? Rav Naḥman said to him: I was weak and unable to come. Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: Let the Master gather ten individuals, a prayer quorum, at your home and pray. Rav Naḥman said to him: It is difficult for me to impose upon the members of the community to come to my home to pray with me (Sefer Mitzvot Gadol). Rabbi Yitzḥak suggested another option: The Master should tell the congregation to send a messenger when the congregation is praying to come and inform the Master so you may pray at the same time. He asked: What is the reason for all this fuss? Rabbi Yitzḥak said to him: As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai:
What is the meaning of that which is written: “But as for me, my prayer is to You Hashem at a favorable time.."? It appears that the individual is praying that his prayers will coincide with a special time of Divine favor. When is a time of favor? It is at the time when the congregation is praying. It is beneficial to pray together with the congregation, for God does not fail to respond to the entreaties of the congregation.
(ט) ישתדל אדם להתפלל בב"ה עם הציבור ואם הוא אנוס שאינו יכול לבא לב"ה יכוין להתפלל בשעה שהציבו' מתפללין [וה"ה בני אדם הדרים בישובים ואין להם מנין מ"מ יתפללו שחרית וערבית בזמן שהצבור מתפללים סמ"ג] וכן אם נאנס ולא התפלל בשעה שהתפללו הציבו' והוא מתפלל ביחיד אעפ"כ יתפלל בב"ה:
(9) A person should make an effort to pray in the synagogue with a congregation, and if he is unable to come to the synagogue, one should intend to pray at the time that the congregation are praying And similarly if one is unable and did not pray at the time when the community prayed, and prays as an individual, despite this, one should pray in the synagogue.
תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹאֵס בִּתְפִלָּתָן שֶׁל רַבִּים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הֶן אֵל כַּבִּיר וְלֹא יִמְאָס״,
Rabbi Natan says: From where do we know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not despise the prayer of the masses? As it is stated: “Behold, God does not despise the numerous"