How can the concept of the minyan contribute to our Jewish learning community?
(ו) רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא בֶן דּוֹסָא אִישׁ כְּפַר חֲנַנְיָה אוֹמֵר,
עֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִין וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה, שְׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה בֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב) אֱלֹהִים נִצָּב בַּעֲדַת אֵל.
וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ חֲמִשָּׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ט) וַאֲגֻדָּתוֹ עַל אֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ.
וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁלשָׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב) בְּקֶרֶב אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁפֹּט.
וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ שְׁנַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) אָז נִדְבְּרוּ יִרְאֵי ה' אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁב ה' וַיִּשְׁמָע וְגוֹ'.
וּמִנַּיִן אֲפִלּוּ אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ) בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ:
(6) Rabbi Chalafta [ben Dosa] of Kfar Chananiah says:
Ten who are sitting together and engaging in Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them, as it is said (Psalms 82:1): “God stands in the congregation of God.”
And from where [is there proof that this is true] even [when there are only] five? As it is said (Amos 9:6): “And He has founded His band upon the earth.”
And from where even three? As it is said (Psalms 82:1): “In the midst of judges He judges.”
And from where even two? As it is said (Malachi 3:16): “Then those who feared the Lord spoke one with another, and the Lord hearkened and heard.”
And from where even one? As it is said (Exodus 20:20): “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.”
- Kaddish
- Barchu
- The Repetition of the Amidah
- The Priestly Blessing
- The reading of the Torah and the Haftarah
- The Seven Blessings recited at a wedding and at the post-wedding feasts
- The introductory prayer to the Grace after Meals which includes G‑d's name ("Zimun BeShem")
- The Thirteen Attributes recited when taking out the Torah on holidays
(לא) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ (לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃ (לג) הַמּוֹצִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִהְי֥וֹת לָכֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ (פ)
(31) You shall faithfully observe My commandments: I am the LORD. (32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I the LORD who sanctify you, (33) I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God, I the LORD.
(יט) וַיַּקְהֵ֨ל עֲלֵיהֶ֥ם קֹ֙רַח֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֶל־פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיֵּרָ֥א כְבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (פ) (כ) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃ (כא) הִבָּ֣דְל֔וּ מִתּ֖וֹךְ הָעֵדָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את וַאַכַלֶּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ם כְּרָֽגַע׃ (כב) וַיִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֕ל אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר הָאִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ יֶחֱטָ֔א וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה תִּקְצֹֽף׃ (פ)
(19) Korah gathered the whole community against them at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Then the Presence of the LORD appeared to the whole community, (20) and the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (21) “Stand back from this community that I may annihilate them in an instant!” (22) But they fell on their faces and said, “O God, Source of the breath of all flesh! When one man sins, will You be wrathful with the whole community?”
(ה) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃
(5) Thus the sons of Israel were among those who came to procure rations, for the famine extended to the land of Canaan.
A summary of some halakhic considerations about forming a minyan
The Halachah governing Minyan require that all ten assemble together in the same room. If nine are in the synagogue and one is outside or in an adjacent room, they are not considered a minyan. If the person outside the synagogue is standing next to the door or window, and his face is visible, according to most authorities he can be counted as part of the minyan, because their eye contact unites them. It is not necessary for everyone to see him, rather it is sufficient for only some to see him. Nevertheless, there are authorities who maintain that eye contact cannot be used to link a person to a minyan, and only if he inserts his head into the window will he be considered present with them and thus be counted in the minyan. Ideally, we are to be stringent about this, but in extenuating circumstances, when he cannot come inside and join them, we may rely on most authorities who are lenient and count him as long as his face is visible.
Someone whose face is not visible to those praying inside the synagogue, but is in the ancillary room of the synagogue, does not complete the minyan. Even so, if a minyan already exists without him, when he prays with them he is considered to be praying in a minyan.
Ten people who are standing in a field, as long as they can see and hear one another, are considered a minyan.
[edited from summaries found online, with original sources including Shulchan Aruch and Mishneh Berurah]
(ה) מָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מִנְיָן, אִם אֶחָד יוֹדֵעַ וְהָאֲחֵרִים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים אֶחָד פּוֹטֵר אֶת כֻּלָּם; וְאִם כֻּלָּם יוֹדְעִים, כָּל אֶחָד קוֹרֵא לְעַצְמוֹ.
(5) In a place with no minyan, if one [person] knows it and the rest do not, one can fulfill [the obligation] for them all. If they all know, everyone reads to himself.
(א) תפלת הציבור נשמעת תמיד ואפילו היו בהן חוטאים אין הקב"ה מואס בתפלתן של רבים לפיכך צריך אדם לשתף עצמו עם הציבור ולא יתפלל ביחיד כל זמן שיכול להתפלל עם הציבור ולעולם ישכים אדם ויעריב לבית הכנסת שאין תפלתו נשמעת בכל עת אלא בבית הכנסת וכל מי שיש לו בית הכנסת בעירו ואינו מתפלל בו עם הציבור נקרא שכן רע.
(1) Communal prayer is always heard, even if there are sinners in their midst, the Holy One does not reject the prayer of the many, therefore a person needs to join himself with the congregation and not pray as an individual whenever one is able to pray with the community. And a person should always be at the synagogue in the early morning and in the evening because his prayer will not be heard at all times except in the synagogue. And every person that has a synagogue in his city and does not pray there with the community is called a bad neighbor.
Rav Kook:
“R Chanina said – A person should not pray in a room without windows”
Prayer is indeed a spiritual labor unique in the soul of one praying. However, the necessary condition for it to successfully effect the one praying, is the full knowledge of the value of the outside world. Then the perfect pleasantness will really have influence upon the one praying. However, for the person who’s individual prayer causes him to separate himself from the outside world, he will not arrive at the end purpose of prayer – which is to invigorate man to be ready to work with integrity and honesty according to the spirit of G-d that inspires him. Therefore, a person should only pray in a house that has windows, because the option of being able to see the outside world will inspire him to fulfill his duty to the world that he lives in….