אַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ וְשִׁמְךָ קָדוֹשׁ וּקְדוֹשִׁים בְּכָל־יוֹם יְהַלְ֒לֽוּךָ סֶּֽלָה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ: בעשי"ת מסיים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ:
You are holy and Your Name is holy and holy beings praise You every day, forever. Blessed are You, Adonoy, the Almighty, the Holy One. During the Ten Days of Penitence: Blessed are You, Adonoy, the King, the Holy One.
A short blessing, and it is clear what its topic is - holiness. So, philosophically, what is holiness? (Recall that our study is based on these blessings being a response to lived experiences, so what experience are we responding to?) And, why is it here, at the beginning of the prayer. See, e.g., https://ohr.edu/this_week/prayer_essentials/7557.
The halakhic category refers to liturgical recitations (Kaddish, Barekhu, the Kedusha) that can only be said with a minyan.
מַתְנִי׳ אֵין פּוֹרְסִין עַל שְׁמַע, וְאֵין עוֹבְרִין לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה, וְאֵין נוֹשְׂאִין אֶת כַּפֵּיהֶם, וְאֵין קוֹרִין בְּתוֹרָה, וְאֵין מַפְטִירִין בַּנָּבִיא, וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין מַעֲמָד וּמוֹשָׁב, וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים וְתַנְחוּמֵי אֲבֵלִים, וּבִרְכַּת חֲתָנִים, וְאֵין מְזַמְּנִין בְּשֵׁם — פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה. וּבְקַרְקָעוֹת — תִּשְׁעָה וְכֹהֵן, וְאָדָם כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. גְּמָ׳ מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, כׇּל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה לֹא יְהֵא פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה.
MISHNA: One does not recite the introductory prayers and blessing [poresin] before Shema; nor does one pass before the ark to repeat the Amida prayer; nor do the priests lift their hands to recite the Priestly Benediction; nor is the Torah read in public; nor does one conclude with a reading from the Prophets [haftara] in the presence of fewer than ten men. And one does not observe the practice of standing up and sitting down for the delivery of eulogies at a funeral service; nor does one recite the mourners’ blessing or comfort mourners in two lines after the funeral; or recite the bridegrooms’ blessing; and one does not invite others to recite Grace after Meals, i.e., conduct a zimmun, with the name of God, with fewer than ten men present. If one consecrated land and now wishes to redeem it, the land must be assessed by nine men and one priest, for a total of ten. And similarly, assessing the value of a person who has pledged his own value to the Temple must be undertaken by ten people, one of whom must be a priest. GEMARA: The Gemara asks: From where are these matters, i.e., that ten people are needed in each of these cases, derived? Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is as the verse states: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32), which indicates that any expression of sanctity may not be recited in a quorum of fewer than ten men.
(לב) וְלֹ֤א תְחַלְּלוּ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשִׁ֔י וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֥י יהוה מְקַדִּשְׁכֶֽם׃
(32) You shall not profane My holy name, that I may be sanctified in the midst of the Israelite people—I יהוה who sanctify you,
אין פורסין על שמע ואין עוברין לפני התיבה כו': אמר השם ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל. ובאה הקבלה כל דבר שבקדושה לא יהיה פחות מעשרה.
God said (Leviticus 22:32): “And I will be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel”, and it comes through the received tradition that any matter that is related to holiness will not occur with less than ten [men] (see Tractate Megillah 23b and Berakhot 21b, among others).
(א) קהל וחזן:
(ב) נְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת־שִׁמְךָ בָּעוֹלָם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁמַּקְדִּישִׁים אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁמֵי מָרוֹם. כַּכָּתוּב עַל־יַד נְבִיאֶֽךָ וְקָרָא זֶה אֶל־זֶה וְאָמַר:
(ג) קהל וחזן:
(ד) קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ קָדוֹשׁ יהוה צְבָאוֹת מְלֹא כָל הָאָֽרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ:
(ה) שליח ציבור:
(ו) לְעֻמָּתָם בָּרוּךְ יֹאמֵֽרוּ:
(ז) קהל וחזן:
(ח) בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד־יהוה מִמְּ֒קוֹמוֹ:
(ט) שליח ציבור:
(י) וּבְדִבְרֵי קָדְשְׁךָ כָּתוּב לֵאמֹר:
(יא) קהל וחזן:
(יב) יִמְלֹךְ יהוה לְעוֹלָם אֱלֹהַֽיִךְ צִיּוֹן לְדֹר וָדֹר הַלְ֒לוּיָהּ:
(יג) שליח ציבור:
(יד) לְדוֹר וָדוֹר נַגִּיד גָּדְלֶֽךָ וּלְנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים קְדֻשָּׁתְךָ נַקְדִּישׁ וְשִׁבְחֲךָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מִפִּֽינוּ לֹא יָמוּשׁ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד כִּי אֵל מֶֽלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ אָֽתָּה: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ: בעשי"ת מסיים: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה הַמֶּֽלֶךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ:
(1) The Congregation says and the Chazzan repeats:
(2) We will hallow Your Name in the world, as they hallow it in the heavens above, as is written by the hand of Your prophet, And they called one to another, and said:
(3) Congregation says and Chazzan repeats:
(4) ‘Holy, holy, holy, is Adonoy of Hosts, the fullness of all the earth is His glory.’”
(5) The Chazzan says:
(6) Those facing them say “Boruch...”
(7) Congregation says and Chazzan repeats:
(8) Blessed is the glory of Adonoy from its place
(9) The Chazzan says:
(10) And in Your Holy Words it is written:
(11) Congregation says and Chazzan repeats:
(12) Adonoy will reign forever; Your God, Zion, throughout all generations! Praise God.
(13) The Chazzan says:
(14) From generation to generation we will declare Your greatness, and to all eternity, we will sanctify Your holiness, and Your praise, our God, will not depart from our mouth forever and ever; because You are the Almighty Who is King; Great, and Holy. Blessed are You, Adonoy, the Almighty, the Holy One.
Looking at the Kedusha, it begins with: "Let us sanctify ....." and then goes on to say "Holy, holy, holy......" The term devarim shebikedusha has the word "kedusha" in it; so it makes sense to think that the term is all about prayers about sanctity and holiness (like the Kedusha). But, that isn't the case. Look at Barchu:
(א) המנהג הפשוט בכל תפוצות ישראל לומר ברכו לפני פריסת שמע. ואין לאומרו בפחות מעשרה שכל דבר שבקדושה אינו בפחות מעשרה (אבודרהם).
(ב) ואומר שליח צבור:
(ג) בָּרְ֒כוּ אֶת יהוה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ:
(ד) ועונין הקהל:
(ה) בָּרוּךְ יהוה הַמְּ֒בֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
(ו) אין להפסיק כלל בין ברכו ליוצר אור אפילו לדבר מצוה (לבוש).
(1) It has become a universally-accepted custom to recite Barechu before proceeding to the blessings of Shema. Barechu, like Kaddish and Kedushah, cannot be recited unless a quorum—a minyan of ten adult males—is present. Barechu is also said by one who is called upon to read from the Torah. The practice of saying Barechu is mentioned numerous times in the Talmud. It is even cited in the Mishna (Maseches Berachos 49b) in the names of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael.
(2) The Chazzan says:
(3) Bless Adonoy Who is blessed.
(4) The Congregation responds and the Chazzan repeats:
(5) Blessed is Adonoy, Who is blessed forever and ever.
(6) The two blessings יוֹצֵר אוֹר “He Who forms light” and אַהֲבָה רַבָּה “Great love,” are referred to as the blessings preceding Shema (Maseches Berachos 11a). According to Rambam they were formulated by Ezra and his Court (Laws of Shema 1:7). You may not interrupt your prayers from this point on until after the Shemoneh Esrei. But you may answer “Amein” to the blessings of הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ “The holy Powerful One” and שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִילָּה “He Who heeds prayer;” say the thrice-repeated קָדוֹשׁ “Holy…” and בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד “Blessed is the glory…” of Kedushah; and answer Barechu. You may also answer אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא “Amein, May His great Name,” when you hear Kaddish.” You may also answer Amein after the blessings of יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת, “Who forms the luminaries,” and הַבּוֹחֵר בְּעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה, “Who chooses His people Israel with love.” For a more detailed exposition of these laws, see Metsudah Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, Vol. I, pp. 172-176.
And, look back at Kedusha, what comes after holiness? בָּרוּךְ כְּבוֹד־יהוה מִמְּ֒קוֹמוֹ - Blessed be the glory of HaShem from His place.
So, the common theme is not holiness, but "blessedness". What is the connection? (And, why are not all blessings, hamotzi, etc., devarim shebikedusha?
We learned above that a davar shebikedusha can only be said with a minyan, right?
There is a commentary on Berakhot by R. Yona (the Talmidei R. Yona, on Berakhot 13a in Rif pagination): Undoubtedly the recitation of the Shema is included in the category of davar shebikedusha since there is not greater davar shibekdusha than the acceptance of the yoke of heavenly kingship, and even so it is not included in this principle, so one is permitted to recite it in private.
R. Yona assumes that Shema - despite not including any explicit reference to holiness - is davar shebikedusha. Why? Because of kabbalat ol malkhut shamayim - the acceptance of the yoke of heavenly kingship. So, R. Yona says that there are 2 kinds of divrei shebikedusha; those that require a minyan, and those that don't. Both exemplify accepting heavenly kingship.
Each time we accept the yoke of heavenly kingship, we are using language in a performative way - we are coronating HaShem. (It isn't just accepting - it is more than that.)
As we think about relationship building - HaShem can only be King if he has a people - us. When we act according to HaShem's laws, we are making him King.
This is the attribute of HaShem that exhibits dependency on our actions. וְנִ֨קְדַּשְׁתִּ֔י בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא (אָמֵן) בְּעָלְ֒מָֽא דִּי־בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן:
Exalted and sanctified be His great Name in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future— and say Amein.