Editing Minyan (section)

== The Source of Minyan ==
The Rebbe serves as a chazzan (prayer leader) in a minyan that takes place in the large hall

The Mishnah in Tractate Megillah states: "We do not recite Krias Shema with its blessings, nor do we approach the prayer stand, nor do the kohanim raise their hands, nor do we read from the Torah... with fewer than ten." In the Gemara, they explain that the source for this law is from the verse (Vayikra 22:32) "And I shall be sanctified among the Children of Israel." From this we learn that "any matter of holiness should not be with fewer than ten." The derivation is through a gezeirah shavah from the words "toch toch" – "It is written here 'And I shall be sanctified among (betoch) the Children of Israel' and it is written there (Bamidbar 16:21) 'Separate yourselves from among (mitoch) this congregation' and we derive 'congregation' (eidah) from another instance of 'congregation' as it is written there (Bamidbar 14:27) 'How long for this evil congregation (eidah)' – just as there it refers to ten, so too here it refers to ten."

The Rebbe explains why in the Torah we learn about the lofty concept of minyan specifically from the sinning spies, as explained in Chassidic teachings that the spies were on a very high spiritual level and wanted to continue their holy life in the desert, where they were detached from worldly distractions and livelihood concerns. They were afraid of entering Eretz Yisrael and the need to begin plowing and sowing and other occupations that would interfere with their devotion to Hashem.