Minyan

A minyan is a group of at least ten Jewish males above the age of thirteen, gathered together. When a minyan assembles, the Divine Presence (Shechinah) rests upon the participants with greater intensity, enabling them to pray as a community, read from the Torah, and fulfill mitzvos that require a minyan.

There is great importance in prayer, Torah study, and fulfilling mitzvos in a communal setting. Additionally, there is a special virtue in studying matters of geulah and Moshiach from the Torah with ten people.

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.

Prayer and Torah Study in a Community

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos states: "When ten people sit together and engage in Torah study, the Divine Presence rests among them, as it says, 'Elokim stands in the congregation of God.'" In Torah study with ten people together, they draw the Divine Presence to dwell among them and within them.

Similarly, there is virtue in communal prayer, derived from the verse in the Book of Iyov: "Behold, God is mighty and does not despise the mighty of heart." The Gemara in Berachos interprets: "From where do we know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, does not despise the prayer of the many? As it says: 'Behold, God is mighty and does not despise.'"

In communal prayer, they draw down the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, which causes the prayer to be accepted without delays. Likewise, in communal Torah study, they draw down a very high level of holiness.

The reason for this is that a "community" comprising ten people includes all ten types of souls among the Jewish people (from "your heads, your tribes" to "the wood-chopper and the water-drawer"). This is the reason for the law of "public domain" (parhesia) regarding Shabbos and the like, where there is no distinction between ten or more.

In Igeres HaKodesh 23, the Alter Rebbe extols the virtue of Torah study and fulfillment of mitzvos with a minyan, and distinguishes between the Mishnah's statement regarding "ten who sit and engage in Torah," where "the Divine Presence rests upon them," and the Mishnah's statements about five, three, two, and even one, where it concerns establishing reward rather than the Divine Presence resting as with ten.

The Alter Rebbe writes: "I heard from my teachers that if one angel were to stand in the presence of ten Jews together, even if they are not speaking words of Torah, such dread and limitless fear would fall upon it from the Divine Presence that rests upon them, that it would be completely nullified from existence."

The Rebbe explained these words during a private audience with Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu that the Divine Presence resting upon ten Jews even when they are not studying Torah (because they are engaged in a mitzvah or similar), is due to the superiority of the Jewish people, which preceded and is above the Torah.

During the Ten Days of Repentance, the status of an individual who prays is like that of a community praying together. On the High Holidays, there is great importance to pray with a minyan, and even those who extend their prayers throughout the year and are present in a minyan only to fulfill communal obligations make an effort to pray with a minyan on the High Holidays. Similarly, there is great importance to recite the Hallel prayer on Rosh Chodesh and holidays with a community.

When a Chassid wrote to the Rebbe that since he studies Chassidus at length on Shabbos he begins to pray at 1:30 PM, the Rebbe sharply rejected this and instructed that one should begin praying when the community begins.

The Rebbe Rashab instructed R' Shmuel Yitzchak Reitzes to pray with three people—a "mezuman"—when it was not possible for him to pray with a minyan.

Mitzvos That Require a Minyan

There are certain mitzvos and prayers that are recited only with a minyan, and they are:

• Kaddish
• Barchu
• Repetition of the Amidah by the chazzan
• Kedushah
• Priestly blessing
• Torah reading
• Sheva Brochos (Seven Blessings)
• Mentioning Hashem's name in the Zimun formula
• Recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy in the order of Tachanun

There are mitzvos in which a minyan is required only l'chatchilah (ideally), but b'dieved (after the fact) the mitzvah will be fulfilled even without a minyan. These include: Bris Milah, Kiddushin (marriage ceremony), reading the Megillah on Purim, funeral procession, and annulment of vows.

In the order of Selichos, there are prayer passages written in Aramaic, such as "Mechai U'masei" and others. These requests are recited only in a community because the angels do not respond to the Aramaic language, which is considered unrefined in their eyes, but in a community setting, Hashem Himself receives their prayers.

Conditions for Maintaining a Minyan

People who join the minyan:

Only adult Jewish men (who have reached the age of mitzvos) who are obligated in mitzvos join the minyan. A shoteh (mentally incompetent person), a cheresh who cannot hear and cannot speak (meaning one who lacks understanding and is exempt from mitzvos), and a katan (minor) do not join the minyan. Similarly, in exceptional cases, there are people whom halacha determines cannot join a minyan, such as someone who is under niduy (excommunication) or a sinner and the like.

Likewise, a woman cannot be included in a men's minyan for reasons of tznius and because of kvod hatzibur (honor of the congregation).

For Birchas Hazimon with ten people during Birchas Hamazon, there is an additional reason why women do not join, which is because of the halachic principle that in order to fulfill someone else's obligation, the one fulfilling it must be obligated at the same level. Since men are obligated in Birchas Hamazon from the Torah (d'oraisa), and women from the Rabbis (d'rabbanan), women cannot fulfill the obligation of men in Birchas Hamazon.

Joining together for a minyan:

In order for a minyan to be properly established according to halacha for saying davar shebikedusha (holy matters) that cannot be recited with fewer than ten, the participants need to be in the same room without the separation of a doorframe, even if they do not see each other.

According to certain opinions, it is possible to combine a minyan even when people are standing in separate rooms but can see each other.

When there is already a minyan joined together, anyone who sees or hears them can join with them and receive the reward of tefillah b'tzibur (prayer with a congregation), unless there is a public thoroughfare, something unclean, or avodah zarah (idolatry) separating between them, in which case the matter depends on a dispute among poskim. Additionally, a person who cannot for some reason go to the synagogue and pray with a minyan should try to pray at the time when the congregation is praying.

Regarding including Jews who are not Shabbos observant in a minyan, the Rebbe responded that as long as there are no valid witnesses according to halacha who testify to this, there is no impediment to including them in the minyan.

See also

• Beis Haknesses (Synagogue)
• Shliach Tzibur (Prayer leader)

External links

• Prayer at length and with a congregation in the teachings of our Rebbeim by Rabbi Yosef Simcha Ginzburg. Hiskashrus issue 615
• Why it's important to pray with a minyan by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz) on the Chabad website
• Why do we need to pray with a minyan? on the Chabad website
• The importance of prayer with a congregation, bulletin from Beis Hora'ah Nissan 5782, pages 13-15
• What is considered prayer with a congregation according to the Alter Rebbe? Bulletin 'Mimizrach Shemesh' 1, 10 Shevat 5783 page 3
• Prayer with a congregation or prayer at length? The Rebbe Rayatz responds to arguments against his enactment, on the website 'Lachluchiyt Geulatiyt'
• Prayer with a congregation or Torah reading - which is preferable? Haoros Ubiurim Toronto 'Vayiten Oz LeMalko' 11 Nissan 5783 page 145