Community Magazine September 2011

60 COmmuNItY mAGAZINe The Top 10 Questions & Answers on Customs and Laws oF 1 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO PRAY WITH A MINYAN ? The Talmud teaches that when ten Jews get together to pray, the Shechina (Divine Presence) joins them. Our sages explain that a group assembled for prayer brings great honor to Hashem, more than when they pray individually at home. Additionally, the prayers of the sibur (congregation) are always heard and accepted by Hashem, even when there are sinners among them and even if the prayers were not recited with full concentration. 2 WHAT IS THE REWARD FOR PRAYING WITH A MINYAN? Our sages teach that one who fulfills the missva of praying with a minyan properly earns longevity. The Midrash tells of an elderly woman who always ensured to pray with a minyan throughout her life, and she lived to such an old age that she felt it was better for her to leave this world. She consulted with the hachamim , and they advised her to stop attending the minyan . She heeded their advice, and immediately fell ill and passed on. Additionally, one who always ensures to pray with a minyan is assured to always receive an adequate livelihood and enjoy success in his work. 3 IS PRAYING WITH A MINYAN AN OBLIGATION? Unfortunately, many people are not aware that according to the vast majority of the poskim (halachic authorities), praying with a minyan is a halachic obligation (enacted by the sages) for all men over the age of bar missva , unless one cannot attend a minyan due to health reasons or another ( halachically legitimate) reason. Women are not obligated in this missva. Nevertheless, it is a worthwhile custom for women to come to kinees and pray with a minyan . The poskim write that it is also a missva for parents to bring their children who have reached the appropriate age (and are not disruptive) to join and be a part of the prayer in kinees . This experience affords them the opportunity to learn the critical concepts of tefila and emuna (faith) in Hashem. 4 WHICH PARTS OF THE PRAYERS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR MINYAN ? Strictly speaking, praying with a minyan means reciting the Amida (standing silent) prayer together with ten people. Nevertheless, one should try to remain with the minyan for the entire tefila so he could respond to Kaddish and participate in the parts of the service that cannot be recited without a minyan . 5 WHICH PARTS OF THE TEFILAH CAN ONLY BE RECITED IN THE PRESENCE OF A MINYAN ? Kaddish , Barechu , the hazan’s repetition of the Amida , Kedusha , Birkat Kohanim , and Vaya’abor (Gd’s 13 attributes of mercy) all cannot be recited without a minyan . In addition, the Torah reading on Monday, Thursday and Shabbat can be conducted only when a minyan is present. 6 WHICH PRAYERS MAY BE SKIPPED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CATCHING UP TO THE MINYAN ? The Shulhan Aruch writes that due to the importance of praying Amida with a minyan , one who arrives late to the morning prayer service should skip certain sections of the tefila so that he will be able to begin the Amida with the minyan . In such a situation, one should recite at least Baruch She’amar , Ashrei , the third and fifth “ Haleluya ” Psalms, and Yishtabah , and then begin the section of Yosser Or with the sibur , with the intent of reciting the skipped portions afterwards. If one arrived after the minyan already began Yosser Or, he should begin reciting the beracha of Yoser Or and after the conclusion of the prayer service, he should recite the part of the service which he had skipped, from Baruch She’amar through Yishtabah , omitting Hashem’s Name from the blessings of Baruch She’amar and Yishtabah . However, the Kaf Hahayim and other poskim strongly discourage skipping sections of the tefila even for the purpose of praying with a minyan , and especially making a habit of skipping sections, as this undermines the proper kabalistic sequence of the Shaharit service. According to all views, if there is a later minyan available, which will still pray Amida at the proper time, one should not skip parts of the service in order to pray with the earlier minyan . 7 HOW FAR IS ONE REQUIRED TO TRAVEL FOR THE SAKE OF PRAYING WITH A MINYAN ? When a person is home, he is only required to travel up to 18 minutes to pray with a minyan , whereas during travel, one is required to continue on his way up to 72 minutes to a place with a minyan . If there is a minyan in a place that the traveler has already passed, he is required to retrace his steps only up to 18 minutes. If there is a place where one is unsure whether he will even find a minyan , he is not required to travel there. Additionally, one is not required to go to unsafe places to pray with a minyan . Rabbi eli C. abOuD Praying with a Minyan ( ) quorum of ten men