Davening with a Minyan: Difference between revisions

A person should make a great effort to daven in a [[minyan]] because of the tremendous holiness of [[Davening|davening]] in a [[minyan]] and because when one prays in a [[minyan]] one's Tefillot are accepted before Hashem. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 90:9 writes that a person should make a serious effort to daven with a [[minyan]] and one is only exempt to do so in extenuating circumstances. Mishna Brurah 90:28 emphasizes the importance of [[Davening|davening]] with a [[minyan]] and that the most important part of [[Davening|davening]] with a minayn is [[Shmoneh Esrei]]. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 12:7 writes that Hashem does not reject the [[Tefillah]] of a congregation even if there are wicked people in the congregation. See Halichot Shlomo (chapter 5 note 52 pg 66) who records an incident in which for health reasons a certain person was only able to leave the house once a day and Rav Shlomo Zalman said he can use that one time to go to work instead of going to daven in a [[minyan]] because being social will make him feel better. </ref> Some hold that there is a rabbinic obligation to go to a minyan and joining is a Biblical mitzvah in the enhancement of one's Tefillah,<ref>Igrot Moshe OC 4:68 explains that it is forbidden to daven a Tefillah in a place where one knows that one won't be answered. Since davening with a minyan is a certain way to increase the ability of one's Tefillah to be answered (Brachot 8a) it is considered a Biblical enhancement of Tefillah to daven with a minyan. However, the actual obligation to go out of one's way to go daven in a minyan is only rabbinic (Pesachim 46a). [https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=59069 Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Shemini 5778 around min 15)] explained that going to a minyan is an obligation and Shulchan Aruch's language is only meant to exempt someone sick.</ref> while others hold it is a very important religious value that one should not forgo but not an absolute obligation.<ref>The Netsiv in Meromei Sadeh 6b s.v. kol writes that someone who always goes to a minyan it is considered a good practice that after doing it consistently it is an obligation upon to keep it like a vow. [https://www.yutorah.org/sidebar/lecture.cfm/884871/rabbi-hershel-schachter/berachos-9-6ab-tefillah-betzibbur-echad-hashem-s-tefillin-min-hamuttar-beficha-shaveh-kessef-makom-kavua-davening-direction/ Rav Hershel Schachter (Brachot Shiur 9 beginning)] explained that the Netsiv holds that there's no rabbinic obligation to daven in a minyan, however, being that one's Tefillah stands a better change of being answered in a minyan (Brachot 8a) it is very important value to daven in a minyan. </ref>

## If there is a [[minyan]] of ten adult males, but four of them already davened, the congregation may still say [[Kaddish]], [[Barchu]], and [[Kedusha]]. <ref> Shulchan Aruch 69:1 Mishna Brurah 69:8, Yalkut Yosef (90:14, Sherit Yosef 2 pg 341) </ref>

# A child can't be counted for a minyan. There is an opinion who allows counting a child for the tenth person if there's nine other adults. Ashkenazim can rely on that upon in an extenuating circumstance.<ref> Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi (Brachot 47b) said that a child can be counted for a minyan. The Rif doesn't count this statement. The Ramban (Milchamot 35b) explains that the Rif held it wasn't accepted since the gemara on 48a says we don't follow any of the earlier statements on the topic of minyan and zimmun. Ravyah (cited by Mordechai Brachot 172), Rambam Tefillah 8:4, and Rashba Brachot 48a s.v. veleyt agree. However, Tosfot 48a s.v. veleyt quotes Rabbenu Tam who held that Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi was never rejected. The Ri disagreed and adds that Rabbenu Tam himself never followed his opinion in practice. Rosh Brachot 7:20 and Mordechai Brachot 172 quote the dispute of Rabbenu Tam and Ri and add that Rav Hai Goan agreed with Rabbenu Tam. Baal Hameor Brachot 35b agrees with Rabbenu Tam. (Raavad on Rif implies he disagrees with the Raavad.)  

* Orchot Chaim (Tefillah 73) records a story in which the Rabbenu Shimshon put a town in excommunication for disobeying his ruling and counted a child for a minyan. On the the opposite extreme the Kolbo ch. 11 at the end writes that the minhag of all of Yisrael is to count a child for a minyan. Bet Yosef 55:4 writes that this is an exaggeration.  

* Tosfot s.v. veleyt writes that even according to Rabbenu Tam you can only count one child and not multiple children. However, the Baal Hameor suggests that you can even count up to four children as long as there's six adults. Mordechai Brachot 172. Magen Avraham 55:5 writes that even in extenuating circumstances we only follow Rabbenu Tam and not the Baal Hameor. Mishna Brurah 55:24 agrees.

* Tosfot writes that there's no advantage of having the child hold a sefer torah because a sefer torah isn't a person and doesn't add anything for a minyan. The Rama 55:4 writes that those who counted a child for a minyan didn't have them hold a sefer torah. Magen Avraham 55:4 writes that in his day the minhag was to count a child specifically holding a sefer torah.

* Shulchan Aruch 55:4 rules that one can't count a child for a minyan at all. Rama argues that there's what to rely upon in extenuating circumstances.</ref> Many poskim say not to rely on that opinion even in an extenuating circumstance.<ref>Mishna Brurah 55:24 writes that the Levush writes that the minhag is that we never rely on counting a child and also many poskim hold that one shouldn't count a child even in extenuating circumstances.</ref>  

# Many poskim rule that one should not make a minyan when flying on an airplane. <ref> Halichot Shlomo page 95, Igrot Moshe OC 4:20, [http://www.torahweb.org/torah/special/2010/rsch_airplanes.html Rabbi Hershel Schachter on torahweb.org] </ref>