How Long Is A Minyan Service

Quorum of ten Jewish adults for certain religious obligations

Minyan
Halakhic texts relating to this article
Torah:	Leviticus 22:32
Mishnah:	Megillah 4:3
Babylonian Talmud:	Megillah 23b; Sanhedrin 74b
Jerusalem Talmud:	Megillah 4:four
Mishneh Torah:	Hilchot Tefillah 8:1
Shulchan Aruch:	Orach Chayim 55

In Judaism, a minyan (Hebrew: מניין \ מִנְיָן mīnyān [minˈjan], lit. (noun) count, number; pl. מניינים \ מִנְיָנִים‎ mīnyānīm [minjaˈnim]) is the quorum of 10 Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more than traditional streams of Judaism, only males 13 and older may constitute a minyan; in more than liberal (non-Orthodox) streams women are as well counted.^[1] ^[2]

The most mutual activity requiring a minyan is public prayer. Accordingly, the term minyan in contemporary Judaism has taken on the secondary significant of referring to a prayer service.

Minyan Ma'ariv prayer in a Jaffa Tel Aviv flea-market shop

Sources [edit]

The source for the requirement of minyan is recorded in the Talmud. The word minyan itself comes from the Hebrew root maneh מנה‎ meaning to count or to number. The word is related to the Aramaic word mene, numbered, appearing in the writing on the wall in Daniel five:25.

Babylonian Talmud

The Babylonian Talmud (Megillah 23b) derives the requirement of a minyan of 10 shomer Shabbat for Kiddush Hashem^[3] and Devarim she-Bikdusha, "matters of sanctity", by combining 3 scriptural verses using the rule of gezerah shavah :

The word "midst" in the verse:

And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel (Leviticus 22:32)

also appears in the verse:

Separate yourselves from the midst of the congregation (Numbers 16:21)

The term "congregation" is also used in another poesy that describes the ten spies who brought back a negative report of the Land of State of israel:

How long shall I conduct with this evil congregation which murmur confronting me? (Numbers 14:27)

From this combination, the Talmud concludes that "sanctification" should occur in the "midst" of a "congregation" of ten.

Jerusalem Talmud

The Jerusalem Talmud (Megillah 4:4) offers two sources for the requirement, also using a gezerah shavah :

The word "congregation" in the verse:

Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: Y'all shall be holy (Leviticus 19:2)

is besides used in another verse:

How long shall I acquit with this evil congregation which murmur against me? (Numbers 14:27)

Since the term "congregation" in the afterward verse refers to the ten spies, so also in the erstwhile verse: "You shall be holy" refers to a "congregation" of 10.

The 2nd source is based on the term "children of Israel" which appears in the following two verses:

And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of State of israel (Leviticus 22:32)

And the children of State of israel came to buy among those that came (Genesis 42:5)

Just equally the "children of Israel" in the later on verse refers to the ten sons of Jacob who descended to Egypt to obtain food during the famine, so too the quondam poetry refers to sanctification amidst the "children of Israel" in the presence of ten.

Rituals requiring a minyan [edit]

Some rituals require a minyan; the presence of a rabbi (a teacher, not a priest) is non essential—information technology is said that "ix rabbis do not found a minyan, but ten cobblers can".^[four]

The following instances which crave a minyan are listed in the Mishnah in Megillah (4:iii):

Public worship, which consists of the additional readings of Kaddish, Barechu, Kedusha and the Repetition of the Amidah. The pocket-sized tractate Soferim contains a passage (10:7) oftentimes interpreted as asserting that in State of Israel at that time 7 men were immune to concur public services. Correctly interpreted information technology refers to the repeating of "Kaddish" and "Barechu" at the synagogue for the benefit of late comers, and declares that in Israel such a repetition is permitted merely when seven (according to others, when six) men are present who have non nevertheless heard these responsive readings.
The priestly blessing.
Reading from the Torah and Prophets with the associated benedictions.
Seven benedictions recited at a wedding, or at any meal of the bridegroom and bride within a week from the wedding.
Using the formulation "Let us bless our God, from whose wealth we accept eaten," in preparing for Grace after meals.
Ancient funeral ceremonies, no longer in utilize, which incorporated arranging the standing and sitting, reciting the benedictions of the mourners and the consolation of the mourners.

Other instances which require the presence of a minyan include:

Recitation of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy^[5]
Recitation of Birkat ha-Gomel.^[half-dozen]

While the required quorum for nigh activities requiring a quorum is unremarkably ten, information technology is not ever then. For example, the Passover sacrifice or Korban Pesach (from the days of the Temple in Jerusalem) must exist offered before a quorum of xxx. (Information technology must be performed in front of kahal adat yisrael, the associates of the congregation of Israel. Ten are needed for the assembly, x for the congregation, and 10 for Israel.) According to some Talmudic authorities, women counted in the minyan for offering the Korban Pesach (e.g. Rav, Rav Kahana, Pesachim 79b).

Prayer with a minyan [edit]

It was the firm belief of the sages that wherever ten Israelites are assembled, either for worship or for the study of the Constabulary, the Divine Presence dwells among them. In rabbinical literature, those who meet for study or prayer in smaller groups, even one who meditates or prays alone, are to be praised. However, the stress is put upon the merits and sacredness of the minyan of ten. The codifiers, such as Maimonides,^[seven] his annotators, and the author of the Shulkhan Arukh, have unitedly given forcefulness to this sentiment, and accept thus, for more than than a thousand years, fabricated the daily attendance at public worship, morning and evening, to exist conducted with a quorum of ten.

There is a disagreement between the medieval commentators on whether prayer with a minyan is preferable or obligatory. Rashi is of the view that an individual is obligated to pray with a minyan, while Nahmanides holds that simply if ten developed males are present are they obliged to recite their prayer together, but an individual is not required to seek out a minyan.^[8]

Rashi and the Tosafot^[9] are both of the opinion that one is required to travel the altitude of four mil to pray with a minyan. The Mishnah Berurah writes that ane who is sitting at dwelling house must travel upward to one mil.^[10]

Eligibility [edit]

There is much discussion in rabbinic literature on the matter of who is eligible to exist counted in a minyan. Some discussions revolve around whether or not a minyan should consist of individuals who are obligated in performance of that detail precept. Some authorities deduce who may constitute a minyan by drawing on the verses which are brought as the basis for minyan and their implication. For instance, the poesy, "How long shall I acquit with this evil congregation which murmur against me?" is referring to the ten spies, a congregation comprising Jewish adult males. It is understood from this that a minyan must likewise comprise 10 Jewish adult males. Other classical sources base their rulings on discussions brought in the Talmud. Contemporary rabbinical authorities deal with a plethora of questions relating to qualification for minyan.

Minors [edit]

Before a boy turns thirteen, he is considered a minor in Jewish law and is not obligated in the performance of religious precepts. Nevertheless, if a child is over half dozen years of age and has adequate comprehension of the significance of the precepts, his status may modify. His inclusion in minyan is thus subject of Talmudic dispute. Based on the Talmudic passage in Berachot, Rabbeinu Tam states that a minor tin act as the 10th person^[eleven] and according to the Baal Ha-Maor, up to iv minors would exist permitted. Rosh explains that those who allow the inclusion of a minor maintain that it is the Divine Presence which actually constitutes the tenth member, thereby validating the minyan. (This may explain why some of these authorities crave that the minor correspond this fact by property a chumash.) However the majority of poskim follow the conclusion of the Ri who holds that a pocket-sized can never exist counted in a minyan nether any circumstances. This is the opinion taken by the Shulchan Aruch, who, although acknowledging some government practice permit the inclusion of an astute half dozen-yr-old, writes that consensus rejects this view and only males over the age of thirteen may constitute a minyan.^[12] However, in extraordinary circumstances some are lenient and permit a modest over half dozen years quondam property a chumash or Sefer Torah to complete a minyan.^[thirteen]

Women [edit]

Although the issue of whether women are permitted to make up a minyan has been noted in early on works, the affair has only come up to the fore in the past few decades, a reaction to an enhanced office of women in modernistic society and to the demand for their inclusion in all areas of religious life.^[fourteen]

The Talmud itself does not direct address the question of whether women may count as part of a minyan for devarim shebkdusha. Since the Talmud uses the same gezerah shavah for Kiddush Hashem equally information technology uses for devarim shebkdusha, one may look the laws for those 2 cases to exist the same. Many authorities are of the stance that women are included in the minyan for Kiddush Hashem and Hillul Hashem. Notwithstanding, traditional codifiers generally do non include women in the minyan for devarim shebkdusha.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Talmud (Arakhin 3a) relates that women are required to recite zimmun of three participants, and Berakhot 45 says that women may recite the zimmun. However, the bulk of scholars are of the stance that ten women may not recite the boosted class of zimun exist-Shem, which is obligatory when ten men are present. The few government who do permit ten women to use the zimmun be-Shem formulation explain that the necessity for 10 in this case is unique and cannot be compared to other instances requiring minyan. Only Rabbeinu Simcha amidst these regime mentions the possibility of i woman's joining with nine men to class a minyan for prayer. This isolated opinion is rejected by the codifiers. There are a number of cases, including reading of the megillah, where a limited number of authorities count women towards the minyan. However, in these cases the reason why women are counted is not considering they establish a "congregation," but rather considering a public audience is required.^[15]

A possible reason why it is men who were obligated to form a congregation in club to convene the Divine Presence is that women were individually considered sufficiently holy and did not crave the combination of a grouping and special prayers to reach added holiness deficient in men. Due to the righteousness of the women in the wilderness, they did not suffer the same deadly fate equally their male counterparts, and despite the spies' negative report virtually the holy land, wished to enter information technology.^[16] Others point to the sociological reality that women were traditionally expected to care for the house and children. The Jewish tradition did non require women to go out their social office to appoint in public prayer.^[17]

Reform [edit]

In 1845, rabbis attending the Frankfort Synod of the emerging Reform Judaism declared that women count in a minyan, a formalization of a customary Reform practice dating back to 1811.^[eighteen]

Bourgeois [edit]

In 1973, the Committee on Jewish Police and Standards of Conservative Judaism voted to count men and women as equally members of a minyan.^[xix] In 2002, the Commission adapted a responsum past Rabbi David Fine which provides an official religious-police foundation for women counting in a minyan and explains the current Conservative arroyo to the role of women in prayer.^[i] This responsum holds that, although Jewish women do not traditionally have the same obligations as men, Conservative women take, every bit a collective whole, voluntarily undertaken them. Because of this collective undertaking, the Fine responsum holds that Conservative women are eligible to serve as agents and decision-makers for others. The responsum also holds that traditionally-minded communities and individual women can opt out without being regarded past the Bourgeois movement every bit sinning. Past adopting this responsum, the CJLS found itself in a position to provide a considered Jewish-law justification for its egalitarian practices, without having to rely on potentially unconvincing arguments, undermine the religious importance of community and clergy, inquire individual women intrusive questions, repudiate the halakhic tradition, or label women following traditional practices equally sinners.

Transgressors [edit]

The question of whether a sinner tin can be counted for a minyan has get much more pertinent in recent generations, where a general angst in religious observance amidst the majority of Jews has occurred. The Shulchan Aruch states that though a person may be a notorious and habitual sinner and has fifty-fifty committed a capital offense unless a person has been placed nether a religious ban due to his sinful behavior, he is counted among the x. The source provided for this sentiment is from the incident with Achan who, despite having been put to decease for his transgression, was withal referred to as a Jew.^[20] Even so, the Pri Megadim explains that this is only true if he sins for self-satisfaction, but if a person sins to spite God or has openly severed their connexion with the Jewish people past professing a hostile creed or by publicly desecrating the Shabbat, such a person is prohibited from constituting a minyan.^[21] Nonetheless, many contemporary authorities have been driven to adopt a lenient view in the face of widespread public non-observance of the Shabbat, on the presumption that it does not indicate a deliberate denial of religion, simply is rather a outcome of ignorance and succumbing to the pressure of social and economic conditions.^[22] ^[23]

Proselytes [edit]

Even though Tosafot deduce from the Talmud in Sukkah 38b that wherever the verse states "children of State of israel" information technology comes to exclude a proselyte unless there is specific clause for inclusion, here with regard to minyan the sources state that there is no reasoning to exclude a full-fledged proselyte. Since such a person is permitted to act equally a prayer leader, obviously they can count towards a minyan.^[24]

Those who are unable to respond [edit]

As long as a person is of sufficient intelligence, he tin can exist included in the minyan, fifty-fifty if he is unable to respond to the prayers which brand the presence of ten a necessity. Co-ordinate to some sources, this is because as long as ten are gathered the Divine Presence descends and it is viable to pronounce a Dvar she'bekedusha. This includes someone who is in the heart of his prayers just is precluded from responding to the hazzan's incantations and someone who is mute but can hear the prayers. (Someone who is deaf but has the ability and knows when to respond can also exist included.) There is however a dispute regarding someone who is comatose or intoxicated. Such a person has sufficient intelligence, merely at present can neither hear or respond.^[25] Ideally he should be woken to the extent that he is dozing, simply in inapplicable circumstances where it incommunicable to arouse him, it is permitted to include the maximum of one sleeping person in the minyan.^[26] In the case of a drunkard, the accepted view is that even if he has non reached the "drunkenness of Lot", he withal cannot be included.^[27] A minimum of six of those gathered in the minyan take a duty to listen attentively and respond appropriately to the additional prayers and that at least nine are required to respond for the repetition of the Amidah.^[28]

System [edit]

It is non merely the status of the individual which dictates eligibility; the physical organization of the minyan is besides a factor. Maimonides delineates the confines which are placed on the organization of the people making up a minyan. Ideally all the members of the minyan should be gathered in 1 room. However, if they are inside hearing distance of one another, it is permitted for the ten to be distributed in 2 bordering rooms.^[29] Subsequently government limit the extent of this opinion and rule that fifty-fifty if in that location is an opening between the two rooms, the two groups are still considered separate entities. Merely in unusual circumstances is information technology permitted, equally long every bit some of the men in each room can come across each other.^[xxx]

Ten-and-10 minyan (ten men and 10 women) [edit]

Over the last decade or so^{[ when? ]}, more and more than lay-led worship communities have formed that attempt to combine commitment to traditional Jewish constabulary with a push for increased participation and recognition of the role of women. While many are just referred to as independent minyanim, the term used by the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Brotherhood for those groups that consider themselves part of the Modern Orthodox customs is partnership minyan. Many of these groups have adopted the custom initially instituted by Shira Hadasha in Jerusalem to wait for a "10-and-x minyan", made up of ten men and x women.

Shira Hadasha has based many of its decisions on the writings of rabbis like Mendel Shapiro and Daniel Sperber. Some also employ the Guide for the Halakhic Minyan, a compendium of halakhic sources supporting increased participation by women in services, as a basis for discussions of practices like the 10-and-ten minyan.

Run across besides [edit]

Birkat HaMazon
"Minyan Man"
The 10th Man
Torah reading
Tzadikim Nistarim

Footnotes [edit]

^ ^a ^b Fine, Rabbi David J. (12 June 2012). "Women and the Minyan" (PDF). Committee on Jewish Police and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly (in English and Hebrew). New York, NY: Rabbinical Associates. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
^ Golinkin, Rabbi David. "Women in the Minyan and as Shelihot Tzibbur". Va'ad Halakhah – English Summaries. Jerusalem, State of israel: Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. Archived from the original on 2011-07-nineteen. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
^ Sanhedrin 74b
^ Temple Israel Chrnicle, January 2009, p3
^ Shulchan Aruch OC 565:v
^ Shulchan Aruch OC 219:iii
^ Maimonides writes that "The prayer of the community is always heard; and even if there were sinners among them, the Holy One, blessed exist He, never rejects the prayer of the multitude. Hence a person must bring together himself with the community, and should not pray by himself so long equally he is able to pray with the community." Mishneh Torah Hilkhot Tefillah eight:1
^ Meiselman, Moshe (1978). Jewish Woman in Jewish Police force. Ktav Publishing Inc. p. 134. ISBN0-87068-329-2.
^ Rashi and Tosafot to Talmud Bavli Pesachim 46a
^ Savannah at the Hashkafah.com forums quoting https://www.dafdigest.org/pesachim/Pesachim%20046.pdf
^ Tosafot Berachot 47b
^ Shulchan Aruch OC 55
^ Ziegler, Aharon (2004). "Counting a Minor in a Minyan". Halakhic positions of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik: Volume Three. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 26–28. ISBN0-7425-4293-9.
^ Bleich, J. David (1976). "The Synagogue: Women in a Minyan?". Contemporary Halakhic Problems: Volume I . Ktav Publishing Inc. pp. 28–83. ISBN0-87068-450-7.
^ Meiselman, Moshe (1978). Jewish Woman in Jewish Law. Ktav Publishing Inc. pp. 136–140. ISBN0-87068-329-2.
^ Aiken, Lisa (1993). To Be A Jewish Woman. Aronson. p. 58. ISBN0-87668-609-9.
^ Rabbi Saul Berman, "The Status of Women in Halakhic Judaism", Tradition, Autumn 1973, pp. five–viii.
^ "Archived copy". uf.sjc.vic.edu.au. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2022. {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy every bit championship (link)
^ "Women Equal with Men in Minyan | Jewish Telegraphic Agency". Jta.org. 1973-09-xi. Retrieved 2016-10-13 .
^ Beit Yosef OC 55:11–12
^ OC 55
^ Appel, Gershon (1978). The Concise Lawmaking of Jewish Law. Ktav Publishing Inc. p. 63. ISBN0-87068-298-9.
^ Melamed Le-ho'il OC 29
^ Kaf Hachayim 55:17
^ Aruch Hashulchan 55:12–13
^ Pheufer, A Y (1997). Ishei Yisrael – The Laws of Prayer . Jerusalem: Nishmat Aharon ve-Yaakov Institute. pp. ch. 15:5, pg.127.
^ Pheufer, A Y (1997). Ishei Yisrael – The Laws of Prayer . Jerusalem: Nishmat Aharon ve-Yaakov Constitute. pp. ch. 22:24, pg.212.
^ Pheufer, A Y (1997). Ishei Yisrael – The Laws of Prayer . Jerusalem: Nishmat Aharon ve-Yaakov Found. pp. ch. 22:2–three, pg.126.
^ Mishnah Torah Tefillah viii
^ Mishna Berurah 55

External links [edit]

"Minyan" – Jewish Encyclopedia article.
The Minyan Project past Mechon Hadar
GoDaven.com Observe an Orthodox Minyan anywhere in the globe.
"What is a Minyan?" on Ask Moses
"What's the Truth about... Davening with a Minyan?" (PDF). (92.9 KB) (OU.org)
Minyan in the Jewish Knowledge Base on Chabad.org
Frimer, A., "Women and Minyan". Tradition 23:4, pp. 54–77 (1988) (Modern Orthodox view of women in minyan for various purposes)