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Minyan and Halakha? (Mikdash Me'at halakha)

LAGoff

Member
It just dawned on me that I haven't heard of going to a synagogue to pray with a minyan as being a halakha. It certainly isn't a mitsva. All I heard is 'mikdash me'at' from Ezekiel. Is there a discussion in halakhic literature (200 BCE to 550 CE) leading to settled (or not settled) halakha about the [halakhic] duty (if you are able) of going to a synagogue (or private house with a Tora scroll) to pray / do services with a minyan (or even less than a minyan)? I assume the later codifiers mention such a duty, no? If so, I just wonder where they got it from from the Talmud-era literature. I'm especially interested if there are any discussions in this literature (Talmud-era literature) on this and where they are-- i.e. specifically which tractates, etc. I assume tractate Brakhot might have something to say? The whole subject is foggy to me and I would like to nail it down somewhat. Thanks.
 

dybmh

דניאל יוסף בן מאיר הירש
If I recall, the mtzvah for making a minyan is included in the mitzvah for sanctifying G-d's name.

Edit to add: Yes, it looks like the source for the mitzvah is Vayikra ( leviticus ) 22:32. I'll do some research later today and post the results. :)
 
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LAGoff

Member
Thanks! Sefaria is great!
Lv 22:32: "You shall not profane My holy name; and I am to be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel. I am Hashem who sanctifies you."
The Gemara is full of this verse, although I don't see it in the [one] Mishna.
This one Mishna (in Megila 4:3) ends: "...Except in the presence of ten. [For redeeming sanctified] land nine and a priest [are sufficient], and similarly with human beings."
Can you explain what "and similarly with human beings" means? Similarly what? If this fogginess is indicative of Mishnas, then I can see why the Gemara is so important. Although the same can be said of Gemaras (i.e. Where's the mention of a place to do all this sanctifying by 10 in?-- let alone the details of what we are to do in them) Is this why we (the average Jew) needed later codifiers? I assume the codifiers mentioned specifically a synagogue or home with Tora scrolls and readings needing ten and all the other stuff that doesn't seem to be -- on the face of it -- in this one Mishna and [several] Gemaras.
 

dybmh

דניאל יוסף בן מאיר הירש
needing ten

It looks like "needing ten" is coming from BaMidbar 14:27, where a congregation of Bnai Yisrael is defined.

This one Mishna (in Megila 4:3) ends: "...Except in the presence of ten. [For redeeming sanctified] land nine and a priest [are sufficient], and similarly with human beings."

Megillah 4:3 ends "V'Adam, KahYotzei BahHen" ("ואדם, כיצא בהן"). According to the footnotes in the Artscroll Mishnah, the person is a slave and a minyan is required for valuing the slave at market. It's the same or "similar" as the other communal activities that are prohibited without a minyan that were listed previously in 4:3.

Where's the mention of a place to do all this sanctifying by 10 in?

I'm not sure. I saw it in one book listed as encouraged to pray in a synagogue. I didn't see anything in Torah that required it. So yes, that part is probably Rabbinic.
 

Tumah

Veteran Member
Megillah 4:3 ends "V'Adam, KahYotzei BahHen" ("ואדם, כיצא בהן"). According to the footnotes in the Artscroll Mishnah, the person is a slave and a minyan is required for valuing the slave at market. It's the same or "similar" as the other communal activities that are prohibited without a minyan that were listed previously in 4:3.
What it's saying is that when evaluating a [Jewish] person who promises his value to the Temple, the requirement is the same as when it comes to evaluating land that needs to be redeemed from the Temple - 9 Israelites and a Priest.
 
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