Search results for: ""Minyan""
Birkat HaMazon: Eating for Minyan
You may say birkat ha'mazon with a minyan if:
o At least seven men washed, said ha'motzi, and ate bread, with
o Enough other men who ate some food (anything other than water or salt) to total 10 men.
Note If the 10 men's eating overlapped in time with each other, they MAY say birkat ha'mazon with a minyan.
If the 10 men began eating at the same time, they MUST say birkat ha'mazon with a minyan.
o At least seven men washed, said ha'motzi, and ate bread, with
o Enough other men who ate some food (anything other than water or salt) to total 10 men.
Note If the 10 men's eating overlapped in time with each other, they MAY say birkat ha'mazon with a minyan.
If the 10 men began eating at the same time, they MUST say birkat ha'mazon with a minyan.
When To Pause or Join Minyan: General Prayer Services
Here is when to pause or join the minyan during general prayer services:
- Ashrei
You do not need to interrupt your prayers to join the minyan for ashrei.
- Torah Reading
If you are saying the amida, pause only during the actual Torah reading, not during
the blessings.
the blessings.
- Kaddish
During kaddish, you must pause in your amida until the prayer leader finishes the
line of da'amiran b'alma....
- Alenu
If the minyan says alenu and you are at a part of the prayer service at which you
are permitted to interrupt, you may join them.
are permitted to interrupt, you may join them.
Note It is a proper practice to say alenu with the congregation, even if you have already finished that prayer service.
Reason If you don't, it seems as if you are not accepting ol malchut shamayim.
Reason If you don't, it seems as if you are not accepting ol malchut shamayim.
When To Pause or Join Minyan: Ma'ariv
If the ma'ariv minyan says shema, you must join them for the first two sentences (“Shema, Yisrael…” and “Baruch shem…”), unless you are saying the amida.
When To Pause or Join Minyan: Mincha
During mincha, don't pause at all (such as for kedusha or kaddish) if, by pausing, you will not finish saying your amida before sunset.
When To Pause or Join Minyan: Shabbat/Jewish Festival Shacharit
If the leader gets to kedusha on Shabbat or Jewish festival morning and you are saying the amida, you must:
- Pause until the leader has finished the blessing after kedusha (ha'el—or ha'melech—ha'kadosh), and then
- Resume your amida.
- Pause in your amida until the end of birkat cohanim.
When To Pause or Join Minyan: Regular Shacharit
Shema
When the minyan reaches the shema in shacharit:
Amida
Situation You are saying your amida in a minyan and it is close to the end of the fourth hour of the day.
What To Do Do not pause, even if the leader says kaddish or kedusha, if doing so will delay you past the fourth hour.
When the minyan reaches the shema in shacharit:
-
If you are between bar'chu and end of amida, simply:
- Cover your eyes like everyone else, but don't say the shema line.
-
If you are anywhere else:
- Pause and, with everyone else, say the first two lines of the shema (Shema, Yisrael… and Baruch shem…), and then
- Resume where you were.
Amida
Situation You are saying your amida in a minyan and it is close to the end of the fourth hour of the day.
What To Do Do not pause, even if the leader says kaddish or kedusha, if doing so will delay you past the fourth hour.
Birkat HaMazon: Women's Mezuman and Minyan
Women (even if 10 or more) do not make a minyan, only a mezuman. So do not say the birkat ha'mazon's minyan introduction but simply say the mezuman introduction if:
- 10 or more women ate together, without men present;
- At least two women washed, said ha'motzi, and ate bread; AND
- At least one more woman ate some type of food.
Note Women are never required to make a mezuman. So when three women are eating together and no men are present, they may say birkat ha'mazon as a mezuman but they are not required to do so.
Non-Shomer Shabbat Jew Counted in Minyan
A non-shomer Shabbat Jew may be counted as part of a minyan.
How Many Men Needed for a Minyan
A minyan is a prayer quorum of 10 Jewish men who are at least 13 years old. At least six of the men must be praying.
Kadosh in U'Va L'Tzion with the Minyan
Say kadosh three times in u'va l'tzion together with the minyan in order to mimic the angels who say kadosh together with other angels.
Note You should interrupt what you are saying as long as it is permissible to do so, such as before baruch she'amar or after you have finished your amida.
How Much Effort To Pray with a Minyan
Praying with a minyan is very important and you should travel up to 18 minutes away in order to get to a minyan.
Note If waking up early will mess up the rest of your day, you do not need to wake up to go.
Example You may pray by yourself if joining a minyan would cause you:
Example You may pray by yourself if joining a minyan would cause you:
- To be late to work,
- To lose your job,
- To interfere with your caring for a sick person or someone who needs attention,
- To injure your health,
- Financial loss, or
- Shalom bayit problems.
Mincha: Tachanun
If the minyan gets to tachanun after sunset, say tachanun until up to 8 minutes after sunset but do not put down your head for the first section.
Bringing Children to Synagogue
Do not bring children to minyan until they are able to say the prayers and to keep quiet.
Women: Mezuman
For women's mezuman, see Birkat HaMazon: Women's Mezuman and Minyan.
Amida: With Whom To Pray
Say shemoneh esrei (amida) with a minyan—ideally starting together. The key is to begin with the other people, even if you will not finish at the same time. You should not begin before the congregation begins saying any amida.