Re: Minyan - Group and Synagogue Prayer

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Comments:: : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : I thought this article was interesting because : : it gives several scriptures for corporate prayer : : [praying in groups] (i.e. a minyan - a group of 10 men who gather : : to pray). : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : The following is from a daily Halacha study, : : see copyrights and authors at bottom. : : Halacha is the "way of walking" and : : refers to how a Jew is to live out the : : Torah in his daily life. : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : Halacha-Yomi - Chapter 12:7-9 - Preparing Oneself to Pray : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : : 7. A person should try and exert himself to pray together with a minyan, as : : [Psalms 69:14] states: " May my prayer to You, G-d, be at a propitious : : time." When is "a propitious time"? When the community prays. Similarly, : : [Isaiah 49:8] announces: Thus declares G-d: 'I will answer you at a : : propitious time.'" : : G-d will not reject the prayers of the many, even if there are sinners : : among them, as [Job 36:5] can be interpreted: "Behold, G-d, the many, He : : will not despise them." Similarly, [Psalms 55:19] relates: He redeemed my : : soul in peace from the battle that was against me, because of the many who : : were with me" (Berochos 8a). : : 8. [The following rules apply to] a person who is travelling and reaches a : : place where he would like to spend the night: If there is a place further : : on his way, within four milim, where communal prayers are recited, he must : : travel those four milim in order to pray with a minyan. This applies : : provided that he can arrive there before nightfall, so that he will not : : have to travel alone at night. : : Similarly, he must turn back one mil in order to pray with a minyan.* : : Surely, one should not leave a place where prayer is recited communally if : : its possible for him to reach his destination while it is still day. : : * { Similarly, a person living within a mil of a minyan is required to : : attend communal services every day (Shulchon Oruch HoRav 90:17, Mishnoh : : Beruroh 90:52).} : : 9. It is a great mitzvoh to pray in a synagogue or in a house of study, for : : these are holy places. This applies even when, on occasion, there is no : : minyan there; nevertheless, because of its holiness, it is preferable to : : pray there alone. : : A person who customarily studies Torah in a house of study should pray : : there together with a minyan, even if there is a synagogue in his city. : : However, someone who does not frequently study Torah in a house of study : : should pray in the synagogue, for there more people are present, and : : [Proverbs 14:28] states: "Amidst the multitude of people is the glory of : : the King." When there are two synagogues in a person's city, he should go : : to the further one, so that he will earn reward for his steps. : : Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi declared: A person should always rise early to : : attend the synagogue, so that he will be counted among the first ten who : : arrive, Even if a hundred people come after him, he receives a reward equal : : to all of them (Berochos 47b). : : Also, [Berochos8a] teaches: Whoever attends a synagogue or a house of study : : at the appropriate time, spends an appropriate mount of theme there, and : : behaves in a holy manner as is befitting the place, merits long life, as : : [Proverbs 8:34] states: "Happy is the man who hearkens to me, faithfully : : coming to My gates day after day, waiting at the doorposts of My : : entrances." Afterwards, the verse continues: Whoever finds Me, finds life." : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Halacha-Yomi, Copyright (c) 1999 by Project Genesis, Inc. : : For a glossary of the Hebrew terms used here, write to glossary@torah.org : : Halacha-Yomi uses the text of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, in a new : : translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger published by Moznaim Publishing : : Corporation. Readers are encouraged to purchase the text from their local : : bookstore or by calling Moznaim, (718) 438-7680. Rabbi Ari Lobel, : : lobel@torah.org, is available to answer questions on the text (which are : : encouraged!). : : This list is part of Project Genesis: Torah on the Information Superhighway. : : Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution : : and copyright to the author and Project Genesis, and refer to : : learn@torah.org and http://www.torah.org/ . Both the author and Project : : Genesis reserve certain rights. For full information on copyrights, send : : email to copyrights@torah.org . : : To begin or cancel your subscription to this class, please write to : : halacha-yomi-subscribe@torah.org or halacha-yomi-unsubscribe@torah.org as : : appropriate. : : For further help, and for information on archives and subscriptions : : to other classes, please ask the Project Genesis Robot Gabbai, : : gabbai@torah.org . For automated information on dedicating this class or : : otherwise supporting our program, please write to dedications@torah.org : : or donations@torah.org . Thank you! : : ------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Project Genesis: Torah on the Information Superhighway learn@torah.org : : 17 Warren Road, Suite 2B http://www.torah.org/ : : Baltimore, MD 21208 (410) 602-1350 FAX: 602-1351 : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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