Ron

Minyan attendance holds great significance in living a Jewish life. In the Babylonian Talmud, communal prayer is profoundly emphasized in Masekhet Berakhot 6b. The Talmud says, "Wherever ten are found, there the Shechina (The Divine Presence) rests,". This stresses the principle that even our regular minyanim of regular Jews, together forms a holy collective,  in which our unity actually enhances our Divine connection. As Jews, we have a communal responsibility to join together and praise the Almighty, and to actively seek out G-d together. Leviticus 22:32 elevates this commitment even more, pleading our fellow Jews to "be holy, and I shall be Sanctified among the B’nei Yisrael."

Minyan attendance is constantly emphasized throughout Rabbinic literature. Pirkei Avot 3:6 emphasizes that where ten are engaged together in Torah study, the Divine presence rests. Minyan attendance’s great value extends as well to the Kaddish. The Kaddish Yatom(Mourners’ Kaddish) prayer is regularly recited in Minyanim, and it emphasizes the power of community members mourning together collectively, and it emphasizes communal memory. In times of simcha, such as the celebration of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or a Wedding, a Minyan is the archetypal symbol of Jewish communal support and unity. When we Jews attend Minyan, individuals not only fulfill a Rabbinic religious obligation, but we also contribute to the empowering of our faith community. King Solomon wisely said, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another" (Mishlei 27:17). This is the essence of the whole thing! Minyan captures the living practice of active communal spirituality in Judaism. Together, we foster a deeper bond between us as otherwise isolated individuals, together with our Emunah(Faith) in Hashem….and in turn, His Presence reciprocates.

Dear friends….our prayers are strongest when we are together. Together, we form our holy Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda community, and we are greater when joined. The more of us, the better.

Family and Community are two of the most important things that have historically most protected humankind from the adversities of life, and most nourished the souls of the children of Adam. We Jews with G-d’s Torah, have been particularly known as a holy guiding light to our fellow humans in this matter, and now things have changed for the worse…. Community is horribly lacking in our modern world, especially since the pandemic crushed so many lives, and so many faith communities. Now, more than ever, forces that are openly antagonistic to both family and community, are so pervasive throughout entertainment, social media and advertising. Friends, our souls are starving for community! We are right here, and we need you. Much more than this: We need each other. I emphasize, dear friends: You are not only wanted at minyan, but you are needed, and you need us! We need each other now, more than ever, through all of the “Joys and Oys” of Life.

I leave you with a thought from the great Rabbi Nachman of Breslov – He famously encouraged others to practice all of the mitzvot, even in cases in which one personally struggles with correctly performing a particular mitzvah! How different this idea is from our modern way of thinking! This is directly contrary to modern “cancel culture”. In modern social media, venemous trolls eagerly await to point fingers at religious people who err. As Jews, Hashem asks a lot from us, but it was never meant to be a solitary burden to bear…..we joyfully help each other; we encourage each other to greater heights that we ourselves may not have yet achieved, and we do it all “B’simcha”...with great inner joy. Even when we ourselves struggle, it’s not seen as hypocritical to actively encourage our fellow Jews to do Mitzvot!  What a joy it is to see our neighbors ascend to higher spiritual levels!

Friends, let us follow in the holy practices of our ancestors, and continue to be there for each other, through all of the “Joys” and “Oys” of life. I look forward to seeing you at minyan. Know that every time you are there, your extra neshama is a precious jewel, that elevates our prayers in ways that we can barely conceive. 

Shanah tovah umetukah…May you all have a happy and sweet new year, and may you be signed and sealed in the Book of Life,

Cantor Ron Donenfeld