Rhiannon Hendricks
In Judaism, a minyan is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and above may constitute a minyan. The presence of a minyan is required for a Jewish wedding, as it is considered a public pronouncement of the blessings. The minyan also symbolises the integration of the couple into the Jewish community, as represented by the community of ten. The requirement for a minyan at weddings is not absolute, and there are historical and modern examples of weddings without a minyan, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, when virtual minyans were considered.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. |
| Religious Obligations | The seven wedding blessings (Sheva Berachot), reciting the priestly blessing (Birkat Kohanim), and saying the prayer for escaping a dangerous situation (Birkat HaGomel). |
| Participants | Only adult Jews can be counted in a minyan. In more traditional streams of Judaism, only men 13 and older may constitute a minyan. |
| Exceptions | During the COVID-19 pandemic, some rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible if the men could see each other. |
| History | The requirement for a minyan at weddings evolved gradually to prevent "doubtful" marriages resulting from boyish pranks or blackmail attempts. |
| Symbolism | The minyan symbolizes the integration of the couple into the Jewish community and the cosmic significance of their union before God. |
| Betrothal | In Talmudic times, betrothals did not require a minyan, but they did need an ordained rabbi to prevent "doubtful" marriages. |
| Enactments | Communities have attempted to issue enactments that render weddings without a minyan invalid, and witnesses of such weddings may be excommunicated. |
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What You'll Learn
- A minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish men required for certain religious obligations
- Women have been historically excluded from minyans, but this has been challenged in recent times
- The presence of a minyan is required for the seven wedding blessings
- A minyan is not required for a wedding to be valid, but it is desirable
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible
A minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish men required for certain religious obligations
In Judaism, a minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and above may constitute a minyan. The requirement for a quorum of ten men at a wedding is based on the need for a representative "community of Israel" for liturgical purposes.
The presence of a minyan at a Jewish wedding is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures that the wedding is witnessed by a community, symbolizing the integration of the couple into the Jewish community. Secondly, it signifies that the marriage is celebrated before God and has cosmic significance. Thirdly, the presence of a minyan is necessary for the recitation of the seven wedding blessings, or Sheva Berachot, which are repeated on each of the seven days following the wedding. These blessings require a minyan, except for the last blessing, asher bara, which can be recited in the presence of at least three people.
The requirement for a minyan at a Jewish wedding has evolved over time. In Talmudic times, when betrothals and nuptials were separate ceremonies, there was no stated need for a minyan. However, due to the loose structure, there were instances of "doubtful" marriages, which led to the requirement of a minyan for the public pronouncement of blessings and the reading of the ketubah.
While the majority of poskim hold that only males over the age of thirteen may constitute a minyan, there is some debate on whether minors can be included. Rabbeinu Tam states that a minor can act as the tenth person, while the Baal Ha-Maor allows for up to four minors. On the other hand, the Ri and the Shulchan Aruch maintain that a minor can never be counted in a minyan.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of whether a virtual minyan convened over video conference would be considered valid arose. Some rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible, while others held that there needed to be ten men physically present together, with others joining virtually.
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Women have been historically excluded from minyans, but this has been challenged in recent times
In Judaism, a minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Judaism, only men over the age of thirteen may constitute a minyan. The minyan is required for the public reading of the Torah and the recitation of prayers deemed "davar sheb'kedusha" (holy).
Women have historically been excluded from minyans. The Babylonian Talmud, which contains the earliest concept of a quorum for public prayers, does not specify that the ten individuals must be men. However, the Shulchan Aruch of Joseph Caro in 1565 added the word "men", explicitly excluding women from the minyan. Over time, various arguments have been put forward to justify the exclusion of women, including the honour of men and God, the modesty of women, and the equality of obligation to mitzvot.
However, in recent times, this exclusion has been challenged. The proposal to count women in the minyan is over 700 years old, and the Reform and Conservative movements have long counted women into the minyan, based on egalitarian principles or the expectation that women take on the same religious obligations as men. Women's prayer groups have played a vital role in encouraging women to challenge their exclusion from Orthodox prayer, creating safe spaces for women to actively participate in prayer. In modern times, the enhanced role of women in society and their demand for inclusion in all areas of religious life have brought the issue of their participation in the minyan to the fore.
Several groups have emerged to advocate for the inclusion of women in Orthodox prayer. For example, the Leader Minyan, in which women read from the Torah and led parts of the service, met monthly in Jerusalem. In 2002, Orthodox feminists in New York and Jerusalem created new Orthodox congregations based on a model that seeks to maximize women's participation in services without segregating them in a separate room. Women are now allowed to lead certain parts of services that do not require a minyan and to take on non-ritualistic leadership roles, such as giving sermons and serving as synagogue presidents.
While the inclusion of women in minyans has gained momentum in recent times, it is important to note that there is still resistance to this change. The majority of authorities continue to reject the idea of counting women in the minyan, even when there is no other minyan available in a city.
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The presence of a minyan is required for the seven wedding blessings
In Judaism, a minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and older may constitute a minyan. The presence of a minyan is required for the seven wedding blessings, also known as Sheva Brachot or Sheva Berachot.
The requirement for a minyan at a wedding evolved gradually. Historically, nuptials and betrothal were two distinct ceremonies, with betrothals often held informally at home without an ordained rabbi or a minyan. However, due to the occurrence of “doubtful” marriages resulting from pranks or blackmail, responsa were written to protect the "daughters of Israel". As a result, betrothals began to require an ordained rabbi and a minyan for the public pronouncement of blessings.
The presence of a minyan at a wedding is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it symbolises that a wedding is not just a celebration of the establishment of interpersonal relationships but also an announcement to the world, represented by the community of ten, that a special relationship is being formed. Secondly, it underscores the idea that Jewish marriage must be integrated into the Jewish community. Finally, it declares that the marriage is celebrated before God, giving it cosmic significance and affirming that God's will will be realised through the union.
The seven wedding blessings, or Sheva Brachot, are recited on each of the seven days following the wedding and require the presence of a minyan. If there is no minyan, only the last blessing, known as asher bara or asher barah, may be recited, but this still requires at least three people. The last blessing may not be recited under the chuppah, as the seven blessings must be treated as a single unit at that time.
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A minyan is not required for a wedding to be valid, but it is desirable
In Jewish weddings, a minyan is not a requirement for a valid marriage, but it is considered desirable. A minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and above can constitute a minyan.
The presence of a minyan at a wedding is associated with several symbolic meanings. Firstly, it signifies that the wedding is not merely a celebration but also a declaration to the world, represented by the community of ten, that a special relationship is being formed. This relationship will redefine the expectations of other men and women towards the couple in their future relationships. Secondly, it underscores the idea that a Jewish marriage must be integrated into the Jewish community, as symbolised by the minyan. Finally, it asserts that the marriage is celebrated before God and that the union has cosmic significance.
The requirement for a minyan at weddings evolved gradually. In Talmudic times, nuptials and betrothals were distinct ceremonies, with the former being emphasised. Betrothals were often held informally at home without an ordained rabbi or a minyan. However, due to the loose structure, many "doubtful" marriages resulted from pranks or blackmail attempts. To address this issue, responsa were written to protect the daughters of Israel from being treated as unprotected property. As a result, betrothals began to require an ordained rabbi, and while not mandatory, a minyan was considered desirable for the public pronouncement of blessings.
While a minyan is not compulsory for a valid wedding, its presence is necessary for specific rituals and blessings during the ceremony and the subsequent days. The seven wedding blessings, or Sheva Berachot, recited during the wedding and repeated on each of the seven days following it, require a minyan. If there is no minyan, only the last blessing, asher bara, may be recited, and even this blessing requires at least three people. The need for a quorum during these ceremonies is somewhat unusual, as the nuptials are not considered prayers of sanctity.
In conclusion, while a minyan is not essential for a Jewish wedding to be valid, its presence holds symbolic significance and is desirable for the full recitation of blessings.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible
In Judaism, a minyan is a quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and above may constitute a minyan. The presence of a minyan is required for the blessings of the nuptials at a Jewish wedding.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, social restrictions and crowd-size limits posed challenges for couples planning to get married. To address these challenges, rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible. Wedding businesses had to adapt to meet the needs of their clients, offering virtual services such as live-streamed ceremonies, virtual venue tours, and online ordering and delivery options for wedding-related services. Couples who chose to proceed with their weddings during this time had to be creative, with some opting for outdoor ceremonies, wearing masks, or having drive-by celebrations.
The ruling on virtual minyans during the COVID-19 pandemic was a temporary measure to navigate the unique circumstances brought about by the pandemic. It is important to note that the presence of a minyan holds significant meaning in a Jewish wedding. The community of ten symbolizes the integration of the couple into the Jewish community and represents the cosmic significance of their union before God.
While virtual minyans may have been permissible during the peak of the pandemic, it is essential to consult with a rabbi or religious authority for the most up-to-date guidance on the matter, as the situation may have evolved since the initial rulings.
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Frequently asked questions
In Judaism, a minyan is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations.
Yes, a minyan is required for a wedding. The blessings of the nuptials may not be recited if there is no minyan.
The minyan has its origin in the judicial structure of ancient Israel as Moses first established it in Exodus 18:25.
In more traditional streams of Judaism, only men aged 13 and older may constitute a minyan. However, there is some debate around whether women can be included.
Some rabbis ruled that virtual minyans were permissible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
