Minyan Man

Today’s post is inspired by the song of the week, Minyan Man. Please take a listen :) It’s a song I recall fondly from my youth in the 80’s. Lots of nostalgia with this one. It’s about the power and importance of ten Jewish men coming together to pray in a “minyan” or quorum in English (Latin?). Jews can and do pray individually but there are certain prayers and rituals, such as saying Kaddish to honor the dead, that require the gathering of ten men. I love how this directive is so intelligently designed to bring community together. Jews have always existed in community and how we gather to pray is essential to the heartbeat of any Jewish group. We live near synagogues, making sure to raise our families in these ancient laws and traditions so that we can perpetuate and continue our religion, culture, and heritage. The minyan is one of the most essential parts to daily Jewish life. When someone is saying Kaddish for one who has died, they need a minyan three specific times a day (in orthodox tradition) for 11 months. This is not easy to accomplish before you even factor in traveling to cities that might be short on Jews, being on an airplane during prayer time, being at work, etc. It’s not often easy to make a minyan which is one of the reasons it’s such a precious thing. When my ex husband was saying Kaddish for his mother it was a massively exhaustive challenge to gather 10 men together on a constant basis, and that’s with us being fortunate enough to live near several vibrant synagogues.
When I think about the countless Jewish communities throughout history who have been completely wiped out it shatters my heart. Communities all over the world that were once bursting with Jewish life and can no longer scrape together 10 Jewish men to build a minyan. I cry when I think about it. So much loss, suffering, and torture to be able to express one’s religious and spiritual beliefs. Of course this isn’t unique to Jews and it’s a form of maniacal control on the part of the persecutors I fortunately cannot comprehend. What it must have been like to try to gather a minyan in a concentration camp, or in Spain during the insane brutality of the Spanish Inquisition. Jews have prayed in hiding throughout our history, risking their lives to fulfill the mitzvah/commandment of praying in community. It’s no small thing, in fact it’s a tremendous contribution on the part of a Jewish male after they turn 13 and reach the age of bar mitzvah. This was part of my speech to my son last week as our family celebrated his milestone bar mitzvah. In Judaism 13 year old males are considered men in that they are now tasked to take on the commandments and responsibilities of the religion. My 13 year old 7th grader a man? For a million reasons I’m not buying it. BUT, as I said to him from our synagogue podium in front of 350 people, you are indeed a minyan man. He can and must contribute to the precious mitzvah of being counted in a minyan. It’s vital to our survival, it keeps us in relationship with our brethren, and it’s our heritage that has been transmitted and upheld through generations by our ancestors, often in perilous situations. What an honor it is to support someone praying for a deceased beloved with the holy Kaddish. It’s so important to be part of the team and to know your value as an individual. My message to my son was this: you matter, the collective matters, and each of us is so important, impactful, and necessary. How we show up for each other is everything. I told him I hope he travels all over this great world as much as he wants and that wherever he goes he should find the synagogue, find his fellow Jews, and offer his beautiful, strong presence for a minyan. Our presence is our purest offering. When we are sure of how much we matter and what we can contribute then we see life from a large, clear, generous place. Mazal tov to my baby, one of the newest Minyan Men in the Jewish nation. May he nurture and use his newfound responsibilities for the good of all, wherever life takes him. May I do the same.