Rosh Yeshiva Responds
Rabbi Linzer answers halakhic questions from rabbis and community members

12 06, 2023

Early Ma’ariv on Motzei Yom Tov When it Will be Difficult to Get a Minyan at a Later Time

June 12th, 2023|Minyan, Orach Chayim, Shacharit, Mincha and Ma'ariv, Shema and Shemoneh Esrei, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Boston, MA

I daven in a backyard minyan that typically only meets on Friday nights. We also gather for Yom Tov Mincha-Ma’ariv. Often on motzei yom tov we cannot keep a minyan for Ma’ariv as some men don’t want to wait and end up leaving after Mincha.

Would it be permissible to daven Ma’ariv early betzibur? (The Beit Yosef OC 293 says it’s ok for a yachid when there’s tzorekh, but I believe it is clear that this would apply for a tzibur. As well, I wonder if whether or not losing a

23 04, 2023

Counting a Security Person in Another Room as the Tenth for a Minyan

April 23rd, 2023|Minyan, Orach Chayim, Synagogue, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Houston, TX

We pray out of the JCC and are required to have a security person at the door when the building is otherwise closed, which includes Shabbat. For financial reasons, we use rotating volunteers, but sometimes, like for Mincha, we have ten men, and only ten men. Other times, there are ten men, as well as women, but the optics of making it be a woman are rough. The security person can just barely see into the shul room from

16 08, 2022

Tenth Man for Minyan Outside

August 16th, 2022|Minyan, Orach Chayim, Shulchan Arukh, Tefillah|

QUESTION

Rhode Island

We are required to have a security person at the door when the building we daven at is otherwise closed (on Shabbat). For financial reasons, we use rotating volunteers, but sometimes, like for Mincha, we have only ten men. The security person can just barely see into the shul room from the back door of the room where we daven. The last person in the room can barely see them. Can that security person be the tenth, bedieved or lekhatchilah?

ANSWER

Shulchan Arukh (OC 55:14) rules that a tziruf for minyan can be achieved even if a person is outside