Shelach Lecha and Counting Nine for a Minyan

(26) And the LORD answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” (27) Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Lord, I who am but dust and ashes: (28) What if the fifty innocent should lack five? Will You destroy the whole city for want of the five?” And He answered, “I will not destroy if I find forty-five there.” ... And he said, “Let not my Lord be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” And He answered, “I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.” (33) When the LORD had finished speaking to Abraham, He departed; and Abraham returned to his place.

(5) As soon as Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he said to his sons: Get you down thither, and buy for us from them, etc. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down (ibid. 42:2–3). Why did all ten go? Because in that number resides the power to set aside retribution.⁴Because ten comprise a minyan and so they could beseech God as a congregation. For example, when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to destroy Sodom, our patriarch Abraham pleaded for heavenly mercy in their behalf. He spoke first of fifty men, but finally reduced the number to ten, as it is said: Peradventure ten shall be found there (ibid. 18:31). Ten men also comprise a congregation, as is said: How long shall I bear with this evil congregation (Num. 14:27), and God standeth in the congregation of God (Ps. 82:1). Hence Scripture states: Joseph’s ten brethren went down (Gen. 42:3).

And similarly said Rab Adda b. Ahabah : Whence is it that the individual does not say the "Sanctification"? As it is said, "But I will be hallowed among the children of Israel" (Lev. xxii. 32) — i.e. anything which comes under the heading of "Sanctification" cannot be without a minimum of ten. How is this implied? As Rabbanai, the brother of R. Hiyya b. Abba, taught : We draw an analogy from the occurrence of the word "among[7]." It is written here, "But I will be hallowed among the children of Israel" and it is written elsewhere "Separate yourselves from among this congregation" (Num. xvi. 21). As in the latter circumstance there were ten[8], so here also there must be ten.

The prayer of a community is always heard, and even if there are sinners [amongst them], Hashem does not reject the prayers of the many. Therefore, it is necessary for a person to join with a congregation and not to pray alone whenever he is able to pray with a community.

One should always spend the early morning and evening [hours] in the synagogue, for prayer will not be heard at all times except [when recited] in the synagogue.

Anyone who has a synagogue in his city and does not pray [together] with the congregation is called a bad neighbour.

Rabbi Chalafta [ben Dosa] of Kfar Chananiah says:

Ten who are sitting together and engaging in Torah, the Divine Presence rests among them, as it is said (Psalms 82:1): “God stands in the congregation of God.”

It was taught: They may count in a minor or a Torah scroll [with nine adults to reach the quorum of ten]. Said R. Yudan, “The correct version of the teaching is: They may count in a minor [with six adults to count as one of the seven who read from] the Torah scroll.”

Some permit the recital of devarim she’be’kedusha [meaning kaddish, borchu, kedusha, reading of the Torah, etc.] when there are nine adults and one minor who is older than six years and understands to Whom we pray. However, this opinion is not accepted by the greatest of the authorities. Rema: Even with a chumash in his hand he doesn't make up the minyan, nonetheless there are those who are lenient at an urgent time.