Tefilla b'Tzibur Outside

Q. In our group, five men daven on the deck and five men daven on the lawn below. The two groups can see each other. Is this considered tefilla b’tzibur?

A. Ordinarily, two groups of five men in separate rooms do not combine to form a minyan. What is the status if the two groups see each other? The Mishnah Berurah (55:57) notes that this case is a machlokes haposkim (rabbinic dispute). On the one hand, the Rashba writes that perhaps we can equate forming a minyan for davening to establishing a group for zimun, where seeing each other unites the individuals. However, the Vilna Ga’on (Beiur Ha’Gra 55:31) disagrees with the Rashba, and maintains that creating a minyan is not analogous to forming a zimun. Many poskim agree with the Vilna Gaon. The Mishnah Berurah concludes that lechatchila one should be strict, and the two groups should daven in one area, but if there is a pressing need, one can be lenient if they see each other. Rav Schachter felt that this leniency should not be relied on to allow chazaras ha’shatz, which would be a bracha levatala according to the Vilna Goan. However, Minchas Asher (Teshuvos on Corona - Siman 18) and Rabbi Yitzchak Zylberstein (Teshuvos on Corona - Siman 24) follow the ruling of the Mishnah Berurah. Individuals should consult with their local rabbi.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.