[Avodah] Street Minyanim

[Zev Sero]

A counter-point that I haven't seen discussed much, if at all: All the 
sources being discussed are about trying to join together people inside 
a building with people outside it, or even in another building.  But in 
our case everyone is outside, in one large outdoor space, and they can 
all see each other.

In the case where there are no mechitzos separating them it seems 
obvious to me that of course they *can* join together, because on what 
grounds would one say otherwise?  Just because the land they're standing 
on is owned by different people?!  They're all in the same place, just 
socially distanced.

Where there are mechitzos of 10 tefachim, there's no question that for 
hilchos eruvin we consider them separate places. But the question is 
where do we see that this matters for the purpose of tziruf minyan?  Who 
says that just because they're in different *reshuyos* they are 
therefore also in different *mekomos*?

And if we do say that, then even within a shul would we say that there 
must not be a mechitzas esser between the members of a minyan?  Are 
those standing on the bima, which is traditionally enclosed by a 
mechitzas esser, not counted in the minyan?!

In some shuls the rav stands in his own enclosure, which is both ten 
tefachim off the ground and also surrounded by a waist-high enclosure. 
There are shuls where the custom for some reason seems to be that on 
Friday nights the women sit in the main shul, separated from the men 
only by an aisle and no mechitzah.  I once asked the rav of such a shul 
how one can daven there and he told me that he considers his enclosure 
to be a mechitza, so he can daven, and that those sitting in the main 
shul, if they're halachically aware enough to be asking the question, 
should indeed not daven.  But it didn't occur to me to ask him whether 
he would therefore count himself in the minyan, or would require ten men 
besides him.

-- 
Zev Sero            Wishing everyone a *healthy* and happy summer
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper