* Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
This is one of my favorite stories: In a small town there lived only ten Jewish families, and among them there were exactly ten adult men. Every single day, all of them would come together to pray the morning prayer service so there would be a minyan — that is, a quorum of ten worshippers.
Because of this great sense of commitment, even someone who felt tired or weak would always overcome his frail condition and come to pray. Each person understood that everything depended on him, that without him there would be no minyan.
One day, a festive celebration was held: another Jewish family had moved into the town! Yet the very next morning, a minyan of men did not appear for the morning prayer.
Each individual felt a little less responsible for coming to pray, thinking there would still be a minyan without him thanks to the other ten men.
This week’s Torah portion, Bamidbar, opens with a comprehensive census in which the people of Israel are counted, and each tribe is given its unique role and mission.
Our commentators explain: Even in large groups, and even within an entire nation, every individual has a place and a purpose. Each person matters. And just like in that Jewish town, each person must internalize that the whole cannot function without his or her unique contribution.
You are always the “tenth person for the minyan” — and you are always needed.
