Minyans

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collective term for members of a Jewish congregation that must include at least ten individuals for specific religious obligations to be fulfilled
2. Referring to a quorum necessary for certain Jewish prayers and rituals, traditionally consisting of ten adult Jews
3. Denoting a group required for communal worship in Judaism, emphasizing the importance of collective participation in faith practices

Etymology: Minyan comes from Hebrew "minyán," meaning "number" or "count," and the word carries that sense of simple arithmetic into religious life. In Jewish law, prayer with a community requires a quorum of ten adult men, and the word names that group itself. The count is the point: the group is defined by how many people are present, not by who they are. "Minyans" is simply the plural, referring to several such groups gathered for worship, often in different rooms of a synagogue or in separate congregations within the same city.