The opening verse of our Torah portion, Vayak’hel tells us that Moses brought the entire congregation of Israel together to tell them God’s commandments. Why is it so important that Moses brought everyone together? What strength do we have in being one unit and what place does an individual have among the masses?

Abba Kovner* was a member of the HaShomer HaTa’ir youth movement in pre-war Europe and was a leader of the partisans during the Holocaust. He provided an answer to these questions.

  “…The first week after I arrived in Israel, I went to the Western Wall. When I was just a few steps away from the stones, I felt that I did not belong, that I am a part of another reality. I stood still, not wanting to get any closer. But then someone tugged at my sleeve and asked me to be the tenth in their minyan. I put on a hat and joined in the Mincha, afternoon prayers. Now I feel I had arrived.”

Being part of a minyan is a very Jewish thing, one of the more unique features of Judaism: to know that the nine need the tenth and the tenth needs the other nine. Perhaps this is the core of Judaism and nothing…is more special or Jewish than it. My prayer and hope is always to be one of a group, that my good words will join with the utterances of the other Jews. Even if the person who leads the prayers only has the weight of one person and no more, just one member of the entire congregation.

* More info on Abba Kovner: http://www.jewishpartisans.org/partisans/abba-kovner