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Why does Jewish law derive the requirement for minyan from two groups of evil people - the spies and Korach's followers? The convoluted Talmudic derivation reveals that community isn't just about righteous people connecting personally. Even those who disagree can form a valid community when unified around a common purpose or value.
Rabbi Zweig explores one of the most puzzling derivations in Jewish law - how the requirement for a minyan of ten people is derived through a seemingly convoluted process involving two groups of evil people. The Talmud (תלמוד) connects the word 'edah' (community) from the story of the ten evil spies in Parshas Shelach to 'toch edah' (midst of community) in Parshas Korach, and then connects 'toch' (midst) to the verse about God's presence dwelling in the midst of the Jewish people. The shiur addresses two fundamental questions: Why this roundabout derivation instead of a direct connection? And why derive the holy concept of minyan specifically from wicked people? Rabbi Zweig explains that a minyan is not simply ten people praying individually in the same room, but rather a unified delegation representing the entire Jewish community. This is why every Shemoneh Esrei must be preceded by Kaddish or Borchu - prayers that cannot be said individually, thereby creating the unified entity necessary for communal prayer.
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Parshas Korach, Parshas Shelach
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