17 Jan IS A MINYAN FACTORY KOSHER?

I. One Shul, Multiple
Minyanim
It is now common
for some shuls to hold
multiple minyanim at
different times. The most
active are open nearly
24 hours a day, holding
morning services every
half hour, alternating rooms so there is no
overlap, and afternoon and evening services
every fifteen minutes. Colloquially, they are
called minyan factories. Even those shuls
with only three or four morning, afternoon
and evening services might be called minyan
factories also. Setting aside questions about
the proper times for the different minyanim,
there is another, more basic question to
address. Is it permissible to hold more than
one minyan in a shul?
Rav Yehudah Mintz (15th cen., Italy;
Responsa Mahari Mintz, no. 15) was asked
whether after one minyan service is finished,
another minyan can start for newcomers in
the same shul. The questioner offered three
possible reasons why it might not be allowed.
First, it might seem that people are praying
to two different g-ds. The first service is to
one g-d and the second service is to another.
This was a particular concern in Babylonia,
the home of the Talmud, where Manichaeans
believed in a form of dualism. We still retain

some practices from that time when there was
a real concern not to imply that we believe
in dualism. For example, the Mishnah
and Gemara (Berachos 33b) forbid saying
“Modim Modim” or “Shema Shema.” For this
reason, it is improper to sing religious songs
that repeat G-d’s name (such as “Ribbono
Shel Olam, Ribbono Shel Olam”). Does this
also apply to two minyanim in one shul?
Second, the questioner asked whether this
violates the prohibition of “lo sisgodedu”?
The Gemara (Yevamos 13b) interprets this
to mean that we may not split into different
factions. Does holding two prayer services
constitute a forbidden split in the community?
Third, does it constitute adding to the Torah?
Since daily prayer corresponds to the daily
tamid sacrifice in the Temple, does holding
two prayer services in one synagogue equate
to offering two morning tamid sacrifices in
the Temple, which is forbidden?
II. In Defense of Minyan Factories
Rav Mintz replies that two minyanim
are allowed, with one condition. As to the
possible prohibitions, Rav Mintz explains
that there is no concern with appearing to
embrace dualism. The Gemara (Berachos
50a) considers guests of the exilarch who
would recite the grace after meals in groups
of three. Why not in groups of ten, which is
preferable? Because the exilarch might notice

groups that large and get upset that they were
leaving the meal early. The Gemara seems
unconcerned with the problem of dualism
if two or more groups recited blessings at
the same time. It also seems unconcerned
with the problem of splitting into different
factions. It is merely a temporary split for
convenience, nothing more.
And finally, as long as different people
are praying, it is not considered like a new
tamid sacrifice. There is ample precedent for
individuals who overslept or just arrived in
town to come to shul after the service is over
and pray privately. Why not another minyan?
However, Rav Mintz adds, the shali’ach
tzibbur who leads the second service should
not stand in the same place as the shali’ach
tzibbur for the first service. Doing so implies
that there was something wrong with the first
service that necessitates this second minyan.
Rather, the shali’ach tzibbur for the second
minyan must stand somewhere else.
Significantly, Rav Moshe Isserles (16th
cen., Poland) quotes this ruling in his gloss
to Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 69:1) but
says that it only applies if people from the
first minyan are still in shul. If they have
all left, then there is no concern that people
might think the first prayer was defective and
requires repetition.
III. The Problem of Multiple Torah
Readings
Rav Avraham Gombiner (17th cen.,
Poland; Magen Avraham 69:9) quotes
Rav Shmuel Kalai (16th cen., Greece;
Responsa Mishpetei Shmuel, no. 3) as
saying that a second minyan may not use
the same Torah scroll as the first. It makes
it seem like there was a problem with the
Torah scroll the first time it was used so
they had to remove it again, fix it and then
read from it.
Rav Yechezkel Landau (18th cen.,
Austria; Responsa Noda Bi-Yehudah,
second rescension, Orach Chaim 15) was
asked by the new rabbi of Triebitz about
the practice in his shul. After Shabbos
morning services are finished, some
individuals take out the Torah scroll again
and re-read the Torah portion. He was
concerned that this violates the rulings of
Mahari Mintz and Rav Shmuel Kalai. Rav
Landau responds that, in the synagogue
in his home in Prague, he personally has
two services on Shabbos. First the regular
minyan and, after it finishes, a youth
minyan. Rav Landau points out that Rav
Shmuel Kalai was not advocating a strict
stance prohibiting the use of a Torah scroll
twice. Rather, he was justifying the custom
in his city of prohibiting it. His language
betrays a lack of confidence in the custom
but he tries to uphold it with a reason.
There is no implication that others should
adopt this custom. With this, Rav Landau
effectively dismisses Rav Gombiner’s
ruling in Magen Avraham.

IV. Scheduled Minyanim
Rav Landau explains that Mahari Mintz’s
ruling has no real basis in the Talmud and
codes. However, we can’t simply ignore
Mahari Mintz or Rema, who quotes him.
He suggests that Mahari Mintz was only
discussing an ad hoc second minyan. In such
a case, the shali’ach tzibbur should stand
in a different place so as not to imply there
was something wrong with the first minyan.
However, this is not necessary for a regularly
scheduled second minyan. Everyone
knows why people are praying later and the
existence of this second minyan does not
imply anything negative about the previous
minyan.
Indeed, Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai
(Chida, 18th cen., Israel; Birkei Yosef, Orach
Chaim 69:4) says that the custom in Egypt in
his day was to take a Torah scroll out even
three times for different minyanim, contrary
to the custom described by Rav Kalai. Rav
Yosef Shaul Nathanson and Rav Mordechai
Zev Itinga (19th cen., Ukraine; Magen
Giborim, Shiltei Ha-Giborim 69:2) reach the
same conclusion as Rav Landau. Rav Yisrael
Meir Kagan (20th cen., Poland; Mishnah
Berurah 69:18) follows them, as well.
In the end, if a shul plans multiple
consecutive minyanim, they can proceed in
the normal way. The shali’ach tzibbur can
stand in the regular place and the same Torah
scroll can be used. If there is an unscheduled
second minyan, there might be some
restrictions on where the shali’ach tzibbur
stands. Often, when there is a bar mitzvah in
a shul, the family might want to pray minchah
immediately after lunch. This minyan is not
scheduled but it also comes before, and not
after, the scheduled minyan. Therefore,
presumably, none of these restrictions apply.