Mesorat%20hashas for Megillah 4:3

אֵין פּוֹרְסִין אֶת שְׁמַע, וְאֵין עוֹבְרִין לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה, וְאֵין נוֹשְׂאִין אֶת כַּפֵּיהֶם, וְאֵין קוֹרִין בַּתּוֹרָה, וְאֵין מַפְטִירִין בַּנָּבִיא, וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין מַעֲמָד וּמוֹשָׁב, וְאֵין אוֹמְרִים בִּרְכַּת אֲבֵלִים וְתַנְחוּמֵי אֲבֵלִים וּבִרְכַּת חֲתָנִים, וְאֵין מְזַמְּנִין בַּשֵּׁם, פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה. וּבַקַּרְקָעוֹת, תִּשְׁעָה וְכֹהֵן. וְאָדָם, כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן:

(The following are not done with fewer than ten:) The Shema is not "parceled" (porsin) with fewer than ten. [If ten came to the house of prayer, after the congregation had recited the Shema, one (of them) rises and says "Kaddish," "Barchu," and the first blessing before the Shema. "porsin," from "p'rusah," half a thing, i.e., of the two blessings before the Shema, he says only one.], and they (the Cohanim) do not lift their hands [for the priestly blessing], and they do not read the Torah [(congregational reading)], and they do not read the haftarah (in Prophets), and they do not perform "standings and sittings" (over the dead), and they do not recite the mourners' blessing and the mourners' consolations and the grooms' blessing, and they do not say grace with His name (— with fewer than ten.) [All of these are not done with fewer than ten because it is written (Leviticus 22:32): "And I shall be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel" — Every matter of sanctity requires at least ten (participants). It is written here: "in the midst of the children of Israel," and, elsewhere (Numbers 16:21): "Separate yourselves from the midst of this congregation." Just as there, ten (there being no "congregation" fewer than ten), here, too, ten. ("and they do not perform 'standings and sittings'":) for the dead. When the dead were taken out to be buried, they would sit seven times in honor of the deceased and say at each interval of eulogy: "Rise, dear ones, rise; sit dear ones, sit." And this is not seemly with fewer than ten. ("the mourners' blessing":) the blessing in the open place (rechavah). They would recite a blessing for the consolers and a blessing for the mourners (Kethuvoth 8b). ("and the mourners' consolations":) They would stand in a row upon returning from the grave and console the mourners. And there is no row fewer than ten. ("and the grooms' blessing":) the seven blessings addressed to the groom. ("and they do not say grace, etc.":) Since "Let us bless our G-d" must be stated, this is not seemly with fewer than ten.] And with land [of hekdesh (consecrated to the Temple), if one wishes to redeem it], there must be nine and a Cohein, [i.e., ten, (at least) one of whom is a Cohein; for "Cohein" is written ten times in the section on valuations (Leviticus 27): three (times) in respect to dedications: three in respect to valuations, three in respect to beasts, and three in respect to land.]; and a man, like it [i.e., If a man dedicates his worth (to the Temple), he is assessed as a bondsman. And a bondsman is likened to land, viz. (Leviticus 25:46): "And you shall cause them to be inherited, etc." So that just as land requires ten (assessors), one of them a Cohein; so, a man.]

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