By Jewish Press
Praying in a minyan on an airplane is forbidden if it robs others passengers of their sleep or interferes with the duties of stewards and stewardesses, ruled newly elected Chief Sephardi Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, son of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Replying to a congratulatory letter from El Al CEO Eliezer Shkedy on the election of the rabbi to his new post, he wrote, “If there is going to be any interference with other passengers or aircraft crew, one should not organize a minyan but should pray alone.”
The rabbi also cautioned that praying in a minyan violates Jewish law if it robs others of sleep. He added that he usually prays alone when flying.
The true Lubavitch response! Thank you!
one fellow on the plane cited a similar ‘psak’ from a different Rav and said that he wouldn’t join the minyan because of chilul Hashem. My husband gently pointed out that if both the chief steward and the pilot gave permission, then on the contrary, it makes a kiddush Hashem. The man joined the minyan.
I think the main thing is (paraphrasing from the introductory part of daavening): ‘l’olam yehu adam’ -ALWAYS BE A MENTCH!!!
Very inspiring!!!! Thanx for sharing!!! You show everyone how to do it;-)
Perhaps arrangemements can be made with airlines to designate a section for ‘Minyan’. I book a flight, choose ‘Minyan’ , and select a seat in the Minyan section, and voila, it minimizes the problem.
That is just hashgacha protis.Well done.
Not taking a side but the rabbanut aren’t poskim and certainly for a Chabad this is a question for Rabbi Osdoba, the Note Gavriel, etc.
very inspiring…glad i read your post.
that’s so beautiful and a true kiddush Hashem. Thanks for sharing
Last week. my husband flew on a 13 hour flight to be sandek at our grandson’s bris. Although he is saying Kaddish, he figured that he’ll have to miss mincha and maariv with a minyan and just daaven by himself.(There are other brothers saying kaddish). When he got to the plane, he discovered over a minyan of frum men were taking the same flight. He asked the steward politely if he can be allowed to make two prayer meetings to say a prayer for his mother who passed away. The steward, who turned out to be Jewish, was very helpful.… Read more »
if one is on travelling .. he/she can organise some one else to say it back home in their absence .
If one is that concerned then dont travel !
I heard this psak several years ago from a posek. I also heard of different rabbonim that daven with a minyan when they go to Eretz Yisroel. I think that it’s better to daven in your seat without a minyan. However, in certain circumstances you can daven with a minyan in back of the plane where it doesn’t disturb anyone (some planes have a galley in the back, so you can ask the flight attendants if its ok to daven there). I personally was on a plane where they had minyanim in the aisles and it really disturbed the stewardesses… Read more »
i think always daaven with a minyan and of course respectfully
its okay to have mesiras nefesh
BS”D
but what if a fellow needs a Minyan to say kaddish
…in all situations? What if someone is saying Kaddish?
if someone who ALWAYS daven with a minyan says this, i respect him. If someone who usually does not davens with a minyan says this, i despise him.
I don’t see the contradiction. One can daven with a Minyan and be a mench at the same time.
Talk to the people around where you plan to make the minyan. Don’t daven when everyone is sleeping. Don’t block them from viewing general entertainment. Don’t black to flight staff from serving meals etc…
You can and should be frum and be a 1000% mentch at the same time. It’s one and the same!!!
This is not the case when one is in a spiritual slumber then we must awaken them and daven together.
I have been on many flights where acess to seats / aisles / restrooms have been blocked by minyanim and I always suspected in was not in the spirit of the law.
I always Daven alone as not to disturb other people… Haven’t done the minyan thing in years…
I heard the same p’sak years ago in the name of HaRav Wosner