Prayer

About a year and a half ago I started operating a minyan in my house on Shabbat and Yom Tov because I had to say kaddish and I am too disabled to walk to shul. At first, around 25 men were coming. A few women came too, necessitating that I put up a mechitza and create a small women’s section. I have continued this minyan even though ‏I no longer need to recite kaddish. My minyan has mostly shrunk as most of the original attendees lost interest, but at the same time, I have gained a few newcomers who have helped keep it alive. Among the recent newcomers is an older couple who have been lifelong conservative Jews who are accustomed to sitting together. Whenever they come, they pull two chairs to the back of the room and sit side by side behind the mechitza area. This couple has ignored me telling them about the mechitza. I fear if I chide them for this behavior, I risk losing him from this minyan in which every male who attends matters toward its existence. If this couple is skirting the mechitza, can I count the man toward a minyan? Can he be given an aliyah? Or should I tell them not to return, which would be detrimental to the minyan?

Dear Gateways Rabbi, What is so important about the prayer of saying the “Shema Yisrael”? Thanks

Shalom! As in the case of a hurricane hitting FL, why pray? Is it so we feel closer to Hashem? We as individuals can't do anything about it, but G-d can if He wills it. Why not let Him handle it without our trying to micro-manage it ourselves? What is gained by prayer? Are we showing off to others? To G-d? To ourselves? Is the alternative to sit by with our faith and know G-d does what's best? If so then....why pray? Just have faith? Not that there is anything wrong with "just" having faith. I feel led to pray about this hurricane and I may say a prayer of protection or me shebeirach which is really for the already ill, but why pray at all? We're partners with G-d? Is that maybe part of the reason we pray in such times? Thanks! gut yontiff, Jeffrey Kahn Fayetteville, NC