Taking part in mind and body.
A minyan is not a sacrament, nor is it a metaphor. It's a very real gathering of at least ten persons, and if enough people to make up the group haven't come together, certain prayers can't be said. Certain defining characteristics of the participating members are necessary, depending on the religious orientation of the minyan itself. In a minyan, however, all that's really needed is ten bodies. A tenth person can make or break a minyan, but he can be dreaming about dinner, oblivious to the prayers, and still fulfill his role. So if in body but not in mind is possible, why not in mind but not in body?
Numerous attempts have been made to give an answer to this question, which seems to be asked without much expectation of a definitive answer. Still, a number of references to the subject can be found on the web. I've intended to approach an "expert" on the subject, but haven't done so yet. The answers on the web run from the negative (see here as well), to what claims to be a working example. I'll offer the following scenario as a basis for dealing with the question.
Shlomo is stationed in Northern Alaska, collecting material for his doctorate. He receives word that his father has died suddenly. For at least a couple of weeks he cannot get on a plane to return home. Though he is ordinarily not very traditional, he wants to say kaddish. Where he is stationed his chances of finding ten other Jews for a minyan are close to nil. Can he, under these circumstances, invite a group of ten Jews, either personal friends or simply through a public invitation, to join him in a private chat room at an allocated time in order to comprise a minyan and thus permit him to say kaddish?
Readers are invited to express their opinions on this matter.
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