House Minyan on Friday Night

Question: We daven in someone’s house on Friday night for a few weeks during the summer. There was a debate as to whether we should be saying magen avos or not. Should we be saying it?

Answer: The Gemara (Shabbos 24b) teaches that Chazal instituted saying the beracha of me’ein sheva (magen avos) on Friday night because of safety. Rashi explains that the shuls were typically not situated in residential areas. Saying this tefilla ensured that anyone who came late had time to catch up so that everybody could leave together. The Vilna Gaon (OC 268:13) adds that one who missed the amida could listen to the chazan say the beracha of me’ein sheva instead.

Therefore, the Mordechai (Shabbos 284) and the Tur (OC 268:8 quoting the Raavya) write that one praying at home should not recite this beracha. The Beis Yosef (OC 268:8 quoting the Mordechai and the Ri) adds that one who does so has said a beracha levatala. The Rivash (40), Radbaz (1092) and Beis Yosef (OC 268:10) extend this to temporary minyanim. Thus, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 268:10) writes that a minyan that gathered for a shiva or a chassan would omit it. The Magen Avraham (268:14) writes that one should not criticize such a minyan that does say it. Nonetheless, the Pri Megadim (Mishbetzos Zahav 268:8) and Mishna Berura (268:25) write that if such a minyan recited it, they would be saying a beracha levatala.

There is a machlokes, however, about how to define a proper minyan in this regard (see Taz OC 268:8). The Elya Rabba (268:19) and the Mishna Berura (268:24) write that it must be a regular minyan, and there must be a Sefer Torah present. However, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:69) and R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 10:21) disagree, writing that one would say it in a regular minyan regardless.

The Ben Ish Chai (Vayera 2:10; Rav Pealim OC 3:23) and Kaf Hachaim (OC 268:50) write that there are Kabbalistic reasons for saying this beracha, and therefore one would even recite it in a one-off minyan (See Yabia Omer OC 2:29:7). R’ Zvi Pesach Frank (Har Tzvi OC 1:152) notes that this was the minhag in Yerushalayim.

In conclusion, many Sefardim recite me’ein sheva even when davening outside of a shul. Ashkenazim should only do so when davening in a shul or a regular minyan.