Berakhot 21b
ברכות כ״א ב — ד"ה וְכֵן אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה
Berakhot 21b:4
This sugya discusses communal prayer and the special sanctity of public worship, forming a basis for minyan requirements.
וְכֵן אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין הַיָּחִיד אוֹמֵר ״קְדוּשָּׁה״ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, כׇּל דָּבָר שֶׁבִּקְדוּשָּׁה לֹא יְהֵא פָּחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה. מַאי מַשְׁמַע? דְּתָנֵי רַבְנַאי אֲחוּהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא: אָתְיָא ״תּוֹךְ״ ״תּוֹךְ״. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״הִבָּדְלוּ מִתּוֹךְ הָעֵדָה הַזֹּאת״, מָה לְהַלָּן עֲשָׂרָה. אַף כָּאן עֲשָׂרָה. וּדְכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא מִיהַת מִפְסָק לָא פָּסֵיק.
Similarly, Rav Adda bar Ahava stated, in accordance with the second opinion: From where is it derived that an individual may not recite kedusha alone? As it is stated: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32), any expression of sanctity may not be recited in a quorum of fewer than ten men. The Gemara asks: How is this inferred from that verse? The Gemara responds: This must be understood in light of a baraita, which was taught by Rabbenai, the brother of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: It is inferred by means of a verbal analogy [gezera shava] between the words among, among. Here it is written: “And I shall be hallowed among the children of Israel,” and there, regarding Korah’s congregation, it is written “Separate yourselves from among this congregation” (Numbers 16:21). Just as there among connotes ten, so too here, among connotes ten. The connotation of ten associated with the word among written in the portion of Korah is, in turn, derived by means of another verbal analogy between the word congregation written there and the word congregation written in reference to the ten spies who slandered Eretz Yisrael: “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation?” (Numbers 14:27). Consequently, among the congregation there must be at least ten. And, in any case, everyone agrees that one may not interrupt his prayer in order to respond to kedusha.