Q&A: Kaddish with a Minyan
Kaddish with a Minyan
Question
Hello Rabbi,
My father passed away a year ago. In another week, the one-year memorial will take place. We are a relatively small family: two sons and a daughter. There is also our mother (the widow), and grandchildren, thank God.
Our question: is it permissible for us to say Kaddish in a gathering of 10 family members who are of bar/bat mitzvah age? That is, with 5 men over bar mitzvah age + 5 women over bat mitzvah age?
Otherwise, it requires us to bring in a “completion” for the minyan, probably kollel students from a nearby kollel who would come to answer Kaddish. It undermines the intimacy of the memorial, and in general, they have no connection to it.
Answer
In my opinion, it is possible, but the halakhic decisors do not agree.