“Rabbi Yochanan said, ‘When the Creator comes to the synagogue and does not find there ten, He immediately becomes angry, as was said, ‘Why have I come and there is no man, I called and no one answered?’’” (Berachot 6b).
We should ask, 1) What should be done? Should people wait outside until ten have gathered, and then come into the synagogue? 2) Where is the proof in the verse that ten are required?
We should also understand what our sages said, “Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi said, ‘One who walks along the way without company should engage in Torah, as was said, ‘For they are a graceful accompaniment to your head’’” (Iruvin 54). We should understand what it means that we need company when we set out on the road, and that if one has no company, engaging in Torah will be as beneficial to him as company.
It is known that man was created with the will to receive. This separates him from Dvekut [adhesion] with Him, for specifically through equivalence of form, called “desire to bestow,” is one rewarded with Dvekut with Him.
“Company” means Dvekut, as it is written, “One who walks along the way,” meaning one who walks on the path of the Creator but has not been rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, should engage in Torah, for by its Segula [power/remedy/virtue], he will be rewarded with Dvekut with the Creator, as our sages said, “One should always engage in Torah Lo Lishma [not for Her sake], for the light in it reforms him” (Pesachim 50b).
Concerning prayer, it is known that we should pray mainly about the exile of the Shechina [Divinity], called Malchut, who is the tenth Sefira in the ten Sefirot, and whose essence is faith in His guidance, that He leads the world in the manner of good and doing good.
It is impossible to see the goodness of the Creator before a person purifies his desire from receiving for himself, since there is the Tzimtzum [restriction] on the will to receive, which is concealment on His guidance
This is the meaning of what our sages said, “You are called ‘man,’ and not the nations of the world,” since the sole aim is to receive for themselves. This is the meaning of “When the Creator comes to the synagogue and does not find ten men there,” meaning that there will be someone there who will pray for the quality of “ten,” which is the Shechina, so she will rise from her exile, for by engaging with the desire to bestow, one raises the Shechina from the dust. But when each one cares for his personal needs, the Creator is angry.
He brings evidence from the verse that said, “Why have I come and there is no man” to care for the needs that pertain to the quality of “man,” and cares only to satisfy the needs that pertain to the quality of a beast? Rather, one should always answer to himself for whom he spends his time, and for whom he exerts, for he should be concerned only with the needs of the collective.