Q. Can a patient in the hospital during Selichot, zoom a minyan and repeat with them the Thirteen Midot usually said only with a Minyan present?
A. Usually, any Zoom contact does not contribute to mitzvos that require a minyan. On question 2845 regarding saying Tashlich during the Aseres Yemei Teshuva via zoom we wrote:
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should not. The reason is that reciting Tashlich next to a body of flowing water is similar to other mitzvos, where the presence of the article, place or situation that brings about a blessing or Tefila, has to be real.
After all one recites a brocho only on real lightning or thunder, kiddush levana only on actually seeing the moon and not a picture or reflection or listening to the Megila and answering Kedusha or Kaddish only when the voices are real and present.”
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a.
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