Waiting to Start Chazaras HaShatz

Do I have to wait for ten men to finish shemona esreh in order to start chazaras hashatz? What about to start kaddish shalem after maariv?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The ideal situation is for all congregational prayers and responses to recited by at least most of the congregation together.

However, according to the halacha, as long as there is a minyan in the room, a chazzan may recite Kaddish, such as the Kaddish after a study session, or Barchu even if only six people are listening and participating. The reason for this is because Kaddish and Barchu, (and Kedusha, and the Torah reading, among others passages) are considered to be “davar shebekedusha” – “Holy matters” which require a minyan in the room to recite, without exception. Nevertheless, as mentioned, it suffices even if only the majority of the minyan is participating.

As you note, at Ma’ariv it might happen that there is barely a minyan, exactly 10, and some of the people are taking a little longer than expected to finish their Shemoneh Esrei. Therefore, as long as at least six people will be answering, Maariv can continue with the final Kaddish.

The halacha is stricter for a repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei. Every effort should be made to ensure that there is at least 9 people answering, otherwise there is the concern that the repetition is “in vain.”

OC 55:6; Mishna Berura 55:32; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 15:7; Aruch Hashulchan, OC 55:13