In January 1997, I attended a wedding in Gateshead, the famous Orthodox community in the north of England centred around the world famous Gateshead Yeshivah. I stayed at the home of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Yaacov Sipper, who co-ordinate the "gemach" (charity) funds for the community. If someone needs to borrow a folding bed, they go to a certain address. There are lending funds for baby car seats, cutlery, and cribs. You name it - they lend it. These types of lending facilities exist in almost every Orthodox community in Jerusalem and in many Orthodox communities around the world. Such is the willingness of Jews to connect with others and to form a tangible and real community of unity.

The precedent for Jewish unity occurred when we left Mitzrayim and were forged into an eternal nation when we received the Torah on Har Sinai, as the Torah states: "And Israel encamped opposite the mountain."

Rashi comments: "K'ish echad b'lev echad - as one man with one heart." The Zohar tells us that the Jewish people are really one neshama - a collective soul. According to the Maharal of Prague, the Jewish nation gains a sense of achdus from the Unity of the Almightly. We feel close to and united with our fellow Jews because we are ambassadors of Hashem - Who is "One" and the "Unity" of the Universe. We are one people because He is the one G-d. His Oneness trickles down to our world and we feel united and one with each other. As the Talmud tells us:

G-d said to Israel: "You made me a unique Entity in the world by saying, 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our G-d, the Lord is One,' and I will make you a unique entity in the world by saying, 'Who is like your nation Israel, one nation on earth."

When we come together to pray in a minyan the Talmud tells us that the Shechinah comes to shul first and awaits the arrival of the minyan. In a minyan our prayers are more easily answered, as G-d examines the good deeds of the entire group, rather than paying microscopic attention to the deeds of each individual. Personal kavanah is better in a minyan. There is something special in knowing that our neighbour also needs Divine assistance. It reaffirms our sense of not being alone in the world. We feel a special strength that "we're in this together."

As we all stand silently together saying the private Amidah, there is a mysterious music in the silence of our individual prayers harmonising as they travel from our hearts to G-d. The music comes from the fact that we represent the "Am" - the House of Israel. Whenever you feel like not getting up for morning minyan, think of the symphony you might be missing. And to think you could be one of the musicians. In fact, if you don't get up for minyan, the symphony literally won't sound the same. Your presence or absence does make a difference.

This Dvar Torah is based on Rabbi Yisroel Roll's book, "Inner Peace - Achieving Self Esteem Through Prayer." You can find the book at www.feldheim.com.