Q. Hello Rav, I recently read a halacha in the "Torah Tavlin" weekly publication discussing the obligation (or lack of) to answer Amen, Kedusha, Kaddish, Barchu, etc, etc when you are learning Torah and hear a minyan saying them. There was a major distinction between when you are in the same room as the minyan and when the minyan is in a different room than you. In this latter case specially (ie. you are in a different room), they said that there is never an obligation to answer to anything the minyan is saying if you are occupied with learning.
My question is regarding when you are separated from the minyan by a halachic Mechitza, but still in the same room. For example, at the Boat shul, there is a movebale mechiza that separates the main room and men daven on both sides of it. On the one hand, people daven there and assume to get the benefit from being part of the minyan, but on the other hand, I'm wondering if this would also qualify as a "separate room" with regards to this halacha (ie. that someone learning on the other side of the mechiza would not be absolutely obligated to answer to the minyan's kedusha, kaddish, etc.
Thank you
A. Poskim disagree in regards to one davening in the ezras noshim, if he is considered as being part of the minyan or not, when his face can be seen to the ones assembled in the main shul. Most maintain that he is part and parcel of the minyan (Mishna Berura 55: 52), others however, differ (Hagr'a, Chaye Adam, Shaarei Teshuva ibid, 6, Kaf Hachaim ibid. et. al.).
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that if the individual learning in the ezras noshim, regularly is lenient and davens there too, he should also have to answer omein, kedusha, kaddish, borchu, etc. If he is stringent and davens only in shul, he can be then lenient in regards to not answering the above while learning Torah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
Important Numbers
