How To Properly Say Berachos And Answer Amen 

By: Avi Goldstein

L’iluy nishmas my mother, Shulamis Rus bas Mordechai

I was gratified to read Joel Yormark’s letter concerning amen (February 6 issue, p. 34). The problem with listeners answering amen before the completion of a berachah has been a focus of mine for a decade. While Joel wrote specifically about amen being answered too early, there is a related issue: that the pronouncer of a berachah is not permitted to continue with the next berachah or tefillah until time has been given for listeners to properly say Amen.

I have distributed the following to hundreds of men and women, including poskim. I am happy to report that at least some people, upon recognizing the seriousness of the amen issue, have changed how they daven! I present the following with the hope that our collective tefillos will be answered with a resounding “amen” from Heaven:

There are several halachos that interplay regarding berachos, and it is evident that many well-intentioned people are unfamiliar with these laws. Six factors, in particular, are pertinent. I will use the circumstance of a shliach tzibbur to illustrate, however, the applicability is universal.

First, when someone says a berachah, he (or she) must stop at the end of the berachah and refrain from proceeding to the next berachah or tefillah until a majority of the congregation has fully answered amen. For example, a chazzan in chazaras hashatz says Birkas HaShanim, which ends with the words “mevareich hashanim.” He is not permitted to start the next berachah, which begins with the word “T’ka,” until the majority of the congregation has had the opportunity to answer “amen.” At minimum, based on my experience, I think he needs to stop for one second or even a bit longer. I have found that many chazzanim, including rabbanim and talmidei chachamim, simply continue to the next berachah without the required pause.

Second, the congregation is not permitted to start saying “amen” until the chazzan has fully completed uttering the last syllable of the berachah (in our example, the “nim” in the word “hashanim”). Again, many mispallelim seem unfamiliar with this law. By starting early, not only are they improperly responding (“amen” is an affirmation of the berachah, not an affirmation of half the berachah!), but they may confuse the chazzan, who, hearing the early amen, thinks that he has allotted sufficient time for the amen response.

Third, one saying a berachah should not extend the last syllable of the word. Unfortunately, many ba’alei tefillah do so; this can lead to the aforementioned problem of responders answering “amen” before the last word has been fully uttered.

Fourth, many congregants answer “amen” silently. It is very unnerving for a chazzan to say a berachahand then hear no response! When we say “amen,” affirming the truth of the berachah’s content, we are supposed to do so aloud (although not louder than the chazzan). And again, if the chazzan hears no one saying “amen,” it is hard for him to know whether he has paused sufficiently for amen to be fully said.

Fifth, some people wait too long to begin saying “amen.” One is required to start saying amen “toch k’dai dibbur” of the berachah’s completion. The length of time is indeterminate, but to wait more than one second does seem to be too long.

Sixth, the halacha states that if the chazzan does not allot sufficient time, one is not permitted to answer “amen” (Mishnah Berurah, 124:9, comment 37). The consequence, therefore, of the chazzan’s action is enormous: he is denying the tzibbur the right to properly respond!

We find a striking example of the above in instances where the listener is fulfilling his/her obligation by listening to someone else’s berachah. One illustration involves Friday night Kiddush. There are two blessings made at Kiddush: “Borei pri hagafen” and “Mekadesh haShabbos.” Generally, a head of household recites these blessings for the household members. He (or she) must pause between the two blessings so that “amen”may be recited properly.

The same holds true at a wedding ceremony. The first two blessings are recited by the mesader kiddushin. The bride and groom are required to hear these blessings and to properly recite “amen.” Thus, the mesader kiddushin must take extra care to pause between these two blessings.

It is important to note that this issue is of concern even when one is not fulfilling an obligation to hear the berachah. Rather, the issue is that when the person making the berachah begins to recite the next berachah, the first berachah is ended. Amen cannot be recited once a blessing has concluded. For example, in many shuls, Shacharis begins with the public recitation of Birchos HaShachar, the morning blessings. The chazzan saying these berachos must stop sufficiently between them, even if no one in the congregation is fulfilling his/her obligation with the chazzan’s recitation.

All the above applies as well to Kaddish. One reciting Kaddish must stop after each section until the listeners respond to the previous section. If the listener determines that the reciter is not stopping properly, then he should answer “amen” as the chazzan says “v’imru amen.”

A final note: When the listeners are fulfilling an obligation, the reciter must wait until all the listeners have completed saying “amen.” It is not sufficient to wait for a majority. (Examples are Kiddush and Megillah.)

I welcome comments and criticisms at [email protected]. 

Avi Goldstein writes frequently about Torah matters. His specific interests include dikduk and the intersection of Torah and science. He works in the automotive industry.