הלכה: תַּנִּי הַפּוֹרֵס אֶת שְׁמַע וְהָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּיבָה וְהַנּוֹשֵׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו וְהַקּוֹרֵא בַתּוֹרָה וְהַמַּפְטִיר בְּנָבִיא וְהַמְבָרֵךְ עַל אַחַת מִכָּל־מִצְוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה לֹא יַעֲנֶה אַחַר עַצְמוֹ אָמֵן. וְאִם עָנָה הֲרֵי זֶה בּוּר. אִית תְּנָיֵי תַּנִּי הֲרֵי זֶה בּוּר. וְאִית תְּנָיֵי תַּנִּי הֲרֵי זֶה חָכָם. אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא מַאן דָּמַר הֲרֵי זֶה חָכָם בְּעוֹנֶה בְּסוֹף. וּמַאן דָּמַר הֲרֵי זֶה בּוּר בְּעוֹנֶה עַל בְּרָכָה וּבְרָכָה.
HALAKHAH: It was stated: He who recites the blessings for the Shema‘, he who stands before the ark, he who lifts his hands, he who reads in the Torah, he who recites Haphtarah from the prophets, and he who recites any blessing for obligations spelled out in the Torah, should not recite Amen after his own benediction. If he answered, he is uncivilized. Some Tannaïm have stated: he is uncivilized; and some Tannaïm have stated: he is wise. Rav Ḥisda said: He who said “he is wise” refers to him who answers at the end, but he who says “he is uncivilized” refers to him who answers every single benediction.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: כׇּל הָעוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ״ בְּכׇל כֹּחוֹ, קוֹרְעִין לוֹ גְּזַר דִּינוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהִתְנַדֵּב עָם בָּרְכוּ ה׳״. מַאי טַעְמָא ״בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת״ — מִשּׁוּם דְּ״בָרְכוּ ה׳״. רַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: אֲפִילּוּ יֵשׁ בּוֹ שֶׁמֶץ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה — מוֹחֲלִין לוֹ. כְּתִיב הָכָא: ״בִּפְרוֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת״, וּכְתִיב הָתָם: ״כִּי פָרוּעַ הוּא״. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ: כָּל הָעוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן״ בְּכׇל כֹּחוֹ פּוֹתְחִין לוֹ שַׁעֲרֵי גַן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״פִּתְחוּ שְׁעָרִים וְיָבֹא גוֹי צַדִּיק שׁוֹמֵר אֱמוּנִים״, אַל תִּיקְרֵי ״שׁוֹמֵר אֱמוּנִים״ אֶלָּא: ״שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אָמֵן״. מַאי ״אָמֵן״? אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: ״אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן״.
Apropos the reward for honoring Shabbat, the Gemara cites statements about the reward for answering amen. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that anyone who answers: Amen, may His great name be blessed, wholeheartedly, with all his might, they rip his sentence, as it is stated: “When punishments are annulled in Israel, when the people offer themselves, bless the Lord” (Judges 5:2). What is the reason for when punishments are annulled? Because the Jewish people blessed God. When one recites: Amen, may His great name be blessed, and blesses God, his punishment is annulled. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even if one has within him a trace of idolatry, when he answers amen he is forgiven. It is written here, in the verse above: “When punishments [pera’ot] are annulled.” And it is written there, with regard to the sin of the Golden Calf: “And Moses saw that the nation was wild [paru’a], for Aaron had let them loose for anyone who might rise against them” (Exodus 32:25). Even one with the wildness of idolatry is forgiven. Reish Lakish said: One who answers amen with all his strength, they open the gates of the Garden of Eden before him, as it is stated: “Open the gates, and a righteous nation shall come who keeps the faith” (Isaiah 26:2). Do not read: Who keeps [shomer] the faith [emunim], but rather: Who say [she’omerim] amen. What is the allusion of the word amen? Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is an acronym of the words: God, faithful King [El Melekh ne’eman].
אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר אַבָּא: מִנַּיִן לָעוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן״ שֶׁלֹּא יַגְבִּיהַּ קוֹלוֹ יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְבָרֵךְ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״גַּדְּלוּ לַה׳ אִתִּי וּנְרוֹמְמָה שְׁמוֹ יַחְדָּו״.
Having mentioned these verses, the Gemara cites related matters. Rav Ḥanan bar Abba said: From where is it derived that one who answers amen should not raise his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing? As it is stated: “Praise God with me, and we will exalt His Name together”; together and not with the respondent raising his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing.
רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה הֲוָה עָסֵיק לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ בֵּי רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר רַב קַטִּינָא, קָדֵים וְיָתֵיב וְקָמַתְנֵי לֵיהּ לִבְרֵיהּ: אֵין הַבּוֹצֵעַ רַשַּׁאי לִבְצוֹעַ עַד שֶׁיִּכְלֶה ״אָמֵן״ מִפִּי הָעוֹנִים. רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר מִפִּי רוֹב הָעוֹנִים.
The Gemara relates: Rabba bar bar Ḥana engaged in preparations for his son’s wedding in the house of Rav Shmuel bar Rav Ketina. He arrived early and sat and taught his son the halakhot of meals: The one who breaks bread may not break the bread until amen has ended from the mouths of those responding. Rav Ḥisda said: One need only wait until amen has ended from the mouths of the majority of those responding.
וְעוֹנִין ״אָמֵן״ אַחַר יִשְׂרָאֵל הַמְבָרֵךְ, וְאֵין עוֹנִין ״אָמֵן״ אַחַר כּוּתִי הַמְבָרֵךְ, עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע כׇּל הַבְּרָכָה כּוּלָּהּ.
And one answers amen after a Jew who recites a blessing even if he did not hear the entire blessing, and one does not answer amen after a Samaritan [Kuti] who recites a blessing until he hears the whole blessing in its entirety, as perhaps the Kuti introduced an element inconsistent with the Jewish faith in that section of the blessing that he did not hear.
לְמֵימְרָא דִּמְבָרֵךְ עֲדִיף מִמַּאן דְּעָנֵי ״אָמֵן״? וְהָתַנְיָא רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: גָּדוֹל הָעוֹנֶה ״אָמֵן״ יוֹתֵר מִן הַמְבָרֵךְ.
The Gemara asks: Is that to say that one who recites a blessing is preferable to one who answers amen? Wasn’t it taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei says: The reward of the one who answers amen is greater than the reward of the one who recites the blessing?
גמ׳ אמר שמואל כל העונה אמן אחר שבועה כמוציא שבועה בפיו דמי דכתיב (במדבר ה, כב) ואמרה האשה אמן אמן
GEMARA: Shmuel says: Anyone who answers amen after being administered an oath is like one who expresses an oath with his own mouth, as it is written in the context of the oath administered to a sota, a woman suspected by her husband of having been unfaithful: “And the woman shall say: Amen, amen” (Numbers 5:22).
אמר רבי יוסי ברבי חנינא אמן בו שבועה בו קבלת דברים בו האמנת דברים
§ Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says with regard to the term amen: There is an element of oath within it, there is an element of acceptance of the statement and agreement within it, and there is an element of confirmation of the statement, i.e., that he believes and prays that the statement will be fulfilled, within it.
כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה מִכָּל הַבְּרָכוֹת כֻּלָּן אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע הַבְּרָכָה כֻּלָּהּ מִתְּחִלָּתָהּ וְעַד סוֹפָהּ וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ חַיָּב בְּאוֹתָהּ בְּרָכָה חַיָּב לַעֲנוֹת אָמֵן. וְאִם הָיָה הַמְבָרֵךְ גוי אוֹ אֶפִּיקוֹרוֹס אוֹ כּוּתִי אוֹ תִּינוֹק הַמִּתְלַמֵּד אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה גָּדוֹל וְשִׁנָּה מִמַּטְבֵּעַ הַבְּרָכָה אֵין עוֹנִין אַחֲרֵיהֶן אָמֵן:
Whenever a person hears a Jew recite a blessing, he is obligated to respond Amen, although
a) he did not hear the blessing in its entirety,
b) he was not obligated to recite that blessing himself.
One should not respond Amen if the person reciting the blessing is a gentile, an apostate, a Samaritan, a child in the midst of study, or an adult who altered the text of the blessing.
a) he did not hear the blessing in its entirety,
b) he was not obligated to recite that blessing himself.
One should not respond Amen if the person reciting the blessing is a gentile, an apostate, a Samaritan, a child in the midst of study, or an adult who altered the text of the blessing.
כָּל הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ בְּרָכָה מִן הַבְּרָכוֹת מִתְּחִלָּתָהּ וְעַד סוֹפָהּ וְנִתְכַּוֵּן לָצֵאת בָּהּ יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ יָצָא וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא עָנָה אָמֵן. וְכָל הָעוֹנֶה אָמֵן אַחַר הַמְבָרֵךְ הֲרֵי זֶה כִּמְבָרֵךְ וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַמְבָרֵךְ חַיָּב בְּאוֹתָהּ בְּרָכָה. הָיָה הַמְבָרֵךְ חַיָּב מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים וְהָעוֹנֶה חַיָּב מִן הַתּוֹרָה לֹא יָצַא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ עַד שֶׁיַּעֲנֶה אוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע מִמִּי שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בָּהּ מִן הַתּוֹרָה כָּמוֹהוּ:
Whenever a person listens to the entire recitation of a blessing with the intention of fulfilling his obligation, he is considered to have fulfilled his obligation although he does not answer Amen. Whoever answers Amen to a blessing recited by another person is considered as if he recited the blessing himself, provided the person who recites the blessing is obligated to recite that blessing.
If the person who recites the blessing is obligated only because of a Rabbinic ordinance, while the person responding is obligated by Torah law, the listener cannot fulfill his obligation until he repeats in response [to the one reciting the blessings] or until he hears [the blessing recited] by someone who, like him, is obligated by Torah law.
If the person who recites the blessing is obligated only because of a Rabbinic ordinance, while the person responding is obligated by Torah law, the listener cannot fulfill his obligation until he repeats in response [to the one reciting the blessings] or until he hears [the blessing recited] by someone who, like him, is obligated by Torah law.
הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה עוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לַעֲנוֹת אָמֵן אַחַר הַכֹּהֲנִים, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים הָעוֹבֵר לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה לֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן אַחַר הַכֹּהֲנִים מִפְּנֵי הַטֵּרוּף, וְלִמְדוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וְאִם הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲנוֹת שֶׁלֹא תִּטָּרֵף דַּעְתּוֹ, יַעֲנֶה, לָמָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין גָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹתֵר מֵאָמֵן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹנִין. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן אָמֵן הַזֶּה יֵשׁ בּוֹ שְׁלשָׁה אַסְפְּלִיָּאוֹת: שְׁבוּעָה, וְקַבָּלָה, וַאֲמָנָה. שְׁבוּעָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה, כא כב): וְהִשְׁבִּיעַ הַכֹּהֵן וגו' וְאָמְרָה הָאִשָּׁה אָמֵן אָמֵן. קַבָּלָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כז, טז כו): וְאָמַר כָּל הָעָם אָמֵן. אֲמָנָה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א א, לו): וַיַּעַן בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אָמֵן כֵּן יֹאמַר ה'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן כָּל מִי שֶׁעוֹנֶה אָמֵן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה זוֹכֶה לַעֲנוֹת אָמֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, זוֹכֶה לִכָּנֵס לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פד, ה): אַשְׁרֵי יוֹשְׁבֵי בֵיתֶךָ עוֹד יְהַלְּלוּךָ סֶלָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן כָּל מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל שֶׁל תּוֹרָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, זוֹכֶה לִשְׁמֹעַ בְּאוֹתוֹ קוֹל שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (ירמיה לג, יא): קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן וְקוֹל שִׂמְחָה קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה וגו'. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹאִיל וְכָל מִי שֶׁשּׁוֹמֵעַ לְדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה כָּךְ הוּא מִתְרוֹמֵם בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, הֱווּ זְהִירִים לִשְׁמֹעַ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בָּעִנְיָן (דברים כח, א): וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע בְּקוֹל ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ.
The law: If a Jewish person who passes before the ark [to lead the prayer], what is the law, should it be permitted for him to answer "Amen" after the [blessings of] the Kohanim? Such taught the sages: One who passes before the ark, he should not answer "Amen" after the Kohanim because of distraction. Our rabbis taught us: If he can answer without being distracted, he may answer. Why? Because nothing is greater before the Holy One, blessed be He, more than the "Amen" that the Jews answer. Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon: This "Amen" has three intentions. Oath, acceptance, faithfulness. How do we know "oath"? As its says, (Numbers 5:19-22) "The Kohen should put her under oath... and the woman is to say, Amen Amen."
כׇּל כָּךְ לָמָּה — לְפִי שֶׁאֵין עוֹנִין ״אָמֵן״ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין עוֹנִין אָמֵן בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ? — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״קוּמוּ בָּרְכוּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד הָעוֹלָם״. וְאוֹמֵר: ״וִיבָרְכוּ אֶת שֵׁם כְּבֹדֶךָ וּמְרוֹמַם עַל כׇּל בְּרָכָה וּתְהִלָּה״.
The Gemara explains: Why were they insistent upon this formula to that extent? Because one does not answer amen in the Temple. Because there is a unique response to the blessings in the Temple, a unique formula for their conclusion was instituted. From where is it derived that one does not answer amen in the Temple? As it is stated: “Stand up and bless the Lord, your God, from everlasting to everlasting” (Nehemiah 9:5), which refers to the conclusion. The verse in Nehemiah continues: “And let them say: Blessed be Your glorious name, that is exalted above all blessing and praise” (Nehemiah 9:5). The response is exalted above other blessings.