477. Answering Amen After Your Own Bracha

Brachos 1:15

If a person recites a bracha in which he is not obligated, it is considered taking God’s Name in vain. He is like one who took a false oath and we are not permitted to answer amen after such a bracha. We teach children how to recite brachos using the full text (including God’s Name). This is permitted even though they recite brachos in vain in the course of their study; one does not recite amen after such brachos. One who answers amen after such a bracha does not fulfill his obligation.

Brachos 1:16

It is inappropriate for a person to answer amen after his own brachos. However, when concluding a series of brachos, it is praiseworthy to answer amen as we do after the bracha Bonei Yerushalayim in bentching and after the last bracha of Shema at maariv. (Editor’s note: The latter is not our practice.) Similarly, one always recites amen after his own bracha when concluding a series.