Amen and Shema

The First Bracha Before Shema

Shaarei Teshuvah (OC 59:5) tells us that if one finishes the bracha of Yotzeir ha’m’oros (that God created the celestial lights) before the shaliach tzibbur, he should respond amen; in this, all authorities agree. Some maintain that one must finish simultaneously with the prayer leader in order to avoid interrupting the blessings of Shema with amen but the majority agree that one should strive to do so before the shaliach tzibbur concludes the bracha (Rema OC 59:4). Shaarei Teshuvah clarifies that it’s only after the next bracha, haBocheir b’amo Yisroel b’ahava (that God selected His nation, Israel, with love) that one must be concerned about interrupting with amen. This is because it would separate between the performance of a mitzvah (reciting Shema) and the bracha that precedes it. Such is not the case with Yotzeir ha’m’oros, and we can certainly rely on the preponderance of authorities to answer amen. [Siman 67]

The Second Bracha Before Shema

HaBocheir b’amo Yisroel b’ahava, however, is a far more nuanced matter. The Shulchan Aruch writes (OC 59:4) that amen should not be recited after this bracha because it interrupts between the mitzvah of Shema and the bracha on the performance of the mitzvah. Shaarei Teshuvah cites the Shelah that the Sefardi practice – to finish the bracha simultaneously with the shaliach tzibbur in order to obviate the need to say amen – seems to be the proper course of action. However, if one finishes before the prayer leader, he has no choice but to say amen.

Consider, however, the halacha that one is permitted to interrupt between the sections of Shema in order to greet someone or return his greeting if failure to do so will create animosity, or if it’s someone we’re obligated to honor. After haBocheir b’amo Yisroel b’ahava is certainly between the sections, so interrupting when necessary should be permitted, as opposed to taking such great strides to avoid the situation.

The Shaarei Teshuvah and the Taz (OC 61:2) explain that since we are involved in praises to God, which have a particular flow, it would be inappropriate to interrupt unnecessarily with different praises. [Siman 68]

But Is That So?

The Levush (59:4) writes that when we reach the end of the bracha Yotzeir ha’m’oros, we should be quick to finish it before the shaliach tzibbur and to respond amen when he finishes. As for haBocheir b’amo Yisroel b’ahava, some say we should not rush to finish before the shaliach tzibbur because answering amen would constitute an interruption between the bracha and Shema.

Others point out that we don’t recite a bracha saying that God commanded us to read the Shema, using the standard form of brachos recited over mitzvos (“asher kid’shanu b’mitzvosav vitzivanu…” – that God sanctified us through His commandments and commanded us re: such-and-such mitzvah). If we did recite such a bracha, then saying amen would certainly constitute an interruption between the mitzvah and its bracha. But haBocheir… isn’t such a bracha. Rather, it’s praise of God, leading up to the Shema, which is also praise of God. In such a case, additional praise in the form of amen is no interruption at all. According to this view, even when reciting the bracha of haBocheir… one should strive to complete it before the leader and to reply amen to his bracha. This is certainly no worse (and is arguably much better) than greeting someone, which is permitted at this juncture. The Levush concludes that this latter position reflects the practical halacha. [Siman 69]

Additional Support

The Pri Megadim concurs that if we’re permitted to greet people between the sections of Shema (which we are), then answering amen certainly doesn’t constitute an interruption. He cites the Tur (OC 61) that this would apply not only to the brachos of Shema but to any bracha one might hear. This is also the opinion of Rabbi Akiva Eiger (cited by Rav Chaim Yoseif Bruckstein in Tosfos Chaim), the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (16:2) and other authorities. [Siman 70] That one might answer amen to any bracha even between the bracha of haBocheir b’amo Yisroel b’ahava and Shema is explicit in numerous sources, including the Aruch HaShulchan and the Shulchan Aruch HaRav. [Siman 71] (Additionally, Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi – the author of the aforementioned Shulchan Aruch HaRav – writes in his siddur that one may not answer amen in the middle of the brachos of Shema. The clear implication is that one may do so after concluding these brachos. [Siman 72])

Between the Sections vs. Mid-Section

It’s clear from the Achronim that, between the paragraphs of Shema, we are permitted to answer any amen to any bracha we hear. When it comes to the brachos of ha(k)Eil haKadosh and shomeiah tefillah (that Hashem is the Holy God and that He hears prayer, respectively), the rules are the same as they are for answering Kaddish, Kedusha and Barchu: we are permitted to interrupt in the middle of the sections except in the middle of the sentences of Shema and Baruch Shem. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 66:1) tells us that we may not interrupt in the middle of those sentences for any reason that is less than life-threatening. (The Mishnah Brurah there speculates that there may be leniency if Shema is recited after its proper time.) [Siman 74]

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