DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 2.29 MB)
Does One Answer “Amen” if He Did Not Hear the Beracha, or to a Beracha He Heard Via Broadcast?

Even if one did not hear a Beracha recited in its entirety, and heard only the end of the Beracha, he nevertheless recites "Amen." Thus, for example, if somebody is reciting "Asher Yasar," and another person comes along and hears him conclude, "U’mafli La’asot," he answers "Amen."

Hacham Ovadia Yosef adds that even if a person did not hear the Beracha at all, but he saw a person reciting a Beracha and he knows with certainty which Beracha is recited, then he answers "Amen." For example, if a person saw somebody leave the restroom and mutter to himself, it is clear that this individual recites "Asher Yasar," and so once he finishes, the other person answers "Amen," even though he did not hear the Beracha at all. Similarly, if a person sees somebody holding a fruit, mutter some words, and then bring the fruit to his mouth, he knows for certain that this individual just recited "Boreh Peri Ha’etz," and so he recites "Amen."

Hacham Ovadia ruled that one answers "Amen" to a Beracha which he heard over a live broadcast. Although one does not answer "Amen" after hearing the recording of a Beracha, he does answer "Amen" if he hears the Beracha live, either on the radio, by phone, or through other technological devices.

Summary: One answers "Amen" even if he heard only the end of a Beracha, and even if he did not hear the Beracha at all, but he saw somebody recite a Beracha and he knows which Beracha was recited (such as if he saw the person reciting a Beracha over an apple, or after leaving the restroom). One does not answer "Amen" after hearing the recording of a Beracha, but he does answer "Amen" to a Beracha he hears over a live broadcast.


 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Purim- Is A Megilah Considered Kasher If It Has Nekudot, Taamim, Pictures, or If It Contains The Berachot
Are Ladies Obligated In Hearing Parashat Zachor
Purim- Meat and Bread at the Seuda
When Should The Bar Mitzva Be If Either; There Are 2 Months of Adar That Year, Or If Born In A Year With 2 Months Of Adar
Purim- If One Forgot Al Hanisim in the Amidah or Birkat Hamazon
Purim- Can You Put 2 Mishloach Manot Into One Basket
Purim- Is It Permissible To Work Or Get Hair Cuts On Purim
Purim- Is the Individual Mitzvah Fulfilled If A Mishloach Manot Is Collectively Given By A Group
Purim- What Constitutes The Required 2 Mishloach Manot
Purim- Seudat Purim When Purim Falls Out On A Friday
Purim Day Message 5764 (2004)
Purim- Is The Megilah Considered Muktze On Shabbat
Purim- Writing - Handling - Reading - and Hearing The Megilah
Putting on Tefilin and Tallit at Home before Going to Bet Knesset
The Proper Kavana When Donning Tefilin
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found