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# Chazal viewed the recitation of אמן very highly and compared its recitation to a signature that attests to the validity of a document. In fact, Chazal tell us that responding אמן is of greater significance than reciting the Beracha. The failure to recite אמן is considered a gross transgression, while responding אמן with great concentration opens the gates of Gan Eden. <ref>ברכות נג:, חיי אדם כלל ו:א, שבת קיט: רשי שם ד"ה בכל כוחו</ref>
# Chazal viewed the recitation of [[Amen]] very highly and compared its recitation to a signature that attests to the validity of a document. In fact, Chazal tell us that responding [[Amen]] is of greater significance than reciting the Beracha. The failure to recite [[Amen]] is considered a gross transgression, while responding [[Amen]] with great concentration opens the gates of Gan Eden. <ref>Gemara [[Brachot]] 53b, Chaye Adam (Klal 6:1), Gemara [[Shabbat]] 119b, Rashi [[Shabbat]] 119b s.v. BeChol</ref>
# The letters of אמן are the root letters of the word אמונה, belief or trust. By responding אמן one declares: "I believe in the blessing that I have just heard and I affirm its truth." Additionally, when responding אמן one should have in mind the beginning of the Beracha, ברוך אתה ה', that Hahshem's name is Blessed. Thus, for example, when responding אמן after מגן אברהם, one should have in mind, "The Name of Hashem should be blessed, and it is true that He shielded our forefather Avrohom, and I believe it". <ref>ש"ע קכד:ו, מ"ב קכד:כד</ref>
# The letters of [[Amen]] are the root letters of the word אמונה, belief or trust. By responding [[Amen]] one declares: "I believe in the blessing that I have just heard and I affirm its truth." Additionally, when responding [[Amen]] one should have in mind the beginning of the Bracha, "Baruch Atta Hashem", that Hahshem's name is Blessed. Thus, for example, when responding [[Amen]] after "Magen Avraham", one should have in mind, "The Name of Hashem should be blessed, and it is true that He shielded our forefather Avraham, and I believe it". <ref>Shulchan Aruch 124:6, Mishna Brurah 124:24</ref>
# One should answer אמן to any blessing one hears whether he wishes to fulfill an obligation, or even if one overhears a Beracha. One should respond אמן after each line in Bircas Hamazon that begins הרחמן. Moreover, the obligation to respond אמן even applies to a ברכה that does not contain Hashem's Name, such as answering to a Mi Sheberach. <ref>ש"ע קכד:ו, קפט:ה, רטו:ט</ref>
# One should answer [[Amen]] to any blessing one hears whether he wishes to fulfill an obligation, or even if one overhears a Beracha. One should respond [[Amen]] after each line in Bircas Hamazon that begins Harachaman. Moreover, the obligation to respond [[Amen]] even applies to a Bracha that does not contain Hashem's Name, such as answering to a Mi Sheberach. <ref>Shulchan Aruch 124:6, 189:5, 215:9 </ref>
# The proper intention of the word אמן changes with the Beracha. When answering אמן to ברכות המצוה or ברכות הנהנין-Mitzvoh [[Berachos]] or [[Berachos]] on enjoying things, one's intention should be to affirm the truth of the Beracha and his belief in it. When answering to ברכות השבח, one should have in mind that he is affirming the truth of that praise. When responding אמן to תפילות one's אמן should be an entreaty to Hashem to fulfill that [[prayer]]. At times, ברכות can have multiple purposes and as such one should have multiple כוונות <ref>ש:ע קכד:ו, ומ"ב שם ס"ק כה</ref>
# The proper intention of the word [[Amen]] changes with the Beracha. When [[answering Amen]] to [[Birchot HaMitzvah]] or Birchot HaNehenin ([[Berachos]] on enjoying things), one's intention should be to affirm the truth of the Beracha and his belief in it. When answering to Birchot HaShevach, one should have in mind that he is affirming the truth of that praise. When responding [[Amen]] to תפילות one's [[Amen]] should be an entreaty to Hashem to fulfill that [[prayer]]. At times, [[Brachot]] can have multiple purposes and as such one should have multiple Kavanot. <ref>
# When reciting [[Kiddush]] on Friday night, we say the words ויהי ערב ויהי בקר quietly before saying יום הששי. In truth, ויהי ערב is actually the second part of the Passuk which precedes יום הששי. We don’t say those words out loud because the first letters of יום הששי ויכלו השמים form the name of Hashem-הויה. While we generally avoid reciting Pesukim in ways which differ from their presentation in the Torah, "כל פסוקא דלא פסקיה משה אנן לא פסקינן", nonetheless we only say the second part, and don't say the first part of the Passuk quietly because Chazal Darshen the words "טוב מאד" as referring to death. <ref>רמ"א רע"א:י, לבוש שם סעיף י, ערה"ש רעא:כה, חת"ס או"ח סי' י</ref>
Shulchan Aruch 124:6, Mishna Brurah 124:25</ref>
# When reciting [[Kiddush]] on Friday night, we say the words ויהי ערב ויהי בקר quietly before saying יום הששי. In truth, ויהי ערב is actually the second part of the Passuk which precedes יום הששי. We don’t say those words out loud because the first letters of יום הששי ויכלו השמים form the name of Hashem-הויה. While we generally avoid reciting Pesukim in ways which differ from their presentation in the Torah<ref>Tanit 27b, [[Megillah]] 22a. "כל פסוקא דלא פסקיה משה אנן לא פסקינן"</ref>, nonetheless we only say the second part, and don't say the first part of the Passuk quietly because Chazal understand the "טוב מאד" as a reference to death. <ref>Rama 271:10, Levush 271:10, Aruch HaShulchan 271:25, Chatom Sofer OC 10</ref>
==Sources==
==Sources==
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Revision as of 21:06, 1 October 2013

  1. Chazal viewed the recitation of Amen very highly and compared its recitation to a signature that attests to the validity of a document. In fact, Chazal tell us that responding Amen is of greater significance than reciting the Beracha. The failure to recite Amen is considered a gross transgression, while responding Amen with great concentration opens the gates of Gan Eden. [1]
  2. The letters of Amen are the root letters of the word אמונה, belief or trust. By responding Amen one declares: "I believe in the blessing that I have just heard and I affirm its truth." Additionally, when responding Amen one should have in mind the beginning of the Bracha, "Baruch Atta Hashem", that Hahshem's name is Blessed. Thus, for example, when responding Amen after "Magen Avraham", one should have in mind, "The Name of Hashem should be blessed, and it is true that He shielded our forefather Avraham, and I believe it". [2]
  3. One should answer Amen to any blessing one hears whether he wishes to fulfill an obligation, or even if one overhears a Beracha. One should respond Amen after each line in Bircas Hamazon that begins Harachaman. Moreover, the obligation to respond Amen even applies to a Bracha that does not contain Hashem's Name, such as answering to a Mi Sheberach. [3]
  4. The proper intention of the word Amen changes with the Beracha. When answering Amen to Birchot HaMitzvah or Birchot HaNehenin (Berachos on enjoying things), one's intention should be to affirm the truth of the Beracha and his belief in it. When answering to Birchot HaShevach, one should have in mind that he is affirming the truth of that praise. When responding Amen to תפילות one's Amen should be an entreaty to Hashem to fulfill that prayer. At times, Brachot can have multiple purposes and as such one should have multiple Kavanot. [4]
  5. When reciting Kiddush on Friday night, we say the words ויהי ערב ויהי בקר quietly before saying יום הששי. In truth, ויהי ערב is actually the second part of the Passuk which precedes יום הששי. We don’t say those words out loud because the first letters of יום הששי ויכלו השמים form the name of Hashem-הויה. While we generally avoid reciting Pesukim in ways which differ from their presentation in the Torah[5], nonetheless we only say the second part, and don't say the first part of the Passuk quietly because Chazal understand the "טוב מאד" as a reference to death. [6]

Sources

  1. Gemara Brachot 53b, Chaye Adam (Klal 6:1), Gemara Shabbat 119b, Rashi Shabbat 119b s.v. BeChol
  2. Shulchan Aruch 124:6, Mishna Brurah 124:24
  3. Shulchan Aruch 124:6, 189:5, 215:9
  4. Shulchan Aruch 124:6, Mishna Brurah 124:25
  5. Tanit 27b, Megillah 22a. "כל פסוקא דלא פסקיה משה אנן לא פסקינן"
  6. Rama 271:10, Levush 271:10, Aruch HaShulchan 271:25, Chatom Sofer OC 10