Sources and Explanations:
Answering Amen after Birkat HaGomel
A). It requires consideration whether Chazal instituted answering Amen after the blessing of one who recites Birkat HaGomel, or whether it suffices that those responding bless him with the blessing, “May the One who has bestowed goodness upon you,” which is considered an answer of Amen in that they affirm the blessing he recited. Maran the Shulchan Aruch (siman 124 סעיף 5, and siman 215 סעיף 2) writes that regarding every blessing a person hears anywhere, he says “Baruch Hu u’varuch Shemo,” and they answer Amen after every blessing. He does not distinguish between one blessing and another. Therefore, although the Rambam and Maran in the Shulchan Aruch (siman 219 סעיף 2) wrote: What does he bless? “Blessed are You, Hashem, our God, King of the universe, Who bestows goodness upon the undeserving, Who has bestowed every good upon me”; and the listeners say, “May the One who has bestowed goodness upon you,” etc.—and they did not mention that the listeners answer Amen—it is because it is self-evident that they must answer Amen, for it is no less than other blessings, after which the listener answers Amen. This is likewise proven, in my humble opinion, from what is stated in the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch (ibid., סעיף 4): if another recited the blessing and said, “Who has bestowed every good upon you,” and the one obligated to recite it answered Amen, he has fulfilled his obligation. Its source is in the Gemara, Berachot (54b). Thus, they instituted the recitation of Amen regarding this blessing. It is not reasonable that there were two separate enactments concerning this blessing. Examine this carefully.
B). So, too, Orchot Chaim explicitly writes (Hilchot Sheni VeChamishi, אות 24) that the chazzan and the listeners answer “Amen” after the person reciting the blessing. Afterwards they say, “May the Rock who has bestowed goodness upon you,” etc. The annotator there writes that Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam likewise wrote this in his work HaMasפיק LeOvedei Hashem (p. 253). This is also written by Eliyah Rabbah (siman 141, אות 6) in the name of Maharam Mintz (siman 81). Rabbi Shaarei Ephraim likewise writes this (Shaar 4, סעיף 30), as does Aruch HaShulchan (סעיף 5). Maran in Chazon Ovadia (Berachot, p. 341) likewise rules that the listeners must answer Amen before blessing the one who recited the blessing with “May the Rock who has bestowed goodness upon you,” etc. This is also written in Sefer Birkat Hashem (vol. 4, p. 450).
C). In my humble opinion, the widespread practice of many not to answer Amen after Birkat HaGomel is an error, which became entrenched because the congregation hastens to answer the person reciting the blessing, “May the One who has bestowed every good upon you.” This is similar to the custom that has become widespread nowadays to prompt the Kohanim with the word “Yevarechecha” as well, as Rabbi Ben Ish Chai wrote (Parashat Tetzaveh, אות 1), so that the congregation will not miss answering Amen when the Kohanim hasten to say “Yevarechecha.” See also Halichot Olam (ibid.). What is written in Sefer Hitorerut Teshuvah, vol. 1 (siman 59), to justify this practice on the grounds that they affirm his blessing in any event, is insufficient to uphold the custom, for there is special significance and profound mystical import specifically in saying the word Amen.
D). It should further be noted that the one who recited the blessing, after hearing those who bless him with the blessing, “May the One who has bestowed every good upon you,” must answer Amen after them. For this is no less than all blessings recited for a person, to which he must answer Amen after those who bless him, as the Magen Avraham writes (siman 215, se’if katan 3). I likewise saw that Ben Ish Chai wrote (first year, Parashat Ekev, אות 1): “And he says after them, ‘Amen, may it be His will.’”
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. Therefore, it may contain inaccuracies and should not be considered a definitive reference.
This response was translated automatically from Hebrew and has not yet been reviewed by a person. It may therefore contain inaccuracies and should not be considered a definitive reference.
