Berakhah
Encyclopedia
In Judaism
, a berakhah, bracha, brokhe is a blessing
, usually recited at a specific moment during a ceremony or other activity. The function of a berakhah is to acknowledge God as the source of all blessing. Berakhot typically start with the words Barukh attah, Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam,/ Borukh atoh, Adoynoy Eloyheinu, melekh ho-oylom, (Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe...)
There are three major categories of berakhah:
One who hears another recite a berakhah answers with amen
; but one who is engaged in prayer may at certain points be forbidden from other speech, including responding amen
. With few exceptions, one does not respond amen
to his or her own berakha, although other prayers—such as the kaddish
—include "amen
" in their text.
There are 6 types of blessings said before eating different foods: Ha-Motzi/Hamoytsi Mezonot/Mezoynes Ha-gefen/Hagofen Ha-`etz/ho-eytz Ha-’adama/Ho-adomo and She-ha-kol.
Additionally, there are 5 blessings said after eating different foods: Birkat Hamazon
, Al Hamichya, Al Hagaphen, Al Ha’eitz and Borei Nefashos. These blessings, however, are only required if a certain
predefined amount (Ke'zayit
for a solid food, and Revi'it for a liquid) is consumed within a predefined time period (different for solids and liquids).
case, and to not say it in a D'Rabbanan
case.
32:3:
This mandate refers to the mention of the Tetragrammaton
, which was only pronounced at certain specific times within the confines of the Holy Temple
in Jerusalem. Whoever heard this special name of God mentioned was obliged to respond with Barukh shem kvod malkhuto l'olam va'ed (ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד, "Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity"). With the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, however, pronouncing the Tetragrammaton was prohibited, and was replaced with the pronunciation Adonai. Although this term bears significant holiness (and is in fact one of the seven names of God) and may not be pronounced without purpose, it may be pronounced when appropriate in prayer and blessings. The aforementioned response for the Tetragrammaton, however, is not warranted when one hears Adonai pronounced.
The Talmudic Sages
therefore mandated that one must answer amen at the completion of a blessing outside of the Temple, comparable to the barukh shem that was used in the Holy Temple. However, while "barukh shem is an expression of praise and honour, amen is an affirmation of belief." The Talmud
teaches that the word Amen is an acronym for אל מלך נאמן (’El melekh ne’eman, "God, trustworthy King.") The word amen itself is etymologically
related to the Hebrew
word emunah (אמונה, "faith") asserting that one is affirming the fundamental beliefs of Judaism.
Although amen, in Judaism, is most commonly stated as a response to a blessing that incorporates God's name, amen is more generally an affirmation of any declaration. Accordingly, it is customary in some communities to respond amen after each harachaman in Grace after meals
and after a mi'shebeirach. When reciting amen, it is important that the response is not louder than the blessing itself. When trying to encourage others to respond amen, however, one may raise ones voice to stir others to respond in kind.
, the amen is termed an amen chatufa, as chatufa is synonym for the shva. Another type of amen chatufa is one that is recited prior to the completion of the blessing it is being recited to follow; this comes from the Hebrew word chatuf (חטוף, "snatched"). The impatient rush to respond amen before the blessing has even been completed is prohibited. If insufficient stress is placed on the nun (נ, the last letter of amen in Hebrew) and the mem (מ, the middle letter) drowns it out, this is termed an amen ketufa (אמן קטופה, "a cut amen"). One must also not recite amen too quickly; one should allocate enough time for the amen as necessary to say ’El melekh ne’eman. Saying an amen ketzara (אמן קצרה, "short amen") recited too quickly shows a lack of patience.
indicated particular circumstances in which it is improper to answer amen. An amen yetoma (אמן יתומה, "orphaned amen") is one such example of an improperly recited amen. There is a dispute among the halachic authorities
as to exactly what constitutes an orphaned amen.
One may not respond amen to a beracha le-vatala (ברכה לבטלה, "blessing made for nought"). Thus, one should not respond amen to a blessing made by someone who is merely reciting the blessing for educational purposes (i.e. to learn how to recite it).
Because one cannot attest to one's own blessing any more than he or she already has by reciting it, responding amen to one's own blessing is redundant and one may not do so. If the blessing is being recited on food, one who responds amen to one's own blessing will either cause a hefseik (הפסק, "[prohibited] interruption") or likely pronounce an amen yetoma, depending on whether one responds immediately or waits until after one swallows some food or drink, respectively.
An exception to this rule is a situation in which an individual is reciting a series of blessings; in such a case, some authorities permit the individual to respond amen to the last blessing in order to signal the ending of the series. While there are many examples of series of blessings within the Jewish prayer services, Ashkenazi
tradition dictates that amen is not recited at the conclusion of a series of blessings. The one exception to this is in Grace after Meals
after the third blessing of Boneh Yerushalayim; in order to signify that the first three blessings are biblically mandated
, as opposed to the fourth rabbinically-mandated
blessing, the Talmud
mandates that one recite amen at its closing.
on Jewish holiday
s, when the blessing of sheheheyanu is added within the kiddush prayer.
By listening intently and responding amen to each blessing of the kiddush prayer, all those present can effectively fulfill their obligation to recite kiddush, even though only one person is actually reciting it, via the principle of shomea k'oneh
(שומע כעונה, "One who hears is the equivalent of one who recites").
While men either recite the sheheheyanu blessing in kiddush or dispense their obligation by listening to someone else recite it, women generally recite their sheheheyanu during candle lighting
. Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank
notes that anyone who lit candles should refrain from responding amen to the sheheheyanu blessing during kiddush because it would effectively be an interruption in their fulfillment of reciting kiddush, as they have already recited their sheheheyanu blessing.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, a berakhah, bracha, brokhe is a blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
, usually recited at a specific moment during a ceremony or other activity. The function of a berakhah is to acknowledge God as the source of all blessing. Berakhot typically start with the words Barukh attah, Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam,/ Borukh atoh, Adoynoy Eloyheinu, melekh ho-oylom, (Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe...)
There are three major categories of berakhah:
- Blessings recited on pleasurable experiences including blessings on food and blessings on fragrances.
- Blessings recited when performing a commandment
- Blessings recited in praise or gratitude
One who hears another recite a berakhah answers with amen
Amen
The word amen is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Its use in Judaism dates back to its earliest texts. It has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word for prayers and hymns. In Islam, it is the standard ending to Dua and the...
; but one who is engaged in prayer may at certain points be forbidden from other speech, including responding amen
Amen
The word amen is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Its use in Judaism dates back to its earliest texts. It has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word for prayers and hymns. In Islam, it is the standard ending to Dua and the...
. With few exceptions, one does not respond amen
Amen
The word amen is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Its use in Judaism dates back to its earliest texts. It has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word for prayers and hymns. In Islam, it is the standard ending to Dua and the...
to his or her own berakha, although other prayers—such as the kaddish
Kaddish
Kaddish is a prayer found in the Jewish prayer service. The central theme of the Kaddish is the magnification and sanctification of God's name. In the liturgy different versions of the Kaddish are used functionally as separators between sections of the service...
—include "amen
Amen
The word amen is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Its use in Judaism dates back to its earliest texts. It has been generally adopted in Christian worship as a concluding word for prayers and hymns. In Islam, it is the standard ending to Dua and the...
" in their text.
Blessings over food
Judaism teaches that food ultimately belongs to the one great Provider, God, and that to partake of it legitimately one must express gratitude to God by reciting the appropriate blessing beforehand.There are 6 types of blessings said before eating different foods: Ha-Motzi/Hamoytsi Mezonot/Mezoynes Ha-gefen/Hagofen Ha-`etz/ho-eytz Ha-’adama/Ho-adomo and She-ha-kol.
Additionally, there are 5 blessings said after eating different foods: Birkat Hamazon
Birkat Hamazon
Birkat Hamazon or Birkath Hammazon, , known in English as the Grace After Meals, , is a set of Hebrew blessings that Jewish Law prescribes following a meal that includes bread or matzoh made from one or all of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt...
, Al Hamichya, Al Hagaphen, Al Ha’eitz and Borei Nefashos. These blessings, however, are only required if a certain
predefined amount (Ke'zayit
Ke'zayit
Ke'zayit is a Talmudic unit of volume approximately equal to the size of an average olive. The word itself literally means "like an olive." The rabbis differ on the precise definition of the unit:...
for a solid food, and Revi'it for a liquid) is consumed within a predefined time period (different for solids and liquids).
Safek berakhah
In certain cases it is doubtful whether a blessing should be said. For example, when someone doesn't remember whether he has already recited the proper blessing or not. One cannot argue to recite the blessing "just to be sure", because it is forbidden to say a "berakhah levatalah" (an unnecessary blessing) so as not to transgress the grave prohibition of taking God's name in vain. The ruling in such cases is to say the blessing in a D'OraitaD'Oraita and D'Rabbanan
The Aramaic terms de-'oraita and de-rabbanan are used extensively in discussion and text relating to Jewish law. The former refers to halachic requirements that are biblically mandated, while the latter refers to halachic requirements that are rabbinically mandated...
case, and to not say it in a D'Rabbanan
D'Oraita and D'Rabbanan
The Aramaic terms de-'oraita and de-rabbanan are used extensively in discussion and text relating to Jewish law. The former refers to halachic requirements that are biblically mandated, while the latter refers to halachic requirements that are rabbinically mandated...
case.
Reciting amen
The most common context in which an amen is required by halakhah is after one hears a blessing recited. In fact, it is prohibited to willfully refrain from responding amen when it is indicated. The source of this requirement is the verse in DeuteronomyDeuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
32:3:
- "כי שם ה׳ אקרא הבו גדל לאלוקינו"
- "When I proclaim the name of Hashem, give glory to our God."
This mandate refers to the mention of the Tetragrammaton
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
, which was only pronounced at certain specific times within the confines of the Holy Temple
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
in Jerusalem. Whoever heard this special name of God mentioned was obliged to respond with Barukh shem kvod malkhuto l'olam va'ed (ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד, "Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for all eternity"). With the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, however, pronouncing the Tetragrammaton was prohibited, and was replaced with the pronunciation Adonai. Although this term bears significant holiness (and is in fact one of the seven names of God) and may not be pronounced without purpose, it may be pronounced when appropriate in prayer and blessings. The aforementioned response for the Tetragrammaton, however, is not warranted when one hears Adonai pronounced.
The Talmudic Sages
Chazal
Chazal or Ḥazal is an acronym for the Hebrew "Ḥakhameinu Zikhronam Liv'rakha",...
therefore mandated that one must answer amen at the completion of a blessing outside of the Temple, comparable to the barukh shem that was used in the Holy Temple. However, while "barukh shem is an expression of praise and honour, amen is an affirmation of belief." The Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
teaches that the word Amen is an acronym for אל מלך נאמן (’El melekh ne’eman, "God, trustworthy King.") The word amen itself is etymologically
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
related to the Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
word emunah (אמונה, "faith") asserting that one is affirming the fundamental beliefs of Judaism.
Although amen, in Judaism, is most commonly stated as a response to a blessing that incorporates God's name, amen is more generally an affirmation of any declaration. Accordingly, it is customary in some communities to respond amen after each harachaman in Grace after meals
Birkat Hamazon
Birkat Hamazon or Birkath Hammazon, , known in English as the Grace After Meals, , is a set of Hebrew blessings that Jewish Law prescribes following a meal that includes bread or matzoh made from one or all of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt...
and after a mi'shebeirach. When reciting amen, it is important that the response is not louder than the blessing itself. When trying to encourage others to respond amen, however, one may raise ones voice to stir others to respond in kind.
Proper articulation when answering amen
When responding amen, it must be pronounced in a proper manner, consistent with its significance in Jewish law. There are a number of ways to respond amen that are discouraged as being either disrespectful or careless. The articulation of the alef (א, first letter of amen in Hebrew) and its proper vowelization must be clear. If the kametz vowel is rushed and mispronounced as a the vowelization of a shvaShva
Shva or, in Biblical Hebrew, Sh'wa is a Hebrew niqqud vowel sign written as two vertical dots "ְ" underneath a letter. In Modern Hebrew, it indicates either the phoneme or the complete absence of a vowel , whereas in Hebrew prescriptive linguistics, four grammatical entities are differentiated:...
, the amen is termed an amen chatufa, as chatufa is synonym for the shva. Another type of amen chatufa is one that is recited prior to the completion of the blessing it is being recited to follow; this comes from the Hebrew word chatuf (חטוף, "snatched"). The impatient rush to respond amen before the blessing has even been completed is prohibited. If insufficient stress is placed on the nun (נ, the last letter of amen in Hebrew) and the mem (מ, the middle letter) drowns it out, this is termed an amen ketufa (אמן קטופה, "a cut amen"). One must also not recite amen too quickly; one should allocate enough time for the amen as necessary to say ’El melekh ne’eman. Saying an amen ketzara (אמן קצרה, "short amen") recited too quickly shows a lack of patience.
Situations in which one may not recite amen
Although it is not prohibited to say the word amen in vain, the Talmudic SagesChazal
Chazal or Ḥazal is an acronym for the Hebrew "Ḥakhameinu Zikhronam Liv'rakha",...
indicated particular circumstances in which it is improper to answer amen. An amen yetoma (אמן יתומה, "orphaned amen") is one such example of an improperly recited amen. There is a dispute among the halachic authorities
Posek
Posek is the term in Jewish law for "decider"—a legal scholar who decides the Halakha in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive or in those situations where no halakhic precedent exists....
as to exactly what constitutes an orphaned amen.
- As amen is recited as an affirmation of what a blessing has just asserted, one who is unaware of which blessing was just recited can certainly not affirm its assertion with true conviction. Therefore, if someone just arrives in a place and hears others reciting amen to an unknown blessing, he or she may not respond amen together with them.
- The opposing view maintains a much narrower definition of amen yetoma. They assert that its application is limited to a situation in which someone is intending to hear another's blessing and respond amen with the intention of fulfilling his or her obligation to recite that blessing. In such a situation, should any member of the listening party miss hearing any of the words of the blessing, it would be equivalent to an omission of the recital of that word (in accordance with the principle of shomea k'onehShomea k'onehThe Hebrew term shomea k'oneh is a principle in Jewish law that, in general, allows one to fulfill his or her obligation of textual recitation by listening to another recite the text while both of them have in mind to effect such a fulfillment. The principle of shomea k'oneh is also indicated as...
), and a response of amen would thus be prohibited, even though the listener knew which blessing was being recited. - Another type of amen yetoma is when someone does not respond amen immediately after hearing the conclusion of a blessing, but rather pauses for a few seconds (toch k'dei diburToch k'dei diburThe Hebrew phrase tokh k'dei dibur is a principle in Jewish law that governs the immediacy with which one must speak words for them to be considered a continuation of what has been stated just prior....
), thereby causing the amen to lose its connection to the blessing. Responding with such an amen is forbidden. If however some people are still responding amen to a blessing, one may begin to respond amen, even if this time interval has passed.
One may not respond amen to a beracha le-vatala (ברכה לבטלה, "blessing made for nought"). Thus, one should not respond amen to a blessing made by someone who is merely reciting the blessing for educational purposes (i.e. to learn how to recite it).
Because one cannot attest to one's own blessing any more than he or she already has by reciting it, responding amen to one's own blessing is redundant and one may not do so. If the blessing is being recited on food, one who responds amen to one's own blessing will either cause a hefseik (הפסק, "[prohibited] interruption") or likely pronounce an amen yetoma, depending on whether one responds immediately or waits until after one swallows some food or drink, respectively.
An exception to this rule is a situation in which an individual is reciting a series of blessings; in such a case, some authorities permit the individual to respond amen to the last blessing in order to signal the ending of the series. While there are many examples of series of blessings within the Jewish prayer services, Ashkenazi
Ashkenazi Jews
Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
tradition dictates that amen is not recited at the conclusion of a series of blessings. The one exception to this is in Grace after Meals
Birkat Hamazon
Birkat Hamazon or Birkath Hammazon, , known in English as the Grace After Meals, , is a set of Hebrew blessings that Jewish Law prescribes following a meal that includes bread or matzoh made from one or all of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt...
after the third blessing of Boneh Yerushalayim; in order to signify that the first three blessings are biblically mandated
D'Oraita and D'Rabbanan
The Aramaic terms de-'oraita and de-rabbanan are used extensively in discussion and text relating to Jewish law. The former refers to halachic requirements that are biblically mandated, while the latter refers to halachic requirements that are rabbinically mandated...
, as opposed to the fourth rabbinically-mandated
D'Oraita and D'Rabbanan
The Aramaic terms de-'oraita and de-rabbanan are used extensively in discussion and text relating to Jewish law. The former refers to halachic requirements that are biblically mandated, while the latter refers to halachic requirements that are rabbinically mandated...
blessing, the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
mandates that one recite amen at its closing.
When responding amen will constitute a prohibited interruption
When responding amen will constitute a hefseik (הפסק, "[prohibited] interruption"), one should not respond amen. An example of this type of situation would be within the evening kiddushKiddush
Kiddush , literally, "sanctification," is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays.-Significance:...
on Jewish holiday
Jewish holiday
Jewish holidays are days observed by Jews as holy or secular commemorations of important events in Jewish history. In Hebrew, Jewish holidays and festivals, depending on their nature, may be called yom tov or chag or ta'anit...
s, when the blessing of sheheheyanu is added within the kiddush prayer.
By listening intently and responding amen to each blessing of the kiddush prayer, all those present can effectively fulfill their obligation to recite kiddush, even though only one person is actually reciting it, via the principle of shomea k'oneh
Shomea k'oneh
The Hebrew term shomea k'oneh is a principle in Jewish law that, in general, allows one to fulfill his or her obligation of textual recitation by listening to another recite the text while both of them have in mind to effect such a fulfillment. The principle of shomea k'oneh is also indicated as...
(שומע כעונה, "One who hears is the equivalent of one who recites").
While men either recite the sheheheyanu blessing in kiddush or dispense their obligation by listening to someone else recite it, women generally recite their sheheheyanu during candle lighting
Shabbat candles
Shabbat candles are candles lit on Friday nights, 18 minutes before sunset, to usher in the Jewish Sabbath.Lighting Shabbat candles is a rabbinically mandated law. Candlelighting is traditionally done by the woman of the household, but in the absence of a woman, it may be done by man...
. Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank
Tzvi Pesach Frank
Rabbi Tzvi Pesach Frank was a renowned halachic scholar and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for several decades.-Biography:...
notes that anyone who lit candles should refrain from responding amen to the sheheheyanu blessing during kiddush because it would effectively be an interruption in their fulfillment of reciting kiddush, as they have already recited their sheheheyanu blessing.
See also
- BeracahBeracahBeracah is a valley in the Hebrew Bible . It was named the "Valley of Blessings by Jehoshaphat after his victory over Moab and Ammon, as is recounted in the Book of Chronicles....
("Valley of Blessings") - BarakahBarakahIn Islam, Barakah is the beneficent force from God that flows through the physical and spiritual spheres as prosperity, protection, and happiness. Baraka is the continuity of spiritual presence and revelation that begins with God and flows through that and those closest to God. Baraka can be found...
(IslamIslamIslam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
; ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
version) - BaruchBaruchBaruch has been a given name among Jews from Biblical times up to the present, on some occasions also used as surname. It is also found, though more rarely, among Christians—particularly among Protestants who use Old Testament names....
- List of Jewish prayers and blessings
External links
- Berachot.org - Your Complete Guide to Brochos
- Entry on "benedictions" in the Jewish EncyclopediaJewish EncyclopediaThe Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
. - Brochos.com - A comprehensive guide to Brochos
- Questions & Answers on the laws of Brachos