Question:
Can one answer amen to berachot while reciting shema?
Answer:
Regarding interrupting shema to answer amen depends on two factors; where one is currently up to, and the bracha that one heard:
• If one heard the bracha of ha’keil hakadosh or shomei’a tefillah, one is allowed to answer amen even if one is in the middle of one of the pesukim of keriyat shema (Rema Siman 66 Se’if 3), but one may not interrupt while reciting the first passuk of keriyat shema or boruch shem… to answer anything (Shulchan Aruch Siman 66 Se’if 1).
• Regarding answering amen to all other brachot, if one is currently in the middle of reciting one of the pesukim of keriyat shema one may not interrupt to answer amen (c.f. Rema ibid).
• If one is currently “bein ha’prakim” i.e., in between the brachot preceding keriyat shema, or in between the paragraphs of shema (Shulchan Aruch Siman 66 Se’if 5), and hears one of the other brachot, there are differing opinions among the Acharonim regarding whether or not one may interrupt to answer amen: The Chaye Adam (Klal 20 Se’if 4) maintains that one may not answer amen to a “regular” bracha at this juncture, whereas the Pri Megadim and Rav Akiva Eiger maintain that one may answer amen to a “regular” bracha at this juncture.
Although the Mishna Berura in Siman 66 (s.k. 23) quotes these two opinions and does not indicate who the halacha follows, in Siman 59 (s.k. 18) the Mishna Berura clearly seems to follow the view of the Pri Megadim and Rav Akiva Eiger.
• However, the Chaye Adam (ibid) also concedes that in between birkos keriyat shema it is permitted to answer amen to the bracha that he has now concluded (e.g., after yotzer ohr one may answer amen to yotzer ohr specifically, even though according to the Chaye Adam one may not answer amen to any other “regular” bracha). This is based on the Rema in Siman 59 (Se’if 4). |