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There is a debate as to whether one can recite Hallel with a beracha on Yom Haaztmaut (related).

I have been to a synagogue where they had invited someone who is of the opinion that one should say a beracha and asked the community to answer amen. This is so that the congregation do not say the beracha itself, but are answering to someone who does hold by saying the beracha.

Is this contradictory? Or is it desirable, since you don't say the beracha yourself, but merely answer? Or is answering akin to saying the beracha itself and one shouldn't even answer amen if you hold by not saying the beracha?

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  • It's also debatable whether one is allowed to say hallel in the first place, even without a bracha.
    – Shlomy
    May 4, 2014 at 1:34
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    @user4784 can you back that up with a halachik source? as far as i know there is only a prohibition to recite hallel every day, but if one feels inspiration about something and wishes on a one time basis to say hallel that is fully permissible.
    – Jewels
    May 4, 2014 at 9:27
  • @u4784 at the beginning I mention the debate about whether one can say hallel or not. The question is regarding answering amen to someone's beracha where they have psak to say hallel with a beracha but you don't.
    – bondonk
    May 4, 2014 at 18:03
  • @Jewels the potential problem would to be to add to tefilla. Your not really allowed to to the davening things.
    – Shlomy
    May 4, 2014 at 20:28
  • @bondonk i hear, but can you give like a rabbinic source that says your allowed to say hallel with a bracha?
    – Shlomy
    May 4, 2014 at 20:29

1 Answer 1

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In general, If there is a halachic doubt as to whether to say a bracha it is better to answer Amen to someone else's bracha then to say it yourself. This way you avoid the possibility of making a bracha levatala. This is done Shavuos morning: someone who slept will be motzi those who stayed awake with birchos hatorah, elokai netzor and ha'maavir shaina. (Mishne Berurah 47:28)

Furthermore, it is permissible to answer amen to a bracha for which there is a machlokes haposkim as to whether one should be making that bracha. (Biur Halacha 216 s.v. ve'asur)

That Biur Halacha, specifically states that one is allowed to answer Amen only to a bracha whose provenance is well established and not based on a rejected opinion. Thus if one follows the opinion that making a bracha on Hallel is a bracha levatala and the opinions to make a bracha are without merit, one may not answer Amen to a bracha on Hallel. Otherwise, one may answer Amen.

As always ask you personal halachic authority.

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  • thank you for the answer. I don't know if the comparison to Shavuot morning is parallel. No-one would say that the person saying those berachot, having slept, is saying them in error - whereas in this case of Hallel some do think saying the beracha is in error. Having said this, great sources. thanks
    – bondonk
    May 4, 2014 at 18:06
  • @bondonk There are basically 2 issues: bracha levatala and Amen levatala. And 3 possibilities: 1) the other person's bracha is legitimate in which case you are yotzei. 2) The other person's bracha is in error in which case there is nothing to be yotzei but at least you did not make a bracha levatala. In this case the Amen was levatala. 3) This is a legitimate doubt so that the Amen is valid and you were yotzai if needed. I'm not sure what the issue is with being yotzai a bracha from someone who makes it possibly unnecessarily since if it legitmate you are yotzei.
    – Yoni
    May 4, 2014 at 19:33

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