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I have noticed in Chabad synagogues and sefarim, in the Kaddish after "sh'mei d'kudsha brich hu," "amen" is said by the congregation. In every other source I've seen and every other synagogue I've been to, "brich hu" is repeated by the congregation. Which is proper for someone who is not nusach Chabad, and why does Chabad do it their way?

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Noe that in some congregations I've been in, the congregation says b'rich hu before (or at the same time that) the shatz does. – msh210♦ May 30 '11 at 17:13
Aren't you biasing the answer by including a comma in your quote? That comma is the bases for the whole argument: do we view brich hu leila as a new phrase or does it finish the phrase kudsha brich hu. – Double AA♦ Nov 28 '11 at 4:54

3 Answers

up vote 12 down vote accepted

The Shulchan Aruch OC 56:2 says that one says "Amen" after Berich Hu, but the Rema there disagrees and says not to say anything there at all.

The Ashkenazim who say Berich Hu at the same time as the Chazzan are following the Taz and the Magen Avraham. Strangely enough, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav also says the same thing. (I haven't seen anyone who follows the Rema over the Taz and the Magen Avraham.)

Sephardim follow the Mechaber because he's the Mechaber (It helps that the Ari Z"L agrees), but when Chabad says Amen there, they're probably doing it specifically because that's what the Ari Z"L says to do in Sha'ar HaKavanot.

So:

  • Chabad: Say "Amen"
  • Sephardim: Say "Amen"
  • Ashkenazim: Say "Berich hu"

Note that I'm not addressing the question of what to do if you're a non-Chabadnik who happens to be davening at a Chabad shul for some reason.

My source for all of this: Halacha Berura 56:21, and the footnotes there.

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+1 for "Note that I'm not addressing the question of what to do if you're a non-Chabadnik who happens to be davening at a Chabad shul." Need to find a book on that ;) – TK Kocheran May 27 '11 at 20:09
Also, thanks for the SA reference, always helpful and required in any answer to any major halachic matter :) – TK Kocheran May 27 '11 at 20:10
next time you're in shul with me come find me so you can see someone following the rama's psak! – Double AA♦ Nov 23 '11 at 4:37
up vote 6 down vote

According to the Aruch HaShulchan (OH 56:6) this is really fundamentally a grammatical question.

Does the sentence run on from before: "may it be lauded the name of the Holy One Blessed is He" in which case the response is "amen".

Or does the sentence end with "may it be lauded His holy name" and then the next sentence starts with "b'rich hu": "may he be blessed above all blessings" in which case the congregation joins the start of the next sentence by saying "b'rich hu"

וכתב רבינו הרמ"א שלא יפסיק בין "הוא" ובין "לעילא מן כל ברכתא", עיין שם. דסבירא ליה ד"בריך הוא" קאי על למטה, כלומר: "בריך הוא לעילא מן כל ברכתא". אבל השיגו על זה ד"בריך הוא" קאי אדלעיל "קודשא בריך היא", כמו שבלשון הקודש אומרים "הקדוש ברוך הוא". וכן מבואר מהרמב"ם, שכתב "אמן" אחר "בריך הוא". וכן המנהג פשוט. ו"לעילא" הוא קאי על "יתברך וישתבח", שיתברך למעלה מכל הברכות והשירות והתשבחות שנאמרו מעולם.

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up vote 2 down vote

it is said amen, by sefaradim and some ashekanazim. a part of ashekanzim don't say amen. rather they say berich hu.

while some things habad do their way this is not the case, it is the other way around.

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At places where you are only allowed to respond "Yehe Shmei Raba" and "Amen" after bealma, do you think there is a different ruling for the hefsek depending on your nusach. It would seem to me that "Amen" would be allowed or required and "brich hu" not – David Perlman May 27 '11 at 13:35
@David: I'm doubtful about that. Why would this Amen rank any higher than the ones after שמה רבא and וימליך מלכותה (or ויקרב משיחה, as the case may be)? – Alex May 27 '11 at 16:48
@Avraham: Footnote 147 here gives some sources on this. – Alex May 27 '11 at 16:49
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Those who say Amen at this point may do so during pesukei dezimra, those who say brich hu may not say brich hu during pesukei dezimra. – Yahu May 27 '11 at 17:33
@Alex The Amen + Yehe Shme Raba and the Amen after Be'Alma do rank higher then the other Amens. My question was where does this Amen/Brich Hu fall. – David Perlman May 28 '11 at 20:25
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