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Normally, if I hear my good friend Shimon say a bracha, I answer Amen. Nonetheless, if it's during davening, and I hear him finish a bracha, it appears to be common practice to not say Amen.

In other words, (as far as I observed) during davening everyone exclusively says Amen to the brachos of the Chazzan, and to no one else's.

But why is this so? Shouldn't Amen normally be said on all brachos?

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  • +1. Re "(as far a I observed) during davening everyone exclusively says Amen to the brachos of Chazzan, and to no one else": and to kohanim, no?
    – msh210
    Nov 17, 2011 at 8:51
  • Whose berachos would you expect to say amen to during davening? Most people daven almost silently. I don't understand the question.
    – Curiouser
    Nov 17, 2011 at 13:42
  • 1
    @curiouser that might be true, but lots of people daven aloud.
    – yydl
    Nov 17, 2011 at 14:06
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    @Curiouser, I frequently say have opportunity to (and do) respond "amen" when people near me finish birchos k'rias sh'ma.
    – msh210
    Nov 17, 2011 at 17:26
  • 1
    I think it's a mistake. I answer to others who I hear.
    – YDK
    Nov 17, 2011 at 17:37

2 Answers 2

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See OC 6 (4) and MB who records a custom that each congregant says the morning blessings and the others answer omain (without the intention to fulfill their obligation by saying omain). See MB s.k. 13, who mentions a supporting view and the view of the Pri Megodim that only the Chazzan should say these blessings aloud. MB says that each place should follow its custom. See also s.k. 14.

IMHO, there ought to be no objection to answering omain to other blessings (like putting on tefillin).

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  • 1
    Pri Megadim sounds circumstancial.
    – YDK
    Nov 17, 2011 at 18:15
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The rambam specifically forbids saying amen to birkot kriyat shema and shmoneh esrei if it is not from the chazan in a minyan. Other rishonim states that one can say amen to those of kriyat shema, but saying amen to shmoneh esrei of someone who’s whispering too loudly is specifically forbidden.

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    Where does Rambam say that? Please edit to clarify
    – Double AA
    Nov 15, 2021 at 21:26

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