QUESTION: Is one permitted to answer Amen after their own beracha?

ANSWER: The Gemara (Berachos 45b) cites two seemingly contradictory beraisos regarding this question. The first beraisa states that one who answers Amen to their own beracha is praiseworthy. The second beraisa states that one who answers Amen to their own beracha is contemptible. The Gemara resolves that it depends on the beracha. It is praiseworthy to answer Amen after the beracha of U’vnei Yerushalayim (the third beracha of Bentching), but for other berachos it is contemptible. There is a disagreement between the Shulchan Aruch and the Rema (OC 215:1) as to whether U’vnei Yerushalyim is a unique exception to the rule or whether there are other berachos like it. The Shulchan Aruch rules that one may also answer Amen to their own beracha after Yishtabach and at the conclusion of Hallel, since each of these berachos concludes a section. However, the Rema writes that the minhag of Ashkenazim is to recite Amen only after U’vnei Yerushalyim. The purpose of this Amen is to indicate that the Torah obligation of Bentching ends with the beracha of U’vnei Yerushalayim, and the following beracha is only Rabbinic.

The Mishnah Berurah (215:1) infers from the wording of the Gemara that though it is contemptible to do so, strictly speaking, one who did answer Amen to their own beracha did not violate a prohibition, provided that the Amen did not act as an interruption.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.