Can I hear an amen to that! TB Berachot 45

Today TB Berachot 45 begins the seventh chapter of Messechet Berachot. This chapter deals with the intricacies surrounding around birkat hamazon, Grace after Meals. The opening Mishnah teaches “the essential halakhot pertaining to the invitation to recite Grace after Meals after a joint meal [zimmun]: Three people who ate as one are required to form a zimmun and recite Grace after Meals.” (Sefaria.org translation) The Gemara provides the verses that suggest a zimmun needs a minimum of three people. With regard to the basic mitzva of zimmun, the Gemara asks:” From where are these matters derived, that after a meal in which three diners participated, a zimmun must be recited? Rav Asi said: As the verse states: “Praise God with me, and we will exalt His name together” (Psalms 34:4), i.e., the one reciting the blessing turns to at least two others to praise God together. Rabbi Abbahu said: The source of the mitzva of zimmun is derived from the verse here: “When I call the Name of the Lord, give [plural] praise to our God” (Deuteronomy 32:3). “(Sefaria.org translation)

One should still recite birkat hamazon even if there isn’t a zimmun!  We should always show our gratitude for the food we eat by thanking God for it.

Two different times on this daf do we learn something about saying “amen” after a blessing. First of all, one must modulate his response of “amen” with the prayer leader blessing so that they will be in sync. “Rav Ḥanan bar Abba said: From where is it derived that one who answers amen should not raise his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing? As it is stated: “Praise God with me, and we will exalt His Name together”; together and not with the respondent raising his voice louder than the one reciting the blessing.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Secondly, the Gemara discusses whether a person should answer “amen” to his own bracha. I have taught that saying amen to a blessing is tantamount to saying I agree with the person saying the blessing. Obviously, the person saying the blessing agrees to the content of the bracha and should not say “amen” to his own blessing. That would be redundant. TB Berachot 45b teaches us that this is not so simple.

One baraita taught: One who answers amen after his own blessings, it is praiseworthy. Another baraita taught: It is reprehensible. The Gemara resolves this apparent contradiction: This is not difficult. This, where the first baraita says that it is praiseworthy to answer amen after his own blessing, is in the blessing: Who builds Jerusalem; this, where the second baraita deems it offensive, is in other blessings.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Everybody agrees that everyone says amen after reciting the blessing “Who builds Jerusalem-וּבְנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַֽיִם עִיר הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ בִּמְהֵרָה בְיָמֵֽינוּ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה , בּוֹנֵה בְרַחֲמָיו יְרוּשָׁלָֽיִם. אָמֵן.“. Rashi explains the reason why we recite amen after this blessing. He teaches that it is appropriate to say amen after the last beracha of a whole series of blessings. In fact that is the Sephardic custom to do so. After referencing Rabbeinu Haniel and the Halachot Gedolot who decide Jewish law according to the Sephardic custom, Tosefot writes “nevertheless we went out to see what Jews (on the streets) were actually doing (in the Ashkenazi diaspora) and saw that they did not answer amen except after ‘Who builds Jerusalem’ in Grace after meals.”

That’s our tradition thanks to the power of the people!