Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 124

Siman 124

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א לְאַחַר שֶׁסִיְּמוּ הַצִּבּוּר תְּפִלָּתָן, יַחֲזֹר שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר הַתְּפִלָּה, שֶׁאִם יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל יְכַוֵּן לְמַה שֶּׁהוּא אוֹמֵר, וְיוֹצֵא בוֹ; וְצָרִיךְ אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיּוֹצֵא בִּתְפִלַּת שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לְכַוֵּן לְכָל מַה שֶּׁאוֹמֵר שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מֵרֹאשׁ וְעַד סוֹף; וְאֵינוֹ מַפְסִיק; וְאֵינוֹ מֵשִׂיחַ; וּפוֹסֵעַ ג' פְּסִיעוֹת לְאַחֲרָיו, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל לְעַצְמוֹ.

1 Laws of the Conduct of the Prayer Leader during the Eighteen Blessings [i.e. Amidah], and the Laws of Answering Amen. Containing 12 S'ifim: After the congregation finishes their prayer [i.e. Amidah], the prayer leader repeats the prayer, so that if there is anyone who does not know how to pray [the Amidah], [that person] will pay attention to what [the prayer leader] is saying and fulfill [that person's] obligation through that. And that one who is fulfilling an obligation through the prayer of the prayer leader must pay attention to everything that [the prayer leader] says, from beginning to end, and may not interrupt and may not converse, and [that person] steps three steps backwards just like one who prays by oneself.

ב שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר שֶׁנִּכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וּמָצָא צִבּוּר שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ בְּלַחַשׁ, וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה לְאַלְתַּר, יוֹרֵד לִפְנֵי הַתֵּבָה וּמִתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל רָם לַצִּבּוּר, וְאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּלַחַשׁ. הַגָּה: וְכֵן אִם הוּא שְׁעַת הַדַּחַק, כְּגוֹן שֶׁיָּרֵא שֶׁיַּעֲבֹר זְמַן הַתְּפִלָּה, יוּכַל לְהִתְפַּלֵּל מִיָּד בְּקוֹל רָם, וְהַצִּבּוּר מִתְפַּלְּלִין עִמּוֹ מִלָּה בְּמִלָּה בְּלַחַשׁ עַד לְאַחַר הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ, וְטוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אֶחָד לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת שֶׁיַּעֲנֶה אָמֵן אַחַר הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר (מַהֲרִי"ל).

2 A prayer leader who entered the synagogue and found the congregation praying the quiet [Amidah] prayer, and needs to "pass before the Ark" [i.e. needs to get in position to lead the repetition] immediately - [the prayer leader] goes down before Ark [i.e. takes the leader's position] and prays aloud for the congregation, and does not need to go back and pray quietly. Rema: And so too, if there's a pressing circumstance, for example, [the leader] is afraid that the time of prayer will pass, [the leader] may pray aloud immediately and the congregation prays with [the leader] word for word quietly until after [the blessing of] "Hakeil Hakadosh". And it would be good if there is at least one person [available to] answer Amen after the blessings of the prayer leader. [Mahari"l]

ג קָהָל שֶׁהִתְפַּלְּלוּ וְכֻלָּם בְּקִיאִים בַּתְּפִלָּה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן יֵרֵד שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר וְחוֹזֵר לְהִתְפַּלֵּל, כְּדֵי לְקַיֵּם תַּקָּנַת חֲכָמִים. הַגָּה: וְאִם יֵשׁ יְחִידִים בַּקָּהָל מַאֲרִיכִין בִּתְפִלָּתָן, אֵין לַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר לְהַמְתִּין עֲלֵיהֶם וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיוּ חֲשׁוּבֵי הָעִיר; וְכֵן אִם הָיָה מִנְיָן בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת, אֵין לְהַמְתִּין עַל אָדָם חָשׁוּב אוֹ גָּדוֹל שֶׁעֲדַיִן לֹא בָּא (בִּנְיָמִין זְאֵב סי' קס"ח).

3 A congregation which prayed [the Amidah] and all of them are experts in prayer [themselves] - nevertheless, the prayer leader should descend [to lead] and go back to pray in order to maintain the decree of our Sages. Rema: And if there are individuals amongst the congregation who are prolonging their prayers, the prayer leader should not wait for them, even if they are the prominent people of the city. And so too, if there was a quorum in the synagogue, they should not wait for a prominent or great person who still has not yet arrived. [Binyamin Ze'ev Siman 168)

ד כְּשֶׁשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר חוֹזֵר הַתְּפִלָּה, הַקָּהָל יֵשׁ לָהֶם לִשְׁתֹּק וּלְכַוֵּן לַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ הַחַזָּן וְלַעֲנוֹת אָמֵן; וְאִם אֵין ט' מְכַוְּנִים לְבִרְכוֹתָיו, קָרוֹב לִהְיוֹת בִּרְכוֹתָיו לְבַטָּלָה; לָכֵן כָּל אָדָם יַעֲשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ אֵין ט' זוּלָתוֹ, וִיכַוֵּן לְבִרְכַּת הַחַזָּן. יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁכָּל הָעָם יַעַמְדוּ כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר הַתְּפִלָּה, (הַגָּהוֹת מִנְהָגִים).

4 When the prayer leader repeats the [Amidah] prayer, the congregation should be quiet, and focus on the blessings that the chazan is making, and respond "Amen". And if there are not 9 people who are focusing on [the prayer leader's] blessings, it is almost that [the prayer leader's] blessings are in vain. Therefore, each person should act as if there are not nine others [who are focusing] other [than that person], and should focus on the blessings of the chazan. (There are those who say that the entire congregation should stand when the prayer leader repeats the prayer. (Hagahot Minhagim))

ה עַל כָּל בְּרָכָה שֶׁאָדָם שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּכָל מָקוֹם, אוֹמֵר: בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ.

5 For every blessing that a person hears in any place, one says, "Blessed is [God] and Blessed is [God's] Name."

ו וְיַעֲנוּ: אָמֵן, אַחַר כָּל בְּרָכָה, בֵּין אוֹתָם שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יְדֵי תְּפִלָּה, בֵּין אוֹתָם שֶׁלֹּא יָצְאוּ, וּבַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן בְּלִבּוֹ: אֱמֶת הִיא הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁבֵּרַךְ הַמְבָרֵךְ, וַאֲנִי מַאֲמִין בָּזֶה.

6 And they answer "amen" after every blessing, both the [people] who already fulfilled their obligation to pray and those who did not; and the intention that one should hold in one's heart is: "the blessing that the blesser recited is true, and I believe in it".

ז לֹא יָשִׂיחַ שִׂיחַת חֻלִּין בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר חוֹזֵר הַתְּפִלָּה, וְאִם שָׂח הוּא חוֹטֵא, וְגָדוֹל עֲוֹנוֹ מִנְּשׂוֹא, וְגוֹעֲרִים בּוֹ. הַגָּה: וִילַמֵּד בָּנָיו הַקְּטַנִּים שֶׁיַּעֲנוּ: אָמֵן, כִּי מִיָּד שֶׁהַתִּינוֹק עוֹנֶה: אָמֵן, יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא (כָּל בּוֹ).

7 One should not hold a common conversation at the time when the prayer leader is repeating the [Amidah] prayer. And if [a person] converses [on common matters], [that person] sins, and [that person]'s transgression is too great to bear, and we rebuke [that person]. Rema: And one should teach one's young children that they should answer "amen", because immediately when a child answers "amen", [the child] earns a portion in the World to Come. (Kol Bo)

ח לֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן חֲטוּפָה, דְּהַיְנוּ כְּאִלּוּ הָאָלֶ"ף נְקוּדָה בַּחֲטָף; וְכֵן שֶׁלֹּא יַחֲטֹף וִימַהֵר לַעֲנוֹת אוֹתוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּסַיֵּם הַמְבָרֵךְ; וְכֵן לֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן קְטוּפָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁמְּחַסֵר קְרִיאַת הַנּוּ"ן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹצִיאָהּ בַּפֶּה שֶׁתְּהֵא נִכֶּרֶת; גַּם לֹא יַפְסִיק בְּאֶמְצַע הַמִּלָּה (בֵּית יוֹסֵף בְּשֵׁם הֶעָרוּךְ); וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן יְתוֹמָה, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁהוּא חַיָּב בִּבְרָכָה אַחַת וּשְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מְבָרֵךְ אוֹתָהּ וְזֶה אֵינוֹ שׁוֹמְעָהּ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ אֵיזוֹ בְּרָכָה מְבָרֵךְ הַשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר, מֵאַחַר שֶׁלֹּא שְׁמָעָהּ, לֹא יַעֲנֶה אַחֲרָיו אָמֵן, דְּהָוֵי אָמֵן יְתוֹמָה. הַגָּה: וְיֵשׁ מַחְמִירִין דַּאֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ מְחֻיָּב בְּאוֹתָהּ בְּרָכָה, לֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן אִם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ בְּאֵיזֶה בְּרָכָה קָאֵי שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר, דְּזֶה נָמֵי מִקְרֵי אָמֵן יְתוֹמָה (טוּר בְּשֵׁם תַּשְׁבֵּ"ץ); וְלֹא יַמְתִּין עִם עֲנִיַּת הָאָמֵן, אֶלָּא מִיָּד שֶׁכָּלָה הַבְּרָכָה יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן (אַבּוּדַרְהַם). וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה אָמֵן קְצָרָה, אֶלָּא אֲרֻכָּה קְצָת, כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוּכַל לוֹמַר: אֵל מֶלֶךְ נֶאֱמָן; וְלֹא יַאֲרִיךְ בָּהּ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין קְרִיאַת הַתֵּבָה נִשְׁמַעַת כְּשֶׁמַּאֲרִיךְ יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי.

8 One should not respond [with] an "amen chatufa" [a hurried amen], which is when one pronounces the "alef" as if it is vocalized with a "chataf" [half-vowel], and also [means] that one should not rush and hurry to respond [with] it before the blesser finishes [the blessing]. Also, one should not respond [with] an "amen ketufa" [a truncated amen], which is when omits the pronunciation of the [letter] "nun" and does not pronounce it with one's mouth so that it is cut off(One should also not pause in the middle of the word) (Beit Yosef in the name of the Aruch). And one should not respond [with] an "amen yetoma" [orphaned amen], which is when one is obligated in a blessing and the prayer leader is reciting it [as well], but one does not listen to it - even though one knows which blessing the prayer leader is reciting, since one did not hear it, one should not answer "amen" after it, for that is an "amen yetoma". Rema: And there are those who are stringent [and say] that even if one is not obligated in that blessing, one should not answer "amen" if one does not know which blessing the prayer leader is reciting, for that too is called an "amen yetoma" (Tur in the name of Tashba"tz). And one should not delay with the answering of "amen", but rather immediately when the blessing is completed, one should respond "amen" (Abudarham). And one should not respond [with] a "amen k'tzara" [shortened amen], but rather lengthen it a little in order that one could say [the words] "El Melekh Ne-eman" ("God, Faithful King"), but one should not extend it [to be] too long since the recitation of the word cannot be understood when one extends it [to be] too long.

ט אִם יֵשׁ קְצָת מֵהָעוֹנִים שֶׁמַּאֲרִיכִין יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי, אֵין צָרִיךְ הַמְבָרֵךְ לְהַמְתִּין לָהֶם.

9 If a few of the respondents are extending [their "amen"] too long, the blesser does not need to wait for them.

י מִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְלֹא אָמַר יַעֲלֶה וְיָבֹא בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ בְּחֻלּוֹ שֶׁל מוֹעֵד אוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר בִּשְׁבִילוֹ, יְכַוֵּן דַּעְתּוֹ וְיִשְׁמַע מִשְּׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר כָּל י"ח בְּרָכוֹת מֵרֹאשׁ וְעַד סוֹף כְּאָדָם שֶׁמִּתְפַּלֵּל לְעַצְמוֹ; וְלֹא יַפְסִיק וְלֹא יָשִׂיחַ; וּפוֹסֵעַ ג' פְּסִיעוֹת לַאֲחוֹרָיו, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁכְּבָר הִתְפַּלֵּל, אֶלָּא שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְלֹא הִזְכִּיר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בָּקִי, שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר מוֹצִיאוֹ.

10 One who forgot and didn't say "Ya-aleh Veyavo" on Rosh Chodesh or Chol Hamoed, or any other thing that one would be required to repeat, one should focus and listen to the the entire eighteen blessings [i.e. Amidah] from the prayer leader from beginning to end, like one who prays oneself, and one should not interrupt nor converse, and one takes 3 steps backwards [at the end]. Since one already prayed, but just forgot and didn't remember, even though one is competent [to pray oneself], the prayer leader fulfills one's obligation.

יא אִם בְּעוֹד הָאָדָם מִתְפַּלֵּל סִיֵּם שְׁלִיחַ צִבּוּר בְּרָכָה, וְקֹדֶם שֶׁכָּלְתָה עֲנִיַּת אָמֵן מִפִּי רֹב הַצִּבּוּר סִיֵּם זֶה תְּפִלָּתוֹ, עוֹנֶה עִמָּהֶם: אָמֵן. הַגָּה: וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם לֹא שָׁמַע הַבְּרָכָה כְּלָל, רַק שׁוֹמֵעַ צִבּוּר עוֹנִין אָמֵן וְיוֹדֵעַ עַל אֵיזֶה בְּרָכָה קָאֵי, יַעֲנֶה עִמָּהֶם וְכֵן בְּקַדִּישׁ וּקְדֻשָּׁה וּבָרְכוּ. (ב"י א"ח)

11 If, while one is [in the middle] of praying [the Amidah], the prayer leader concluded a blessing [of the repetition], and prior to the response of Amen by the majority of the congregation, one finished one's prayer [i.e. Amidah], one may answer Amen with them. Rema: And even if one didn't hear the blessing at all, but one hears the congregation answering Amen and one knows which blessing they are up to, one may answer [Amen] with them. And so too with Kaddish, Kedusha, and Bar'khu. (Beit Yosef, Orach Chayyim)

יב הָעוֹנֶה אָמֵן, לֹא יַגְבִּיהַּ קוֹלוֹ יוֹתֵר מֵהַמְבָרֵךְ.

12 The one who is answering Amen should not raise one's voice louder than the one making the blessing.

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