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In certain prayers, the congregation interjects the word Amein after certain words/phrases. In The Ya'aleh V'yavo, I hear it in the last section, amidst these three statements

זָכְרֵנוּ ה' אֱלהֵינוּ בּו לְטובָה. וּפָקְדֵנוּ בו לִבְרָכָה. וְהושִׁיעֵנוּ בו לְחַיִּים

I also hear it on Rosh Chodesh, during Musaf (here, page 12).

And I recall it on Shabbat/Rosh Chodesh in Musaf

רְצֵה בִמְנוּחָתֵנוּ וְחַדֵּשׁ עָלֵינוּ בְּיום הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה אֶת הַחדֶשׁ הַזֶּה. לְטובָה וְלִבְרָכָה. לְששון וּלְשמְחָה. לִישׁוּעָה וּלְנֶחָמָה. לְפַרְנָסָה וּלְכַלְכָּלָה. לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלום. לִמְחִילַת חֵטְא וְלִסְלִיחַת עָון

Finally, I think it is said at the end of Birchat Hachodesh

יְחַדְּשֵׁהוּ הַקָּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּו בֵּית יִשרָאֵל בְּכָל מָקום שֶׁהֵם. לְטובָה וְלִבְרָכָה. לְששון וּלְשמְחָה. לִישׁוּעָה וּלְנֶחָמָה. לְפַרְנָסָה טובָה וּלְכַלְכָּלָה. לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלום. לִשְׁמוּעות טובות. וְלִבְשורות טובות. בחורף - וְלִגְשָׁמִים בְּעִתָּם. וְלִרְפוּאָה שְׁלֵמָה. וְלִגְאוּלָה קְרובָה

I don't know if there are other instances (or other holidays) in which this practice finds a home. If I have forgotten any, apologies.

I am not sure where this practice originates but I'm wondering why it ISN'T the case in other situations where a litany of wishes is used. Specifically, at the outset of Birchat Hachodesh, I don't recall that the word Amein is said by the congregation

וְתִתֶּן לָנוּ חַיִּים אֲרוּכִּים. חַיִּים שֶׁל שָׁלום. חַיִּים שֶׁל טובָה. חַיִּים שֶׁל בְּרָכָה. חַיִּים שֶׁל פַּרְנָסָה. חַיִּים שֶׁל חִלּוּץ עֲצָמות. חַיִּים שֶׁיֵשׁ בָּהֶם יִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם וְיִרְאַת חֵטְא. חַיִּים שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם בּוּשָׁה וּכְלִמָּה. חַיִּים שֶׁל עשֶׁר וְכָבוד. חַיִּים שֶׁתְּהֵא בָנוּ אַהֲבַת תּורָה וְיִרְאַת שָׁמַיִם. חַיִּים שֶׁיִּמָלְאוּ מִשְׁאֲלות לִבֵּנוּ לְטובָה

Are there rules for when this should or should not be inserted or why it has become accepted to say it in some cases but not others?

Yoreinu
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rosends
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    Also birchas tal/geshem – Jay May 07 '19 at 00:53
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    Nice Q. I'll see if beureihatefillah has something to say about this. Sephardim tend to have far more responses than Ashkenazim do, overall. – DanF May 07 '19 at 02:38
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    Many Sephardic congregations add amen in many lists of blessings, like in the last part of the central benediction of the amida on the sabbath and holidays ("קדשנו במצותיך ותן חלקנו בתורתך שבענו...‏"). In fact, I suspect the rule for such congregations is simple: add it to any list of blessings. If you're asking specifically about Ashkenazic congregations, I recommend you [edit] to indicate as much. – msh210 May 07 '19 at 10:16
  • @msh210 do Sephardic congregations add it to the first part of Birchat Hachodesh? – rosends May 07 '19 at 10:29
  • (re your comment addressed to me) I don't recall. Probably — if they say that paragraph at all (which I also don't recall). – msh210 May 07 '19 at 14:55
  • Ta'amei Haminhagim states to respond Amen in Ya'aleh Veyavo. He doesn't state why. I haven't yet researched the others. Of course, even when people give you a personal bracha, it's common to respond "Amen", so perhaps this is a precedent? though, I agree that it seems to be reserved to a few situations such as those that you mentioned. – DanF May 07 '19 at 15:41
  • @DanF but then why not in the other I mentioned? – rosends May 07 '19 at 16:54
  • A good question, but the title needs to be more specific, like "multiple Amens in one Brocho" or something. – Al Berko May 07 '19 at 23:06
  • Perhaps it's various customs balancing communal prayer and brevity of tefillah? – Gre''i Apr 29 '20 at 10:22
  • Also היום תאמצנו at the end of R"H and Y"K musaf. What's interesting about birchas hachodesh is that it ends in ונאמר אמן but we still throw in extra amens. I guess that's true for parts of kaddish too. – shmosel Oct 30 '23 at 04:50
  • The second part of Birchat Hachodesh יְחַדְּשֵׁהוּ is similar to Rosh Chodesh in Musaf רְצֵה בִמְנוּחָתֵנוּ, this would be a reason why we dont say Amein by וְתִתֶּן לָנוּ חַיִּים אֲרוּכִּים from Birchat Hachodesh. – Harry Nov 21 '23 at 12:34

1 Answers1

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Magen Avraham 215:3

When one hears someone praying, speaking, or blessing the people of Israel, even without mentioning the name, one must respond 'Amen.' Therefore, the custom has spread to answer 'Amen' after the 'Harahaman's.

Haemek Sh'elah 53:2

It doesn't fit into the category of an absolute obligation. It's just a measure of piety.

I have heard in the name of Rabbi Asher Hatchuel that this is not speaking about the middle of tefillah (ya'aleh v'yavo). In the middle of tefillah it would be considered an interruption and should not be done. In places where it is already the custom to do it then one can respond Amen.

Mordechai
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