Table of Permitted Responses

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TABLE OF PERMITTED RESPONSES

Columns: Pesukei DeZimra (from Barukh SheAmar to Yishtabah); Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings¹; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida².

אָמֵן יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא; אָמֵן following דְּאָמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא³: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [שו״ע או״ח סו, ט; משנ״ב נא, ח].

אָמֵן following any blessing: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Forbidden; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden⁴.

בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבָרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ; בָּרוּךְ הוּא: Pesukei DeZimra - Forbidden⁵; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Forbidden; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Forbidden; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden.

Tallit: Pesukei DeZimra - Put on the tallit, but say the blessing between paragraphs [משנ״ב נג, ה]; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Put on the tallit, but say the blessing after the Amida [שו״ע ורמ״א או״ח ס, ב]; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Put on the tallit, but say the blessing after the Amida; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [שו״ע או״ח סו, ח].

Tefillin: Pesukei DeZimra - Put on the tefillin, but say the blessings between sections [משנ״ב נג, ה]; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Before the Shema: forbidden; within the Shema, put on the tefillin and say the blessing [משנ״ב סו, טו]; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Put on the tefillin, but say the blessings after the Amida [שו״ע או״ח סו, ח].

Barekhu⁶: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden.

Shema: Pesukei DeZimra - Say the first verse with the congregation [משנ״ב סה, יא]; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Forbidden, except to close one's eyes and sing the melody of the Shema; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Forbidden, except to close one's eyes and sing the melody of the Shema⁷ [שו״ע או״ח סה, ב]; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden.

Kedusha: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible⁸ [משנ״ב נא, ח]; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Say only the verses beginning בָּרוּךְ and קָדוֹשׁ; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Say only the verses beginning בָּרוּךְ and קָדוֹשׁ; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [משנ״ב סו, יז].

אָמֵן after הָאֵל הַקָּדוֹשׁ and שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [רמ״א או״ח סו, ג].

Modim DeRabanan: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Say only the words מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Say only the words מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [משנ״ב סו, כ].

Being called up to the Torah⁹: Pesukei DeZimra - Permissible; Within a paragraph of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible - but not in the middle of the first verse of the Shema or בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד; Between the paragraphs of the Shema or the preceding blessings - Permissible; Between concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל and beginning the Amida - Forbidden [משנ״ב סו, כו].

Commentary

1. The paragraphs are as follows: from the blessing יוֹצֵר אוֹר to יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת; from אַהֲבָה רַבָּה or אַהֲבַת עוֹלָם to Shema; from Shema to וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ; from וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ to עַל־הָאָרֶץ; from וֶאֱמֶת to גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל [שו״ע או״ח סו, ה]. Responses permitted within a paragraph are also permissible within a verse, though it is preferable to respond only at the end of a thought.

2. Some rule that on Shabbat one may respond to Kaddish, Barekhu, Kedusha or Modim [רמ״א או״ח קיא, א]. See law 363.

3. Only these are required responses; the other responses of אָמֵן in Kaddish are only a custom [משנ״ב סו, יז].

4. One may answer אָמֵן if one hears another concluding the blessing גָּאַל יִשְׂרָאֵל [רמ״א או״ח סו, ו].

5. These responses are only a custom, as they are not mentioned in the Gemara [משנ״ב נא, ח].

6. Whether before the blessings of the Shema or before the Reading of the Torah. The blessings said by the עוֹלָה are like any other blessing [משנ״ב סו, יח].

7. If the congregation is saying Aleinu, one should stand and bow with them [ערוה״ש או״ח סה, ו].

8. Say only the biblical verses [אשי ישראל פט״ו, לא; see law 370].

9. The Gabba'im should not call up to the Torah one who is in the middle of prayer; however, if only one Kohen is present, he may be called up. Likewise, if only one person knows how to read the Torah, he may interrupt his prayers in order to be the ba'al koreh [משנ״ב סו, כו].