Answering Amen to Kaddish if not ending at same time

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How is one to answer Amen to Kaddish if more than one person is saying Kaddish and they are not saying it simultaneously?[1]

If they do not conclude the stanzas in Kaddish simultaneously, and there is an interval of Kdei Dibbur between the two conclusions of the blessing, then one is to answer Amen for each conclusion of the stanza. If, however, they conclude within Kdei Dibbur of each other [2-3 seconds], then one can choose when to answer Amen, either with the first person concluding or the second person concluding, and the Amen counts for them all. Some Poskim[2] however, rule that if one person can be clearly heard while the second is at a distance and cannot be heard well, then one is to answer to the person who is closest to him and who he heard clearly.

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[1] Halachos Ketanos 2:48; Beir Heiytiv 55:1; Kesher Gudal 9:27; Shalmei Tzibur p. 87; Beis Oveid 8; Pischeiy Teshuvah Y.D. 376:6; M”B 55:4; Kaf Hachaim 56:8; See Piskeiy Teshuvos 55:6

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one is to answer after the last person who concluded, and it counts also for the first person. [Ashel Avraham Butchach 124:6] See Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid who writes that the Shaareiy Teshuvah 56:3 and Birkeiy Yosef 56:1 argue on the above, and rule that one is to only answer Amen to the first person concluding. This seems to be incorrect, as the Birkeiy Yosef and Shaareiy Teshuvah were not discussing the above case but rather a case in which you have many different Minyanim taking place in the same room and you are unable to answer Amen for every Minyan’s Kaddish. The Kesher Gudal [author of Birkeiy Yosef] brings both Halachos, one in 9:27 and one in 9:28, thus proving they do not contradict each other but are rather speaking of two different cases. Likewise, the Kaf Hachaim 56:7-8 records the two rulings in two separate Halachos and referring to two different cases, thus proving it is not a dispute or contradiction.

[2] Shulchan Hatahor 132:4; Mishneh Sachir 11

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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