[Avodah] our way of (roundabout) speaking

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Harvey Benton asked:

> many frum peopele (especially R"L) when having difficulties in
> life say things like "IY"Hashem" or "God Willing" or R"L, Lo
> Aleinu, Hashem YeRachem, "Amen" (in a loud voice) or "Al Tiftach
> Pech", etc., instead of just plain speaking and/or answering a
> simple question.
> Case in point:  Q. How are you feeling? A. Baruch Hashem.
> The question was never really answered. 

The example given here at the end is very common. I recall one such person who responded, "Yes, thank you. Now I know how G-d is. But how are YOU?"

In other words, "Baruch Hashem" should not take the place of an actual response. But I don't see anything wrong with it being in *addition* to a regular response. For example, "I'm fine, Baruch Hashem," or "I don't feel so great today, but I'm sure it's for the best, Baruch Hashem."

But the other examples given in the beginning of RHB's post, seem  reasonable to me, provided that one knows how to decode them.

For example, if I ask you to do something, and you respond "IY"Hashem" or "God Willing", what that means is "Yes, I do plan to do it, but I'll need G-d's help, just like I need His help in everything else." Similarly, if the response to a request is "Bli neder", it means "Yes, I do plan to do it, but if I forget, I don't want it to count as a false oath or some related aveira."

I can't imagine any questions to which a person might answer "R"L", or "Lo Aleinu", or "Hashem YeRachem", but they could well be said in response to a prediction about an unfortunate event which might occur in the future. All of them mean, "Please Hashem! Don't let it happen!" I suspect that "Al Tiftach Peh" might mean "Gee thanks, now you've jinxed us", even if some people might perceive it to be an incantation which can somehow undo the effect.

In contrast to all the above, I don't see how "Amen (in a loud voice)" needs any translation. Even non-Jews will say it to affirm something good.

Akiva Miller

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