[Avodah] birchat hanehenin

[Rich, Joel]

וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם אִם מִתְחָרֵט וְאֵינוֹ רוֹצֶה לְהִתְעַנּוֹת, רַשַּׁאי,
כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא קִבֵּל עָלָיו בְּפֵרוּשׁ וְלֹא הוֹצִיא בְּפִיו שֶׁהוּא
רוֹצֶה לְהִתְעַנּוֹת

"Nevertheless, if you change your mind, and do not wish to fast, you
may [eat], since you did not expressly commit yourself."

This last line is - in my mind - parallel to your query.

Seems that answering Amen - even with intention - is one way of
getting the best of both worlds.
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When I learned this with my chavruta a few months back my comment was - I'd love to understand why there seem to be 3 statuses - machshava balma (random thought?) which has no halachic significance, amira (specific oral articulation) which is completely binding and amen/specific machshava(really imho 2 separate items) which are somewhat indeterminate (not welcome in a brisker world?)
KT
Joel Rich
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