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<p>In Avodah Digest, Vol 23, Issue 63, RnCL wrote:<br>
>> Unlike the blessing, expressed openly in speech, Amen belongs inside the mind. The blessing is the means, and Amen is the goal. <<<br>
> I confess that I am rather surprised by this.<br>
> While it is true that the halacha is that one should not answer amen<br>
louder than the original blessing (Orech Chaim siman 124 si'if 12), it<br>
is also the halacha that one should not answer an amen which is<br>
"chatufa" (missing the aleph) or "katufa" (missing the nun) - see s'if<br>
10 there. These latter halachas would seem to emphasise that it is<br>
important the the amen is articulated clearly, and therefore is by no<br>
means silent. <<br>
IIRC, "Amen belongs inside the mind" intended to convey the notion of the respondent being mentally "in sync" with the m'vareich (or with the person uttering Qaddish) and didn't mean to say that the respondent needn't/shouldn't verbally express his mental agreement. <br>
<br>
Gut Voch and all the best from<br>
--Michael Poppers via RIM pager<br>
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