May One Answer “Amen” During Pesukeh De’zimra?

The Ben Ish Chai in Parsha Vayigash raises the question of whether one may answer "Amen" during the Pesukeh De’zimra section of Shacharit [after Baruch SheAmar]. He writes that if one hears a Bracha during Pesukeh De’zimra, then he answers "Amen" to the Bracha. Thus, for example, if after a person recites Baruch SheAmar, he hears somebody next to him recite the Bracha over the Tallit or Tefillin, he answers "Amen" to that Bracha. The Ben Ish Chai makes reference to the testimony of Rav Haim Vital that the Arizal would answer "Amen" to Brachot during Pesukeh De’zimra, and this is the correct practice to follow. It should be noted that although one answers "Amen," he should not answer "Baruch Hu U’baruch Shemo." What is less clear, however, is whether one may also interrupt Pesukeh De’zimra to answer "Amen" to the final responses of the Kaddish recitation. One certainly answers "Amen" to the first five responses of Kaddish, through "Da’amiran Be’alma." The Ben Ish Hai was unsure, however, whether one also answers "Amen" to the later responses of Kaddish. He therefore advised that one should not answer "Amen" to these responses, as otherwise he runs the risk of making an unwarranted interruption in Pesukeh De’zimra.

By Rabbi Eli Mansour