Rabbi Yoel Lieberman
Question
Hello Rabbi/Rav, If I watched my stepfather light the menorah (my mother said the blessing) and said amen, does that count? I am not sure whether he had it in mind to include others in the mitzvah. Additionally, would it be disrespectful to say. “Barcuch shem kevod malchuto l’olam va’ed” every time after praying? I always fear that I said the L-rd’s name in vain because I wasn’t concentrating/having intention/rushing/mumbling while praying. Best
Answer
ב"ה Shalom In a household, where the head of the household is the only male, he lights the candles and says the blessing, having all the other members of the family in mind. If there are boys in the home, in an Ashkenazi household, the boys also light and say the blessing. While in a Sephardi household, only the father lights and says the blessings. In all scenarios the person saying the blessing does not say Amen his own blessing. Regarding saying “Barcuch shem kevod malchuto l’olam va’ed”, that is only in a case, when a person said G-d's name in vain. For example, if a person already said a blessing for a food, and then mistakenly repeated the same blessing unnecessarily. Nonetheless, this does not exempt us from having more concentration when we do say G-d's name. All the best. Happy Chanuka
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