Question:
Hi. Can someone be exempt from making a blessing over food (not for a mitzvah), if he says amen to someone else’s blessing? For example, can Reuven say amen to Shimon’s blessing over a banana, and eat his own banana, or must he have a piece of Shimon’s banana first (assuming Shimon had him in mind)?
Answer:
Hello,
Yes. One person can be “motzei” someone else with the bracha that he makes. The are three conditions to this, that the person saying the bracha, and the person hearing the bracha have intention that the other person will be included in his bracha, and that the person hears the bracha that is being said. Ther is no need for Shimon to eat from Reuven’s banana. This is done often on Shabbos, that one person will make Hamotzei and include numerous other people, and they will each eat from their own personal roll.
Best wishes
