Bentching When You Can’t Hear Yourself Speak

Bentching When You Can’t Hear Yourself Speak

There is a halachic requirement l’hashmiah l’aznav (to hear yourself speak) while performing certain mitzvos, such as davening or bentching (reciting an after-blessing). This means actually saying each word audibly. This practice can be difficult under very noisy circumstances—such as attempting to recite birchas hamazon (Grace After Meals) at a wedding while music is blasting so loudly that it’s impossible to hear your friend even if he’s shouting!

(Whether the extreme volume of the music at weddings is halachically acceptable is another discussion, since many scientific studies warn of the danger posed by repeated exposure to such high-decibel sound.)

An eitzah (suggestion), if you are in such a situation, is to close one ear and perhaps raise your voice higher than normally required, so as to hear the words of your own bentching.

https://halacha2go.com?number=587

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.