Mezuman on a Microphone?

Mezuman on a Microphone?

Poskim write that someone with a very loud voice should be appointed to lead Birchas Hamazon, as it is important for participants to hear the voice of the leader so he may be motzi them (help them fulfill their obligation) in reciting the brachos. Yet today, it is quite common for a microphone to be used at large gatherings, particularly at weddings and Sheva Brachos meals. “Rabbosei mir vellen benchen …” the voice of the leader of the zimmun (lit., invitation, this is the call to a minimum of two additional participants for Birchas Hamazon) can be heard over the mike. But can those hearing the zimmun via the microphone count as participants?

(See Halachah #642 for the issues of being motzi another via a microphone or loudspeaker.)

One halachic approach to justify this practice is that answering the zimmun itself does not necessarily require an actual “real-time” voice; it is only an invitation, not a brachah. But what about the recitation of Birchas Hamazon, and—in the case of weddings and Sheva Brachos meals—the seven subsequent blessings (sheva brachos) as well? Don’t those require at least a minyan (a quorum of ten, in this case nine other participants in addition to the leader) to hear a “real,” unadulterated voice?

Today, in contrast to many years ago, the need to hear Birchas Hamazon is not as pressing, since the majority of the participants are literate and do not depend on the leader to be motzi them with the brachos. In addition, it can be assumed that a significant number of participants can hear the actual voice of the leader even absent the mike. The common custom to use a mike for the recitation of sheva brachos at the end of Birchas Hamazon (as well as under the Chuppah) takes into account the proximity or the acute hearing of at least ten participants.

https://halacha2go.com?number=651

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