Ask the Rov: Who should say the bracha on the Megilah?
By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin – Rov of Anash in Petach Tikvah
As a rule, when one person can say a bracha for others, it is preferable for many people to be yotzei with the same bracha, since berov am hadras Melech, “in multitudes there is glorification of the king.”1
On the flip side, there’s an advantage for each person to say the bracha if they might lose concentration while the chazzan is singing the brachos, and it’s not considered an unnecessary bracha. In this case, it is best to say it along word for word with the chazzan. This was the Rebbe’s practice.2
Some write that one should only say the bracha if one has a kosher megilah with which he will follow along, but some hold this is not necessary.3 Some hold that one should conclude one’s own bracha slightly earlier to be able to respond amen to the chazzan’s bracha, while others hold that reciting amen would be a hefsek.4
When reading for others after having already been yotzei, the Rama rules that one of those who are fulfilling their obligation should recite the bracha. If they cannot recite the bracha, the ba’al korei may recite it for them, but not another person who isn’t being yotzei.5
If there is no minyan – even if there are more than ten women – many poskim hold that each person should recite the bracha on their own. However, others hold that the baal korei may recite the bracha even when there is no minyan6, and this is the accepted practice.7
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From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash
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