Q. The shliach tzibur on mincha of Shabbos forgot to say the third brocho of ato kodosh and began with ato echod, after a few sentences when called to attention he went back to ato kodosh. Given that the first three brochos are considered like one, did he have to restart shemone esreh from the beginning?
A. Remah (O.H. 114: 6) rules indeed that the first three brochos are considered as one. Mishna Berura (ibid. 34) restricts the above to reciting the wrong ending such as hakel hakadosh instead of hamelech hakadosh or any other wrong brocho ending but not to a mistake in the middle of the brocho. On a similar shaile, Imrei Yosher (2: 9: 11) opines that if one ended the third brocho with Chonen Hadoas instead of Hakel Hakadosh , he should return to the beginning of the Amida.
However, Maharsham (4: 148) quoting Shoel Umeshiv (I: 3" 171) in an analogous question where Hakel Hakadosh was substituted erroneously with Mekadesh Hashabbos, maintains that you only have to return to the beginning of Ata Kadosh. He argues that this is not considered a mistaken ending because he actually thought that he was already in the middle brocho. He adds another reason namely, that finishing with the wrong brocho is like not saying anything at all and he is considered as not having ended the brocho. An erroneous Hakel Hakadosh is different since it is the normal ending of the brocho.
Maadanei Yom Tov (P. 49) also rules, in a case where the mistake was on the ending of the last brocho (Sim Shalom) to return only to the beginning of that last brocho (he also mentions as reasons; Tircho Detziburo and sofek brochos). A similar psak is to be found in Tzitz Eliezer (12: 10).
Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a also maintains that you don't have to return to the beginning of Shmone Ezre. This seems to be the common custom in most communities today
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
Important Numbers
