Shaarei Gan Eden
Special Shemirah for Onei Amen
The holy Zohar (Vayeilech 286a) explains this passuk as follows: “Emunim notzer Hashem” – HaKadosh Baruch Hu keeps and guards the oneh amen, and in contrast “umeshalem al yeser osei ga’avah,” He pays and punishes one whose pride makes him be lax about answering amen, as he deserves (Based on Mikdash Melech ibid)
"Mechabdai" – By Answering Amen – "Achabed"
The holy Zohar (ibid) explains that it says of the oneh amen k’halachah: “ki mechabdai achabed” – and he receives his reward both in this world and in the World to Come. In contrast, of one who is lax about amen, chalilah, it is said “ubozai yekalu” and he is punished both in this world and the Next.
Sefer Pri Eitz Chaim (Sha’ar Kavanas Amen Ch. 3) brings an allusion to the fact that the passuk “ubozai yekalu” is said about someone who does not answer amen because of the fact that the acronym of the final letters of the words of the passuk (Tehillim 83:17) "מלא פניהם קלון" and also אמן is מלא is the same letters as אלם, mute, meaning that one who acts like a mute when he hears a brachah and does not answer amen, of him it is said “ubozai yekalu.”
Answering Amen Opens the Gates of Tefillah
The holy Zohar (Vayeilech 285b) writes that when Am Yisrael are careful answer amen properly, then when they pray to Hashem about their tzaros, the Voice announces in all the worlds: “Pischu she’arim veyavo goy tzaddik shomer emunim” (Yeshayah 26:2) – do not read it emunim but rather amenim. Pischu she’arim – just like Am Yisrael opens the gates of brachos, likewise, the gates of tefillah will be opened to them, and their tefillos will be accepted.
The Rema”z further explains on these words (ibid): “Because their mouths were sanctified by answering amen with kavanah, therefore, their breath rises up and breaches all the barriers.”
The Decree Is Torn Up in the Merit of Answering Amen
In Tikkunei Zohar (40a) this passuk is explained to apply to one who answers amen with all his strength, that with the strength of answering amen, he merits “Az tikra v’Hashem ya’aneh.” The Zohar explains it from the fact that the word “אז” is numerically equivalent to eight, the number that symbolizes amen, because אמן is numerically equivalent to the eight letters in the Names of Hava-yah and Adnus. From here, the Chachmei Hazohar extrapolated: “Anyone who answers amen with all his strength has his decree of seventy years torn up.”
The Shomer Emunim writes (Ma’amar Pischu Shearim Ch. 1): “And the words of the tikkunim are very deep in sod, and we do not engage in hidden things. In any case, in their simple meaning, as the commentaries say, it is explained that the passuk “Az tikra v’Hashem ya’aneh,” alludes to answering amen, whose number is like the two Names – which is 91. And likewise אז is the number eight, like the number of letters of the two names. And one who answers amen with all his strength gives strength to be meyached these two names, and then the great lights from Above are also nisyached...And then through this, his decree of seventy years is torn up.”
He further adds that while in Maseches Shabbos (119b) it says “Anyone who answers amen yehei Shemei Rabba mevarach with all his strength – has his decree torn up,” here, in the Tikkunei Zohar it is explained that the tearing of the decree is promised to any oneh amen, not necessarily only who answers “amen yehei Shemei Rabba mevarach.”
Ahead of Lag Ba’omer we bring a taste of what Sefer Hazohar Hakadosh says about the great virtue of answering amen and the magnitude of the obligation to be strict to answer it according to halachah. His holy words were arranged on the pesukim according to which the Chachmei Hazohar explained their lofty secrets on the answering of amen.
Gedolei Yisrael especially emphasized the words of the Zohar on Parashas Vayeilech (285a and onwards), where he discusses at length the reward of the oneh amen, and on the other hand, on the severity of the punishment of one who is lax about its importance, chalilah. One who peruses his words there will be gripped by fear and trembling, as the Pele Yoetz wrote (Aniyas Amen): “We know how much the holy Zohar (Vayeilech 285b) expounded on the great and powerful reward of one who is a shomer emunim, who actively looks out and waits for an opportunity to hear a brachah so he can answer amen. In contrast is the intensity and severity of the punishment for one who is not concerned about answering amen. In truth, the hairs of a man should stand up on end upon seeing the severity. And hearts should feel pain about the many amei ha’aretz who are not careful at all. Hashem HaTov should atone for them, because the nation has sinned unintentionally.”
