Peninei Emunim
Pearls of Tefillah in the Parashah
Brachos That Are a Perfect Gift
Lag Ba’omer is almost here. This coming Erev Shabbos, you will hear in lots of shuls the song of Bar Yochai, and along with it, the light of the holy Tanna Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai will illuminate our hearts.
In the holy Zohar, which Rabi Shimon left us, there are lots of mentions of the virtue of answering amen. In this segment, I would like to focus on a remarkable revelation that the Zohar makes in Parashas Eikev (271a). He writes:
“When a brachah that is answered by amen rises On High, all the gates of Shamayim are opened before it, and an announcement is made in all the firmaments: This is the gift sent by so and so to the King; this is the gift that was sent with the kiyum and perfection as is worthy.”
Wonder of wonders! Each morning, we begin the day by saying Birchos Hashachar, but we have the option to decide how our brachos will be treated in Shamayim. With a simple act – by saying them bechavrusa, we can merit that they should be accepted in Shamayim with love and willingness, and that each and every brachah will be called in your name and will be crowned as the perfect gift.
If you don’t make sure that someone hears the brachos and answers amen after them, you’ve lost the special treatment that they could merit when they reach the Higher realms. How can one just stand by and forgo such a thing?!
The passuk (Tehillim 19:15) “Yihiyu leratzon imrei fi” – which we say at the end of the Amidah -- alludes to this, as “פי” with the kollel is numerically equivalent to 91, which is the same as amen. The best way for the words of our mouths to be accepted “leratzon” is by answering amen.
Let us begin our day by saying Birchos Hashachar in front of someone who will answer amen after them, and by doing so, the gates of Shamayim will be opened to them, and this will effect upon us so much goodness and brachah.
be accepted, lerachamim uleratzon.
Good Shabbos
Yaakov Dov Marmurstein
Kol Emunim
A word from the founder and Nasi of Bney Emunim
