Birchos hashachar k'halachah Aloud with kavanah bechavrusa

Rav Tzvi Elimelech Haltovsky’s enthusiasm radiates to all those around him. Our conversation dives into the depths of answering amen, and the deep emunah that is ingrained in the heart of anyone who is strict to answer it. One can easily say of him, and those like him, that all the objects in this world do not equal the love that they have for the mitzvah of answering amen!

Each morning, he takes his position in the Nadvorna shul in Yerushalayim. His heartfelt words leave an indelible impression which we will share with you.

• Where do you get the strength to dedicate so much time each morning to answer amen to other mispallelim?
  “The truth is that I get the koach from the mispallelim themselves,” Reb Tzvi Elimelech relates, and explains: “On the one hand, I come to shul early to be able to answer amen to the Birchos Hashachar of those who come early to learn before davening, because I see how important it is for them to make the brachos for someone who can complete them with amen. On the other hand, there are mispallelim who want to say Birchos Hashachar and that makes them come to davening on time. Some of them have even told me that their desire for me to answer amen to Birchos Hashachar, along with baruch Hu ubaruch Shemo, which one does not recite after Baruch She’amar, galvanizes them not to be late to davening...”
• And what brings you to hold this mitzvah of answering amen so dear?
  Upon hearing this question, Reb Tzvi Elimelech goes back to the days when he was a bochur, and was sick with a serious illness: “Those were not simple days, I was a youth when I was struck with the disease. The doctors were ready to despair and gave me no chances of survival. But as you see, in Shamayim it was otherwise ordained...
  During those difficult days I held on only in the merit of my firm emunah in Hashem. When a person believes and cleaves to Hashem, nothing can break him. Being strict to answer amen is a way to acquire deep and strong emunah, as you cited a number of times in your pamphlets in the name of sefer Megaleh Amukos (Parashas V’eschanan): ‘The ikkar of emunah is contingent on the answering of amen.’ Anyone who answers amen frequently will quickly see that the levels of emunah and dveikus to Hashem that he can reach through answering amen are very lofty. The Bais Aharon writes in Seder Hayom: ‘I agree that each person should hear from his friend every brachah that needs to be said to be able to answer amen. Because it says in the writings of the Arizal, who would hear Birchos Hashachar even from one hundred people, even though in one minute he could have been meyached all the Olamos, nevertheless, he did not worry about his time and was not lazy to hear even one hundred times, ‘Hanosein lasechvi binah,’ and all the brachos.’ These words are so moving! From his holy words it is clearly evident that dveikus and emunah that one reaches through answering amen is preferable to the ‘yichud of all the Olamos.’!”
• How can we connect the tzibbur of mispallelim to the age-old practice of reciting Birchos Hashachar in front of someone who can answer amen?
  Reb Tzvi Elimelech has a surprising answer: “First of all, I think the tzibbur is very connected. I spoke not long ago to a friend who lives in Williamsburg and he described the big awareness that there is about amen due to the extensive advertising on the Boro Park-Williamsburg buses.
  In addition, when a person comes to recite Birchos Hashachar for us, we must welcome him warmly, and show him that we are happy with the zchus he is presenting us with – answering fifteen amens, as the passuk says (Mishlei 15:23): ‘Simchah l’ish bema’aneh piv.’ This way we will cause him to keep coming and to recite Birchos Hashachar each day.”
• You have been involved in zikkui harabbim for many years. Have you encountered a special story that occurred as the result of saying Birchos Hashachar bechavrusa?
  Reb Tzvi Elimelech smiles broadly: “You’re asking me? Of course, I experienced it myself! As I told you, as a bochur I was very ill and during the better times, I moved around in a wheelchair. But I always made sure there was someone there to answer amen when I recited Birchos Hashachar. Saying the brachos in a complete way strengthened my emunah, because physical health is only in the Hands of Hashem, and He is the Matir assurim and Meichin mitzadei gaver, and that infused me with the strength to cope. The doctors didn’t give me a chance of surviving, and I’m sure that it is only the power of answering amen that helped me recover completely, marry, and see wonderful generations of offspring.