Amen - So That You Should Live a Long Life
(א כד) “בכל אברהם את ברך ‘וה בימים בא זקן ואברהם”
The Baalei Hatosafos explained: “ זקן בא בימים– the acronym of the last letter of each word is amen. From here we learn that anyone who answers amen will live a long life,” as Chazal say (Brachos 47a): “Anyone who prolongs their amen has his days and years prolonged.”
Chacham Menachem Menashe adds that the words “ba bayamim” also allude that one who answers amen will merit to receive life in Olam Haba as well, as Chazal say (Shabbos 119b): “Anyone who answers amen with all his strength has the gates of Gan Eden opened for him.”
The next part of the passuk “V’Hashem beirach es Avraham bakol,” teaches us that in the merit of answering amen “one merits all goodness and an abundance of blessing and success, children, happiness, wealth, nachas, tranquility and kol tuv.”
Tosafos Hashalem; Ahavas Chaim Hashalem
The Oneh Is Greater Than the Mevarech
The Rebbe, Harav Yaakov Yitzchak of Koidenov, explained this passuk as follows:
Answering amen is alluded to at the beginning of this passuk with the last letters of the words זקן בא בימים, while saying the brachah is alluded to by the following words ברך‘וה. From the fact that the passuk preceded the brachah with amen, we can learn an allusion to the words of Rabi Yosi (Brachos 53b): “The oneh amen is greater than the mevarech.”
Imrei Yaakov
Ninety Amens from Day to Day
Another one explained that the word amen is alluded to in the words זקן בא בימים, that the quota of ninety amens in a day can be completed bedieved through answering amen “bayamim” – even the next day. Therefore, someone who did not meet the quota of answering ninety amens in a day, can, bedieved, complete them the next day by adding to the daily quota of ninety amens the number that he was short the day before.
Mishnas Yosef, Vol. II, Introduction
A Segulah for a Good Zivug
(ז כד) “משם לבני אשה ולקחת לפניך מלאכו ישלח הוא”
Harav Avraham Kessler, author of Notrei Amen, explained:
is numerically הוא ישלח מלאכו לפניך ולקחת The acronym of equivalent to ninety-one, which is the same as amen. This alludes that being strict to answer amen is a segulah to merit a good zivug.
Mei’Hashem Yatza Hadavar p. 321
Collect Amens Wisely
(לב כד) “לגמלים ומספוא תבן ויתן הגמלים ויפתח הביתה האיש ויבא”
Rav Shlomo Aharon Auerbach, a maggid in Boyan, explained:
“תבן ומספוא לגמלים” – the acronym of the final letters is amen, and we need to explain: תבן is from the term תבונה, מספוא is from the term אסיפה and גמלים is from גמול. To teach that a person must collect more and more amens that are said with tevunah, meaning with kavanah of the heart, and thus he will merit gmul, reward of an abundance of goodness and blessing from Above.
Tiferes Shlomo [Rav S.A. Auerbach]
