To the editorial board of Vechol Ma’aminim,
Thank you very much for the spiritual treasures that you share with Am Yisrael each week.
In your issue of Parashas Bamidbar, you brought the explanation of the mekubal Harav Avraham Naftali Hertz Shaer of Mainz on the passuk (Tehillim 50:16) “Ulerasha amar Elokim mah lecha lesaper chukai vatisa brisi alei picha,” that one who goes to daven and is not careful to answer amen properly, sins with “חקי” which is an acronym for chatufah, ketufah and yesomah, it is preferable that he should not “bear My Covenant in your mouth,” as Chazal say (Brachos 47a) that one who answers amens of this type are punished by having their lives shortened.
I thought to add that we can advise the passuk (Mishlei 12:18) regarding this: “Yesh boteh kemadkeiros cherev ulashon chachamim marpeh,” there is one who pronounces (mevatei) an amen that is not kosher, and thus he is sentenced “kemadkeiros cherev, the stabs of a sword,” chalilah, but one who answers amen properly will live a long life, and see the fulfillment of the passuk “ולשון חכמים מרפא” and the last letter of each word makes amen.
Thank you again,
Yitzchak Yosef Gloiberman, Kiryat Gat
Letters can be sent to fax number 08-9746102 or emailed to the Vechol Ma'aminim email address. [email protected]
