In this parashah, the Torah instructs us to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim in the world, as it says (Vayikra 22:32): “Veniskadashti besoch Bnei Yisrael,” and on the other hand, to refrain from deeds that involve chillul Shem Shamayim, as it says (ibid): “Velo sechallelu es Shem Kodshi.”
There are many details of the halachos of these mitzvos, and this is not the place to expound on them, but rather to focus our attention that being strict about answering amen, and in conversely, being lax about it, chalilah, are included in these mitzvos.
Rabbeinu Bechayei expounds on this in his famous ma’amar about answering amen, in his commentary on the Torah in Parashas Beshalach (Shemos 31:24), and writes: “One who is strict to answer amen properly is one who truly honors Hashem, as it says of him (Shmuel I 2:30): ‘Ki mechabdai achabed, those who honor Me I shall honor.’ And anyone who is not careful about the word of amen, to have kavanah with all his strength, is shaming Hashem, and of him the passuk says (ibidi) ‘Ubozai yekalu, those who despise Me will be disgraced.’”
If you think about it, this is remarkable! According to Rabbeinu Bechayei, one who is strict to answer amen according to halachah, honors Hashem and sanctifies His Name. But in contrast, someone who does not pay attention and concentrate to answer amen properly is a “mevazeh es Hashem.” Somone who is lax about amen is considered to have transgressed the worst sin for which there is no atonement in this world – chillul Hashem!
In his rebuke after the sin of the Meraglim, Hashem said to Moshe (Bamidbar 14:11): “Ad anah yena’atzeni ha’am hazeh, how long will this nation provoke Me?” I thought of a remez here to our subject. The acronym of these words is numerically equivalent to 91 – which is amen. And this fits in with what Rabbeinu Bechayei says, that being lax about amen causes a chillul Hashem, chalilah. This also fits in with the rest of the passuk: “Ve’ad anah lo ya’aminu Bi,” because they do not have amen, which is the fundamental of emunah.
Perhaps that is why the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 124 7) uses a very severe term, not used anywhere else, to describe one who engages in idle chatter during Chazaras Hasha”tz.
It says: “And if he speaks he sins, vegadol avono minso, and his sin is too great to bear, because speaking during Chazaras Hasha”tz causes a laxity in answering amen, and by doing so, there is a chillul Shem Shamayim, and there is nothing worse. Likewise, he also referred to those who speak during Kaddish, as the Mishnah Berurah cites (56:1) the Midrash, that Rabbi Chama met Eliyahu Hanavi along with thousands of camels loaded with “aph v’cheimah,” terms of fury and anger, which were designated for those who speak during Kaddish. It’s frightening to read!
Let us take upon ourselves to honor Shem Hashem by answering amen according to halachah, and we will merit all the brachos promised to those who are mekadesh Hashem.
Good Shabbos
Yaakov Dov Marmurstein
