From morning to evening, we merit to be surrounded by brachos; Birchos Hashevach, Birchos Hanehenin, Birchos Hamitzvos, all of which accumulate to one hundred brachos or more. But even with all that, the reserve of brachos is limited, because more than we have been instructed to make the necessary brachos, we have also been cautioned not to recite brachos that are not needed. And Chazal say (Brachos 33a): "One who makes a brachah that is not needed transgresses the commandment of ‘Lo sisa es Shem Hashem Elokecha lashav’ (Shemos 20:7)."
In contrast, answering amen has no limits. A person can accumulate a countless treasure trove of amens each day, if he will only be a "shomer emunim," by trying to hear Birchos Hashachar and other brachos from other people and to answer amen after them.
I believe this concept is alluded to in the first question that a person will be asked when he comes in front of the Beis Din Shel Ma’alah (Shabbos 31b): "Nasasa unasata b’emunah?" – is the attention to answering amen = the fundamental of emunah, the same attention that you gave your business dealings?
One who merits while he is in this world to understand that every amen is a diamond with inestimable value, will treat the matter like a business in every way. The passuk says (Koheles 5:9) says: "One who loves money will never be satisfied with enough money." Rashi explains: "One who loves mitzvos will never be satiated by them." Just like a businessperson seeks to accumulate more and more money for himself, likewise, one who loves mitzvos will never be satiated and will seek to accumulate many more mitzvos.
At one of the Bney Emunim gatherings, the Mashgiach Harav Dov Yaffeh, zt"l, spoke, and he shared a simple but remarkable message:
The baalei mussar explain that HaKadosh Baruch Hu created His material world in a way that the most vital things that a person needs are also the most easily found. Oxygen, without which a person cannot live for a moment, is found in an unlimited quantity; likewise water, basic food products and so forth. The more vital something is, the more available it is.
"It turns out," the Mashgiach said, "that this rule applies in the spiritual world as well. The more vital something is, the more available it is. The availability of the mitzvah of answering amen teaches us about its tremendous necessity for the completion of a Yid’s nefesh."
Let us take care to gather for ourselves many amens each day, and they will advocate for us, to protect us and all those who are with us in this world and in Olam Haba.
Good Shabbos
Yaakov Dov Marmurstein
