Shaarei Gan Eden
Amen and Brachos in the Teachings of a Baal Hayahrtzeit
Harav Raphael Moshe Elbaz
22 Tammuz 5656
Harav Raphael Moshe Elbaz was born to his father, Rav Shmuel in 5584 in Sefrou, Morocco. He studied under the gedolim in his city: his grandfather Rav Yehuda Elbaz, his father Rav Shmuel, his uncle Rav Amram Elbaz and Rav Amor Abitbul.
Rav Raphael grew in the beis medrash of his uncle Rav Amram, until, already at the age of twenty eight, he was named a dayan in his city. When his uncle Rav Amram passed away, Rav Raphael Moshe was named the Raavad of Sefrou. His fame spread far and wide, and people sent halachic questions and other issues to resolve from many cites.
He authored many seforim on all subjects of Torah, among them: Shu”t Halachah LeMoshe; Eden Mikedem – Midrashim and commentary in the order of the aleph beis; Ateres Paz on Kabbalah subjects; Arba’ah Shomrim – dinim and mussar. He also wrote many poems and lamentations that were disseminated among the Jews of Morocco. He led his community for forty-five years, and on 22 Tammuz 5656, he passed away and was laid to rest in the section of his forebears in Sefrou.
The Obligation of Being Careful to Answer Amen
The holy Zohar (Vayeilech 285 2) expounds on the punishment waiting in the World to Come for one who is lax about answering amen, and says the passuk (Iyov 7:9) “Just as a cloud is consumed and goes away, so will one who descends to the grave not ascend.” Rav Raphael Moshe wrote piercing words about this Zohar in his sefer Arba’ah Shomrim (Shomer Habris Tikkun 32):
“And one who hears [the words of the Zohar] about this will be pained and anguished, as the person will imagine a reckoning with his soul at how many times he cancelled answering amen with dismay. And even those amens that he did answer were without kavanah, and without the proper knowledge, and they do not have wisdom. And a person should delve while still alive, while the sun is still on the land, until the days of bad and he will move on to the next world, and then he will be asked about this and it will be found written in his account, back and forth, how many countless amens he did not say. And therefore, he should introspect into his deeds and should not return to his foolishness, and may Hashem have mercy.”
In contrast, Rav Raphael Moshe wrote (ibid) regarding one who is strict about amen that by doing this he draws down abundance from the higher Source and he rectifies the flaws and the damage that his sins caused to this abundance.
The tziyun of Rav Raphael Moshe Elbaz in Sefrou, Morocco
