Rabbi Yechiel Spero once related the following powerful story. Ruchi Friedman was married for seventeen years and was not yet blessed with children. She spent many nights crying to Hashem for a child, but over all those long years the brachah did not come. One Shabbos, her husband Boruch had come home earlier than usual and had found her crying on the couch. She had always tried her best to hide her tears, but now she had been ‘caught’.
Boruch felt terrible for her, and suggested that they go again for a brachah, so he set off to visit the Stoliner Rebbe. The Rebbe greeted Boruch warmly and listened to his story, then he thought for a moment. He looked up and told Boruch about the zechus of answering “Amein” and “Amein Yehei Sh’mei Rabbah”, and then he suggested something very unusual. He said, “If one Yehei Sh’mei Rabbah can destroy an evil decree, then just imagine what many of them can do.” Boruch did not understand. The Rebbe explained that there is nothing more precious to Hashem than the sounds of Amein from little children. He then told Boruch to prepare little packages of candy, and any child who would answer Amein loudly, would be given a package after davening, and in that zechus, maybe they would merit being blessed with a child.
Boruch and Ruchi took the advice of the Rebbe, and with tears in her eyes, Ruchi put together thirty little paper bags filled with candy. That Erev Shabbos, Boruch walked into Shul with the large bag of candy. Little notes had been given to the children in the neighborhood telling them how they could earn a bag of candy for answering Amein as best as they could, with as much Kavanah as they were able to.
At davening, the chazan began to say the first Kaddish and the congregation erupted with Amein Yehei Sh’mei Rabbah! The adults seemed to have been inspired by the children’s excitement, and joined in responding slowly, loudly, and with concentration.
The singing of Lecha Dodi that night was even more meaningful and beautiful than usual, and at the end of Maariv all the children lined up to get their candy. Boruch left the Shul that night smiling, and he went home and described the davening to his wife.
Could a few children’s Amein’s really make a difference? One year later, amazingly, Ruchi and Boruch were blessed with a baby boy, and the Stoliner Rebbe was invited to be the Sandek at the Bris. This is the power of Amein!
“Torah U’Tefilah: A Collection of Inspiring Insights”
