What is the exact meaning of amen and where does the word come from?
David H.
(Via E-Mail)
Last week, we cited from “Prayer the Right Way,” by Rabbi Yaakov Simcha Cohen, zt”l. He wonders why there is no response to “V’nomar Amen” and “V’imru Amen” in Birkat Hamazon. He notes that the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson (“Sha’arei Halacha u’Minhag”), recalled that his father-in-law (the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe) did not say amen after the fourth blessing of Birkat Hamazon, reasoning that the later “V’nomar Amen” and “V’imru Amen” suffice as a response.
The Rebbe, incidentally, questions why these two ending phrases do not generate a response like Barchu and Kedushah. Rabbi Cohen believes that they should. We noted the general practice is not to say anything in response. We also noted the difficulty in considering these two phrases a response to Hatov v’Hameitiv considering that they come much later and are not part of the main portion of Birkat Hamazon.
The Shulchan Aruch HaRav addresses the hefsek problem, stating, “There are those who maintain that since it has become the custom to recite [Harachamans] it is as if they are part of the blessing and therefore not considered an interruption.” In his view, therefore, responding to these Harachamans with “V’nomar Amen” and “V’imru Amen” suffices as a response to Hatov v’Hameitiv.
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In Prayer the Right Way, Rabbi Cohen also discusses the proper response to Birkat Hagomel – a prayer of thanksgiving to Hashem recited by one who was delivered from a life-threatening situation (traveling at sea, journeying through a desert, suffering from a serious illness, or sitting in jail). Rabbi Cohen notes that the common response to Birkat Hagomel is for all to say, “Mi shegemalcha kol tov, Hu yigmal’cha kol tov selah – May He who bestowed goodness upon you continue to bestow goodness upon you forever.” The ArtScroll siddur notes (based upon Aruch Hashulchan, Orach Chayim 219: 5) that prior to reciting these words, one should say amen.
What is the source and rationale for reciting “Mi shegemalcha…”? (This response is not found in the Talmud. It is first noted by the Rambam [Hilchot Berachot 10:8] and codified by the Shulchan Aruch [Orach Chayim 219:2].) What’s wrong with simply responding amen to the berachah? Why is Birkat HaGomel different than other berachot? (Interestingly, Rabbi Cohen writes that he doesn’t remember hearing anyone say amen in response to Birkat Hagomel when he was a child, only “Mi shegemalcha…”)
A halachic decision from HaGaon HaRav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin, zt”l (Teshuvot Ivra, siman 5) on saying amen after the berachah of Dayan HaEmet sheds light on the matter. He contends that it is not advisable to say amen in response to something bad (Dayan HaEmet is said for bad news, such as a death.) Although the Talmud obligates us to bless G-d for both good and bad (Megillah 25a), this does not mean, says Rabbi Henkin, that we should respond to an acknowledgement of something bad by saying amen.
What does amen actually mean? Rabbi Henkin contends that when a person says amen, he is essentially saying: “So shall it be in the future.” Since no one desires or wishes a mournful or tragic experience to occur in the future, we do not say amen in response to the berachah of Dayan HaEmet.
This reasoning may explain why Chazal did not wish for people to say amen in response to Birkat HaGomel. This berachah is recited to express appreciation and thanksgiving to Hashem for delivering one from danger. Since no one desires to live through more dangerous experiences, it is inappropriate to say amen. So instead, we say “Mi shegemalcha.”
In addition, the Gemara states (Berachot 53b), “Gadol ha’oneh amen yoter min hamevarech – Greater is the reward for the person who responds amen than for the person who says the berachah.” Our sages, therefore, did not want people to say amen after Birkat HaGomel, which would mean that they have greater appreciation and thankfulness to Hashem than the person who survived the dangerous experience.
Indeed, Piskei She’arim (siman 24), commentary of the Sh’ar Efraim (sha’ar 4, halacha 30), notes that the Shulchan Aruch and the overwhelming majority of rabbanim do not obligate one to say amen prior to saying “Mi shegemalcha.” Apparently “Mi shegemalcha” is in lieu of amen, not in addition to it.
(The Gemara [Berachot 53b] notes that Rav Yehuda was ill and a number of rabbis went to visit him. They made a blessing, thanking Hashem for his good health. Upon conclusion of the berachah, Rav Yehuda responded by saying amen. Since Rav Yehuda was the ill person who survived his illness, it was permissible for him to say amen and thus receive greater reward than those who made the berachah.)
The meaning of “Mi shegemalcha” is perhaps as follows: Deliverance from danger may be due to the fact that the individual had a number of zechuyot (merits) in his favor. We do not wish to presume that all his zechuyot were used up to merit his deliverance from danger, so the congregation blesses him by declaring that he will have more merit in the future to continue being delivered by Hashem (in the unfortunate event that such a need should arise).
HaRav Baruch HaLevi Epstein, zt”l, the famed author of Torah Temimah, suggests (in his Tosefet Beracha, Parshat Va’yetzei) that this prayer is recited by the congregation, rather than by the person saved, for our sages wished to make this prayer a communal event. This is based on the general, accepted rule that communal prayers are more potent than private, individual prayers.
(To be continued)