“It will be if you will heed the voice of the Lord your God to observe, to perform all His commandments that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will place you uppermost over all the nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1). Halakha – a person of Israel who was passing before the ark,1He was serving as the prayer leader and reciting the communal Amida prayer. what is the ruling; is it permitted for him to answer amen after the priests?2After the priestly benediction.
So the Sages taught:3Berakhot 34a. One who passes before the ark should not answer amen after the priests, due to confusion.4He will become confused and will not be able to continue praying properly. The Sages taught us: But if he is able to answer without becoming confused, he should answer. Why? It is because there is nothing greater before the Holy One blessed be He than the amen that Israel answers.
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: This amen has three connotations: Oath, acceptance, and faith. Oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The priest administered an oath…and the woman said amen, amen” (Numbers 5:21–22). Acceptance, from where is it derived?
It is as it is stated: “And the entire people will say amen” (Deuteronomy 27:16). Faith, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Benayahu son of Yehoyada answered the king and said: Amen; and so may the Lord, [God of my lord the king], say” (I Kings 1:36). Another matter: Anyone who answers amen in this world, will be privileged to answer amen in the future.
Alternatively, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Anyone who enters synagogues and study halls in this world will be privileged to enter synagogues and study halls in the World to Come. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Happy are the dwellers in Your House; they will continue to praise You, Selah” (Psalms 84:5). Another matter: Rabbi Yudan said: Anyone who hears the sound of Torah in this world will be privileged to hear the sound in whose regard it is written: “The sound of gladness and the sound of joy, the sound of a bridegroom and the sound of a bride…” (Jeremiah 33:11).
Moses said to Israel: ‘Since everyone who hears matters of Torah is exalted in two worlds, be vigilant to hear matters of Torah.’ From where is it derived? It is from what is written regarding the matter: “It will be if you will heed the voice5“You will heed” could be written as tishma, but in the verse it is written as shamo’a tishma. of the Lord your God.”