Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

The power of Amen

 " … G-d his G-d is with him and the homage to a king מלך is in him."

 It says in the Sefer Hagan: …and when he makes a blessing he must bless out loud so that his friend will answer Amen and if he does so, and if G-d forbid a curse had been decreed against him, then the curse turns into a blessing.

 We find an allusion to this in this verse: We know that Bilaam wanted to curse the Children of Israel in the tiny period of time when G-d is "angry" every day. Since there is only time to say one word at this time Bilaam wanted to say "כַּלֵם" – Finish them off – but G-d changed the word "כַּלֵם" to the world "מלך"- King (with the same letters) as it says "ותרועת מלך בו".

The numerology of the words "כַּלֵם"  and "מלך" are the same as "אמן" (including 1 for the word).

We learn from there that answering Amen turns a curse into a blessing, per the Sefer Hagan.

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 "How good are your tents O 'Yakov…." (24,5)

 These are the synagogues and study halls. (Sanhedrin)

 Hagaon Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Berlin (the NTZIV from Volozhin) was once asked how he could bear the noise of the learning that emanated from the Yeshiva building and how it did not bother him as he was living very close to the Yeshiva.

 The Rabbi answered, "Did you ever hear the owner of a flour mill complain about the noise that the mill made? Surely he would not complain because the noise of the mill brings him tidings of his livelihood. On the contrary, it is just the sound of the flour mill that will make his sleep pleasant."

 "So too", the Rabbi continued, "I am similar to the mill owner. The sound of Torah emanating from the mouths of the Yeshiva bachurim, this pleasant sound, is the source of my vibrancy and it gives me encouragement and strength, and is very pleasant to my ears. If, G-d forbid, this sound would stop, I would not be able to sleep amidst the terrible quietness that has been created."

 SHABBAT SHALOM!!