Rabbi Yehuda said, "And they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed," (I Samuel 2:30) refers to he who does not know how to glorify his Master and does not concentrate when saying Amen (when answering another's blessing).

For we learned1 that he who answers Amen is more valuable than he who makes the blessings. We have presented it before Rabbi Shimon: Amen draws blessings from the spring [from Abba and Imma to Zeir Anpin] to the King [Zeir Anpin] and from the King to the Queen [malchut]. In the Engraved Letters by Rabbi Elazar, from Aleph [of Amen], to Mem [of Amen, meaning from Abba to Imma], and from Mem [of Amen] to final Nun [meaning from Imma to ZuN (Zeir Anpin and Nukvah), for a final Nun is written initially like a Vav which represents Zeir Anpin, and then it is lengthened until malchut/Nukvah, thus both Zeir Anpin and Nukvah are hinted in the final Nun]. When the blessings reach final Nun [Zeir Anpin and Nukvah], blessings come out from there to the upper [the angels of Beriya, Yetzira, and Asiya] and lower beings [those of this world] and expand through everything [in all the worlds]. When the sound comes out, they drink of the [flow of] blessings so-and-so has brought forth, [the righteous who is] a [faithful] servant of the Holy King.

When Israel below guard themselves to answer Amen and meditate in their heart as needs be, how many openings of blessings are open Above [drawn Below from bina], how much goodness is present throughout the worlds [drawn from tiferet] how much joy abounds in everything [drawn from malchut]! What is the reward of Israel to have brought this about? Their reward is in this world and in the World to Come.

In this world, when they are attacked by enemies [i.e. the external forces, causing distress in the world, and the gates of prayer are closed] and they [those who answer Amen] say their prayer before their Master, the sound proclaims throughout the worlds, "Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faithfulness (in Hebrew, 'emunim') may enter." (Isaiah 26:2) Do not pronounce it 'emunim' but 'Amenim'. "Open the gates," as Israel opened for them the gates of blessings, so now "open the gates" and let their prayer about those who distress them be accepted.

This is in this world. What is their reward in the World to Come? It is when a man leaves this world, where he observed answering Amen. By "observed" is meant that he observes the blessing that is said and awaits the man who says it so as to answer Amen as needs be. Then his soul [of he who doesn't say a truncated or "orphaned" Amen] rises [to the Garden of Eden] and proclaims before him, "open the gates" before him, as he used to open gates every day, when he observed emunim. [Amen helps to open the gates of the flow through the angels, and so it opens for him now the gates of the Garden of Eden.]

Rabbi Yosi said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda, what is Amen [and how does it hint to the sefirot]? Rabbi Abba said, everything has been explained [that Amen is the source and also the flow]. Amen is called the spring [bina; not from the side of bina itself, but rather through the side of Zeir Anpin concealed in her], of the flowing river and is called Amen because it is written, "then I was by him, as a nursling (in Hebrew, 'amon')." (Prov. 8:30) Do not pronounce it amon but Amen. The sustenance of all [the 6 extremities whose source was from bina], that dew (Tal) that emerges and flows is called Amen.

As we have learned, "from everlasting to everlasting ('world to world')", (Ps. 106:48) means from the world Above [bina] to [connecting Zeir Anpin] the world Below [malchut]. Here too, "Amen and Amen" is Amen of above [which is bina], Amen of below [which is malchut]. Amen is sustenance for everyone [those who answer Amen draw the flow that sustains all the partzufim discussed above]. We have already explained Amen according to its [3] letters [Aleph, Mem, and Nun].

BeRahamim LeHayyim: Why did the Ari and Chida include this section? What do they want us to learn?

"Ay-men, Ay-men, Ay-men, Ay-men

The Ba'al Shem Tov taught us that meditations causing supernal unifications are more important than Torah study, for they take sparks deeply embedded in the physical world and release them at last.

There are ways to unite energies in every place in our lives. Saying "Amen" connects you with another's blessing. So does saying "G‑d bless you" or "Shalom."

No one is an island, either physically or spiritually. On Yom Kippur, unite yourself with the entire congregation, and your prayer will elevate straight up high like the sacred incense.

What does the above mean to you, and why is it being revealed now?

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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