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AMEN OR AMEIN??? (PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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Parasha Nasso
Numbers 4:21-7:89
By: Dani'el Rendelman
(IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY MOST OF YOUR PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED, PROBABLY THIS COULD BE THE REASON!!!)
A
little boy walked up to his pastor and asked sheepishly, “Why do we say
‘amen’ instead of ‘awoman’ after prayers?” The preacher scratched his
head as he thought. He finally responded, “I guess for the same reason
that we sing ‘hymns’ and not ‘hers.’
Realistically,
the reason why people say ‘amen’ after prayer is much deeper than this
preacher’s smart retort. The concept of the ending affirmation of ‘amen’
has its origin in this week’s Torah reading. Titled Nasso, our weekly
parasha comes from Bamidbar (Numbers) 4:21-7:89. During this sidrah the
Torah teaches about the Nazarite vows, the priestly blessing, the ordeal
of adultery and jealousy, and final preparation for use of the
tabernacle. It is here that the first mention of the word “amen” is
found in the King James Version and other Bibles.
Bible
teachers place much importance on the first time a word or phrase
appears in the original text. This is called the “rule of first
occurrence.” The idea is that the initial mentioning of an expression
explains its future meaning and gives understanding into the phrase’s
significance. A sort of precedence is set when ‘amen’ is first used in
Bamidbar 5:22. (Beware: Continued reading of this teaching might tip over one of your sacred cows!)
Bamidbar
5 is the chapter about the “sotah” or “suspected wife.” This chapter
teaches that if a woman is suspected of adultery and cannot be legally
proved, then she is to be taken before the priests. The Cohanim are to
perform an odd ceremony of events that will prove her loyalty or prove
her adultery. During this ritual the Cohen mixes set apart water, ink,
the meal offering given by the husband, and dust from the sanctuary
floor. This mixture is then drunk by the sotah. If she is guilty she
will be cursed, if she is innocent a curse will not be upon her. She
agrees to this rite by drinking the mixture. The Torah says that at this
drinking point “the woman shall say, ‘amen, amen!’”
Notice
that when the woman says “amen” she is not concluding a prayer. No -
she did not say “in Jesus’ name amen.” Instead of finishing a prayer,
the woman is accepting a type of oath/covenant/curse. Notice also that
she really did NOT say “amen.” Yes, your Bible says she said “amen”
but…the term “amen” is a transliteration of the Hebrew letters
aleph-mem-nun, pronounced “omein” or “ah-main” She said “omein, omein”
and not “amen, amen.”
THE MEANING OF AMEN AND AMEIN
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What does it mean?
Omein
or Amein communicates confirmation, hope, endorsement, and approval. It
also is a saying that means “let it be so.” Strong’s Exhaustive
Dictionary defines Amein as “sure; abstract faithfulness; adverbially
truly:-amen, so be it, truth, firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to
be.”
When
a person says “Amein” they are literally saying “I agree that what was
spoken is truth and let it be.” When a person says “amen,” they are
saying something totally different. (more on this to follow!)
Omein is used throughout the Tanakh as “to show the acceptance of the validity of a curse or an oath as in Numbers 5:22;
Deuteronomy 27:15-26; Jeremiah 11:5. It is used to indicate acceptance
of a good message in Jeremiah 28:6,” says the Holman Bible Dictionary.
Evidently those near the mishkan would respond ‘Amein’ to the songs
chanted by the Levites as found in Tehillim 41:14; 72:19; 89:53; 106:48;
and 1 Chronicles 16:36.
These people were saying, “we agree and testify to what the priests are
chanting! It is truth and let it be!” Indeed, Rabbi Sha’ul wrote "For
all the promises of Elohim in Him are yea, and in Him Amein, unto the
glory of Elohim by us,” 2 Corinthians 1:20.
The
Talmud states that saying omein after a blessing is equivalent to
reciting the B’racha itself. Yet, a person should not say Amein to every
blessing that is spoken nor to every prayer that is uttered. “A person
should not usually respond with “Amein” to a blessing he himself has
recited, the only exception now being the third blessing of the Grace
after Meals. This prohibition may be a reaction to the Christian custom
to conclude every prayer with ‘Amen.’ The early church borrowed the use
of ‘Amen’ together with most of the liturgy, and it is found in the New
Testament 119 times,” says the Encyclopedia Judaica.
Christianity
teaches it is proper to end every prayer with ‘amen.” While Judaism
teaches it is proper to say ‘Amein’ only after certain blessings.
“Whenever one hears another recite a blessing, he should answer ‘Amein’
at its conclusion. The ‘Amein’ constitutes an endorsement and
affirmation that the blessing is true, that I believe it, or that “it
should come to pass” where the blessing is in the form of a prayer
petition. A person does not say ‘omein’ after a blessing he recites
himself,” says Rabbi Donin in his book To Be a Jew.
Bible
believers are permitted to say omein. Making this statement of faith is
validated throughout the Scriptures, including this week’s Torah
reading. But, devotees are never told in the Scriptures to say “amen.”
There is a difference between ‘amen’ and the Hebrew ‘omein’ just like
there is a difference between ‘Amein’ and ‘oh my!’
Christians
and Muslims use the word ‘amen.’ And regardless of language, various
religions around the world end their prayer by saying Amen. The term
‘amen’ comes from ancient Egypt. There is no linguistic translation for
the Egyptian word ‘Amen,’ because it is a name and not a word. The
origin of “Amen” is Egyptian, for Amen is the name the pagan sun god
Aman-ra, also known simply as Ra or Aman. According to a web site on
Egyptology, the name Amen means the, “hidden one of Egypt who lives on.”
Perhaps this pagan deity lives on through his name being repeated by
millions of people every day.
The
Hebrews learned about the god ‘amen’ during their sojourn in Egypt,
which lasted for four generations. Yes, the Yisraelites were no doubt
familiar with this pagan deity. It is to this subject that the Torah
gives a prohibition for saying the name amen and other false idol names.
“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the
names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips,” Shemot 23:13.
This is very simple. Say “ah-mein.” When you hear something that
ministers to your nefesh (soul) shout “omein!” But don’t say ‘amen.’
“Don’t do as the pagans do,” says the book of Yermi’yahu (Jeremiah).
Finally,
notice that when you use the correct Hebrew word “Amein” you are
actually referring to Yahweh Yahushua Himself. The Talmud teaches that
the etymology of ‘Amein” can be explained as being made up of the
initial letters of El Melekh Ne'eman, meaning “Elohim, faithful King.”
So, any reference to ‘Amein’ is actually a reference to Elohim.
Yahushua
also taught His talmidim and used this word to validate His own Torah
interpretations. In the gospels, Amein is also found over 100 times,
always spoken by Yahushua. Yahushua however only used this term to
preface His own teachings with the expression, “Amein I say to you,” a
phrase apparently intended to emphasize the truth and the importance of
the words he was preparing to speak. He would also say, “omein, omein”
which is many times translated “verily, verily.”
Yahweh
is called the Elohim of Amein or Elohim of Truth in the scroll of
Yesha’yahu. This passage from Isaiah is an appropriate selection to
meditate upon when considering this important subject because of the
light it shares. You see, saying “amen” verses omein” is no laughing
matter. You are either talking about the real Elohim, the Elohim Amein
or you are talking about a false Elohim.
Please
consider this. Study this subject some more. Pray about this issue. And
perhaps end your prayer a little differently – with ‘omein.’ “Whoever
invokes a blessing in the land will do so by Elohim Amein, the Elohim of
truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the Elohim Amein,
the Elohim of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden
from my eyes. “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The
former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be
glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create
Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy,” Yesha’yahu 95.
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Please...share your thoughts.
NOTE: AMEN is pronounced as AH....MANE, whereas AMEIN is pronounced
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