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Reish Lakish said: Anyone who answers Amen with all his strength — they open the gates of Paradise for him ... What is Amen? [It forms the acronym of] God the faithful King (Shabbos 119b).

The closed gates of Paradise do not swing open easily, because no one can enter unless he is worthy — and who can say he is deserving of the ultimate spiritual reward? Yet, Reish Lakish tells us that for responding Amen with all his strength, a person can not only enter gates that remain sealed in the face of many other good deeds — the heavenly forces will rush with alacrity to clear the way for him. Reish Lakish does not even mention the one who recites the blessing to which the Amen response is made. For, as the Talmud (Berachos 53b) teaches, He who responds Amen is greater than he who recited the blessing [to which the response is made]. The mystery is now even greater
— why is the response great enough to earn entry into Paradise and why is it greater than a blessing?

R’ Bachya (Kad HaKemach) comments, as do others, that the word Amen is derived from the same root as Emunah [faith]. By responding Amen to another’s blessing, a Jew affirms that he believes in the statement that has been made. By his assent he gives the statement a greater degree of force, for when an individual testifies to God’s power by blessing Him for one of His manifestations — the God Who gives bread, heals the sick, heeds prayer, or whatever — he is like a single witness making a statement. When a listener responds Amen, he seconds and supports the statement of praise. Now there are two witnesses testifying to the statement, and it has far more force and standing. Therefore, the one who responds is greater than the one who prompted him, because the second gave effect to the statement of the first.