kaddish
At its heart, kaddish is a prayer for an ever-increasing recognition of Hashem’s presence, as evidenced from its central phrase, יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא, May His great Name be blessed forever and to all eternity. While the universal recognition of Hashem’s presence is a central motif in Judaism, what is it about death, specifically, that calls for the recital of this prayer?
Every Jew is a vehicle for Kiddush Hashem, for the sanctification of G-d in His world.. When a Jew dies, Hashem loses one of His ambassadors, one of His means of bringing recognition of His Divine presence to mankind. In a sense, the kaddish is a consolation for Hashem over the loss of His ambassador. We, the living, pray that Hashem’s Name should be blessed, and by doing so, we endeavor to make up for the loss of Kiddush Hashem.
And it is specifically the child who recites kaddish. For a child is referred to in the Talmud as “the leg of his father.” Once the deceased leaves this world it would seem that his ledger is closed; his situation if fixed and he is incapable of earning any more reward. But, this is not the case. The child figuratively gives ‘legs’ to his deceased parent. The deceased invested energy and inspiration into the child and when the child, animated by that spirit, recites kaddish in commemoration of the deceased, he provides merit to his departed by actualizing that inspiration in the service of Hashem.
Every Jew is a vehicle for Kiddush Hashem, for the sanctification of G-d in His world.. When a Jew dies, Hashem loses one of His ambassadors, one of His means of bringing recognition of His Divine presence to mankind. In a sense, the kaddish is a consolation for Hashem over the loss of His ambassador. We, the living, pray that Hashem’s Name should be blessed, and by doing so, we endeavor to make up for the loss of Kiddush Hashem.
And it is specifically the child who recites kaddish. For a child is referred to in the Talmud as “the leg of his father.” Once the deceased leaves this world it would seem that his ledger is closed; his situation if fixed and he is incapable of earning any more reward. But, this is not the case. The child figuratively gives ‘legs’ to his deceased parent. The deceased invested energy and inspiration into the child and when the child, animated by that spirit, recites kaddish in commemoration of the deceased, he provides merit to his departed by actualizing that inspiration in the service of Hashem.
the laws of kaddish
- A child recites kaddish for a parent, and by doing so provides relief for the parent from harsh judgment in heaven.
- One recites kaddish for eleven months after the burial of the parent even in a leap year. [Although, the harsh judgment endures for twelve months, kaddish is recited for eleven months only, so as not to imply that his parent is a wicked person and judged for the full twelve months.]
- One recites kaddish in the presence of ten men above the age of Bar Mitzvah (including the one reciting the kaddish).
- There may be up to four people in a congregation of ten, who are not able to answer.
- One should face Eretz Yisrael during the recitation of kaddish.
- Even a young boy who is capable of reciting kaddish should do so. Where there is no son, kaddish is recited a close relative. The following is the order of precedence: grandson, son-in-law; father; brother; another relative. According to some, a brother precedes a brother in law.
- One who answers "Amen, Yehei Shemei Rabba..." with all of his strength tears up heavenly decrees against him.
- One should not walk in front of someone who is reciting kaddish.