Kaddish meaning
The meaning of saying Kaddish for the soul of the deceased
Kaddish meaning – based on the Jewish law, the Kaddish prayer is said for the sake of the deceased’s soul
See the “Kaddish for the Soul” website, to learn the laws of saying Kaddish in greater detail.
as well as the Kaddish prayer in the Asheknazi and Sefardi traditions.
And, you’ll find comprehensive info regarding the customs of mourning from the time of the passing until the end of the first year
Are you in your year of mourning?
Read about the Kaddish service
Struggling to find a minyan 3 times a day for your deceased loved one?
We will say Kaddish at the morning, afternoon and evening prayers on behalf of your deceased loved one, and learn Mishna for the benefit of their soul
The Kaddish prayer expresses the Jewish faith in God, the prayer has a deep meaning and during it we pray for the great name of God to be glorified in the mouths of all.
According to Jewish Halakha and tradition, after the passing of a family member, Mourner’s Kaddish must be said every day for a year, in the three prayers – Shachrit, Mincha and Ma’ariv.
Read more – What is Kaddish? And also Mourner’s Kaddish
Why do we say Kaddish?
According to Jewish faith and tradition, saying Kaddish in the months following one’s passing, benefits the soul of the deceased by saving it from hell and raising it to heaven.
In order to understand why we say Kaddish, it is important to understand the meaning of Kaddish
Kaddish meaning
In times of mourning and dealing with loss, doubts in God might arise following the fact that one’s loved one has passed away. In order to make peace and express agreement with God, we say Baruch Dayan Ha-Emet (lit. Blessed is the true judge), i.e. even in hard times, we bless God whose ways we don’t always understand, but we know that what He does is for the best.
The Kaddish prayer also expresses the strong faith in God. By saying Kaddish, God is praised and glorified.
Through the entire Kaddish prayer, there is no mention of mourning or loss, but only of the greatness of God.
The meaning of “Yis’ga’dal v’yis’kadash sh’may ra’bbo” is May the great Name of God be exalted and sanctified
See the full translation of Mourner’s Kaddish in English.
This is an expression of agreement with God who oversees the world, a recognition that every act that comes from above is a good one, even if it involves mourning and loss.
In fact, we see only one point in the totality of life, we don’t know what took place before the soul was born nor do we know where the soul will go and the meaning of life after death.
Naturally, it is hard for the family members and friends to deal with the loss, but it is worth knowing that the soul is now going to a place of pure goodness and lives on, without the constraints of the body.
The benefit of saying Kaddish for the soul of the deceased
According to Chazal sources, saying Kaddish is very beneficial for the soul of the deceased, and saves it from hell and raises it to heaven. In the holy books, a scary story is told about Rabbi Akiva, to whom a Jew who has passed away has revealed himself. He was going through great torment in hell due to sins he committed in his life and Rabbi Akiva made sure that Kaddish is said for him, thus saving him his fate See the full story here
After death, when the soul sees Jews in the world grow strong in their faith in God, it gives it great pleasure and helps it deal with the first year of divine judgment – the cleaning of the soul before it enters heaven.
Duration of saying Kaddish
Ashkenazi custom: Saying Mournoer’s Kaddish prayer for 11 months.
Sephardi custom: 12 months minus 1 week, that is, on the day of the 11th month, the custom is stopped for a week and then saying the Kaddish prayer is resumed for the remaining three weeks.
Who says Kaddish for the deceased?
The son says Mourner’s Kaddish for his father or mother, if the deceased has no sons, it is customary for another relative to take it upon himself to say Kaddish, such as a son-in-law or any other male relative can say Kaddish for the deceased all year long.
Appointing an agent to say Kaddish in exchange for payment
If it is not possible for the family to say Kaddish every day for a year, according to Jewish Halakha, an agent can be appointed to say Kaddish on behalf of the family.
It is fitting to pay for the service of saying Kaddish since it is actually through payment that saying Kaddish is assigned to the soul of the deceased:
The Kaddish service can be ordered through the website, Kaddish will be said every day in a synagogue in the Chabad Campus in the holy city Safed, Israel.
Number of people attending
Kaddish must be said in the presence of 10 Jews and cannot be said alone, as with anything involving holiness.
For more information, see Saying Kaddish without a minyan