Kaddish
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- This page refers to a Jewish prayer. For other uses see Kaddish (disambiguation).
The term "Kaddish" is often used to refer specifically to "The Mourners' Kaddish," said as part of the mourning rituals in Judaism in all prayer services as well as at funerals and memorials. When mention is made of "saying Kaddish", this unambiguously denotes the rituals of mourning.
The opening words of this prayer are inspired by [Ezekiel 38:23], a vision of God becoming great in the eyes of all the nations. The central line of the kaddish in Jewish tradition is the congregation's response "May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity", a public declaration of God's greatness and eternality.[link]
History and background
Most of the Kaddish is written in Aramaic, which at the time of the original Kaddish's composition, was the lingua franca of the Jewish people: "Kaddish was not originally said by mourners, but rather by the rabbis when they finished giving sermons on Sabbath afternoons and later, when they finished studying a section of midrash or aggadah. This practice developed in Babylonia where most people understood only Aramaic and sermons were given in Aramaic so Kaddish was said in the vernacular. This is why it is currently said in Aramaic. This "Rabbinical Kaddish" (Kaddish d'Rabbanan) is still said after studying midrash or aggadah or after reading them as part of the service. It differs from the regular Kaddish because of its inclusion of a prayer for rabbis, scholars and their disciples. While anyone may say this Kaddish, it has become the custom for mourners to say the Rabbinical Kaddish in addition to the Mourner's Kaddish."[link]
The Jewish Virtual Library observes that "The first mention of mourners saying Kaddish at the end of the service is in a thirteenth century halakhic writing called the Or Zarua. The Kaddish at the end of the service became designated as Kaddish Yatom or Mourners' Kaddish (literally, "Orphan's Kaddish")."[link]
The Mourners', Rabbis' and Complete Kaddish end with a supplication for peace, which is in Hebrew, and comes from the Bible.
After the Shema, Amidah, and Aleinu, the Kaddish is the most important and central blessing in the Jewish prayer service.
Variations
The various versions of the Kaddish (sometimes spelled Qaddish) are:
- Chatzi Kaddish (חצי קדיש) or Kaddish Leela (קדיש לעלא) – Literally "Half Kaddish"
- Kaddish Yatom (קדיש יתום) or Kaddish Yehe Shelama Rabba (קדיש יהא שלמא רבא) – Literally "Orphan's Kaddish", although commonly referred to as Kaddish Avelim (קדיש אבלים), the "Mourners' Kaddish"
- Kaddish Shalem (קדיש שלם) or Kaddish Titkabbal (קדיש תתקבל) – Literally "Complete Kaddish" or "Whole Kaddish"
- Kaddish d'Rabbanan (קדיש דרבנן) or Kaddish al Yisrael (קדיש על ישראל) – Literally "Kaddish of the Rabbis"
- Kaddish achar Hakk'vura (קדיש אחר הקבורה) – Literally "Kaddish after a Burial", also called Kaddish d'Itchadata (קדיש דאתחדתא) named after one of the first distinguishing words in this variant. In the presence of a minyan, this version is also said at the siyum upon completion of the comprehensive study of any one of the Talmud's tractates ("volumes") and is printed at the end of most tractates.
After the Shema, Amidah, and Aleinu, the Kaddish is the most important and central blessing in the Jewish prayer service. The Jewish Encyclopedia's [Kaddish article] mentions an additional type of Kaddish, called "Kaddish Yachid", or "Individual's Kaddish". This is contained in the Siddur of Amram Gaon, but is a meditation taking the place of Kaddish rather than a Kaddish in the normal sense.
Text of the Kaddish
The following includes the half, complete, mourners' and rabbis' kaddish. The variant lines of the burial kaddish are given below.
| # | English translation | Transcription | Aramaic / Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exalted and sanctifiedb is God's great name.a | Yitgaddal v'yitqaddash sh'meh rabba | יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. |
| 2 | in the world which He has created according to His will | B'ʻal'ma di v'raʼ khiruteh | בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ |
| 3 | and may He establish His kingdom | v'yamlikh malkhuteh | וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ |
| 4 | may his salvation blossom and his anointed near.ad | v'yatzmach purqaneh viqarev m'shicheh | וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵהּ וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ |
| 5 | in your lifetime and your days | b'chayekhon uvyomekhon | בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן |
| 6 | and in the lifetimes of all the House of Israel | uvchaye d'khol bet yisraʼel | וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל |
| 7 | speedily and soon; and say, Amen.a | b'ʻagala uvizman qariv v'ʼimru amen | בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן |
| The next two lines are recited by the congregation and then the leader: | |||
| 8 | May His great name be blessed | y'he sh'meh rabba m'varakh | יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ |
| 9 | forever and to all eternity. | l'ʻalam ulʻal'me ʻal'maya | לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא |
| 10 | Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, | Yitbarakh v'yishtabbach v'yitpaʼar v'yitromam | יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם |
| 11 | extolled and honored, elevated and lauded | v'yitnasse v'yithaddar v'yitʻalle v'yithallal | וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל |
| 12 | be the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He.a | sh'meh d'qudsha, b'rikh hu. | שְׁמֵהּ דְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. |
| 13 | beyond (and beyondc) all the blessings | l'ʻella (ulʻella mikkol) min kol birkhata | לְעֵלָּא (וּלְעֵלָּא מִכָּל) מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא |
| 14 | and hymns, praises and consolations | v'shirata tushb'chata v'nechemata | וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא |
| 15 | that are spoken in the world; and say, Amen.a | daʼamiran b'al'ma v'ʼimru amen | דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
|
| The half kaddish ends here. | |||
| Here the "complete kaddish" includes: | |||
| 16 | eLet them be accepted: the prayers and supplications | Titqabbel tz'lot'hon uvaʻut'hon | תִּתְקַבֵּל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן |
| 17 | of the entire House of Israel | d'khol bet yisraʼel | דְּכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל |
| 18 | before their Father in Heaven; and say, Amen.a | qodam avuhon di bishmayya, v'ʼimru amen | קֳדָם אֲבוּהוֹן דִּי בִשְׁמַיָּא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
|
| Here the "kaddish of the rabbis" includes: | |||
| 19 | Upon Israel and its rabbis and their students | ʻal yisraʼel v'ʻal rabbanan v'ʻal talmidehon | עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל רַבָּנָן וְעַל תַּלְמִידֵיהוֹן |
| 20 | and upon all their student's students | v'ʻal kol talmidey talmidehon | וְעַל כָּל תַּלְמִידֵי תַלְמִידֵיהוֹן. |
| 21 | and upon all those who engage in the Torah | v'ʻal kol maʼan d'ʻos'kin b'ʼorayta | וְעַל כָּל מָאן דְּעָסְקִין בְּאוֹרַיְתָא. |
| 22 | here and in all other places | di b'ʼatra haden v'di b'khol atar v'ʼatar | דִּי בְאַתְרָא הָדֵין וְדִי בְּכָל אֲתַר וַאֲתַר. |
| 23 | may they and you have much peace | y'he l'hon ulkhon sh'lama rabba | יְהֵא לְהוֹן וּלְכוֹן שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא |
| 24 | grace and kindness and mercy and long life | chinna v'chisda v'rachamey v'chayyey arikhey | חִנָּא וְחִסְדָּא וְרַחֲמֵי וְחַיֵּי אֲרִיכֵי |
| 25 | and plentiful nourishment and salvation | umzoney r'vichey ufurqana | וּמְזוֹנֵי רְוִיחֵי וּפוְּרְקָנָא |
| 26 | from before their Father in Heaven [and Earth] | min qodam avuhon di vishmayya [v'ʼarʻa] | מִן קֳדָם אֲבוּהוּן דְבִשְׁמַיָּא [וְאַרְעָא] |
| 27 | and say, Amen.a | v'ʼimru amen | וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן |
| All variants but the half kaddish conclude: | |||
| 28 | eMay there be much peace from Heaven, | Y'he sh'lama rabba min sh'mayya | יְהֵא שְׁלָמָה רבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא, |
| 29 | [and] [good] life | [v']chayyim [tovim] | [וְ]חַיִּים [טוֹבִים] |
| 30 | and satiety, and salvation, and comfort, and saving | v'sava vishuʻa v'nechama v'shezava | וְשָֹבָע וִישׁוּעָה וְנֶחָמָה וְשֵׁיזָבָה |
| 31 | and healing and redemption and forgiveness and atonement | urfuʼa ugʼulla uslicha v'khappara | וּרְפוּאָה וּגְאֻלָּה וּסְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה, |
| 32 | and relief and deliveranced | v'revach v'hatzzala | וְרֵוַח וְהַצָּלָה |
| 33 | for us and for all His people Israel; and say, Amen.a | lanu ulkhol ʻammo yisraʼel v'ʼimru amen | לָנוּ וּלְכָל עַמּוֹ יִשְֹרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. |
| 34 | eHe who makes peace in His heights | ʻose shalom bimromav | עוֹשֶֹה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, |
| 35 | may He [in his mercy]f make peace upon us | hu [b'rachamav] yaʻase shalom ʻalenu | הוּא [בְּרַחֲמָיו] יַעֲשֶֹה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ, |
| 36 | and upon all [his nation]g Israel; and say, Amen.a | v'ʻal kol [ammo] yisraʼel, v'ʼimru amen | וְעַל כָּל [עַמּוֹ] יִשְֹרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. |
Text of the Burial Kaddish
In the burial kaddishh, lines 2-3 are replaced by:| # | English translation | Transcription | Aramaic / Hebrew |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | in the world which will be renewed | B'ʻal'ma d'hu ʻatid l'itchaddata | בְּעָלְמָא דְהוּא עָתִיד לְאִתְחַדָּתָא |
| 38 | and He will give life to the dead | ulʼachaya metaya | וּלְאַחֲיָאָה מֵתַיָא |
| 39 | and raise them to eternal life | ulʼassaqa yathon l'chayyey ʻal'ma | וּלְאַסָּקָא יָתְהוֹן לְחַיֵּי עָלְמָא |
| 40 | and rebuild the city of Jerusalem | ulmivne qarta dirushlem | וּלְמִבְנֵא קַרְתָּא דִירוּשְׁלֵם |
| 41 | and establish his temple within | ulshakhlala hekhleh b'gavvah | וּלְשַׁכְלָלָא הֵיכְלֵהּ בְּגַוַּהּ |
| 42 | removing foreign worship from the earth | ulmeʻqar pulchana nukhraʼa m'arʻa | וּלְמֶעְקַר פֻּלְחָנָא נֻכְרָאָה מְאַרְעָא |
| 43 | and the Heavenly service shall return | v'laʼatava pulchana dishmayya l'ʼatreh | וּלַאֲתָבָא פֻּלְחָנָא דִשְׁמַיָּא לְאַתְרֵהּ |
| 44 | and the Holy One, blessed is He | v'yamlikh qudsha b'rikh hu | וְיַמְלִיךְ קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא |
| 45 | in his kingship and splendour ... | b'malkhuteh viqareh | בְּמַלְכוּתֵהּ וִיקָרֵהּ |
Notes:
- Bracketed text varies according to personal or communal tradition.
- (a) The congregation responds with "amen" (אָמֵן) after lines 1, 4, 12, 15, 18, 27, 33, 36. In the Ashkenazi tradition, the response to line 12 is "Blessed be he" (בְּרִיךְ הוּא b'rikh hu).
- (b) On line 1, some say Yitgaddel veyitqaddesh rather than Yitgaddal veyitqaddash, putting these words into a Hebrew rather than an Aramaic form.
- (c) Line 13: in the Ashkenazi tradition the repeated "le'ela" is used only during the days of awe. In the Sephardi tradition it is never used. In the Yemenite tradition it is the invariable wording.
- (d) Lines 4 and 30-32 are not present in the Ashkenazi tradition.
- (e) During the "complete kaddish" some include:
- * Before line 16, "accept our prayer with mercy and favour"
- * Before line 28, "May the name of God be blessed, from now and forever" ([Psalms 113:2])
- * Before line 34, "My help is from God, creator of heaven and earth" ([Psalms 121:2])
- (f) Line 35: "b'rahamav" is used by Sephardim in all versions of kaddish; by Ashkenazim only in "Kaddish deRabbanan".(g) Line 36: "ammo" is used by most Sephardim, but not by the Spanish and Portuguese Jews or Ashkenazim.(h) Lines 37 to 45: these lines are used (i) in the Burial Kaddish; (ii) in the version of the Kaddish DeRabbanan used in a siyum on the completion of a Talmudic tractate; (iii) by Yemenite Jews, in Kaddish DeRabbanan generally.
Customs
The Kaddish immediately before Barechu is sung by the officiant to a rhythmic tune. Every other Kaddish in the service, except for the Mourners' Kaddish (see next section), is chanted by the officiant as a recitative. In all cases the congregation makes the necessary responses. In Spanish and Portuguese synagogues, the entire congregation sings Kaddish on the afternoon of Yom Kippur.
In Ashkenazi synagogues, the whole congregation stands whenever Kaddish is said. In Sephardi synagogues they sit, except in the case of the Kaddish immediately before the Amidah.
Some Reform synagogues have dropped all use of Kaddish except the Mourners' Kaddish, though in many there is now a move to reinstate it before Barechu and/or the Amidah
Mourners' Kaddish
The best known form is the "Mourners' Kaddish", said at all prayer services, as well as at funerals and memorials. It takes the form of Kaddish Yehe Shelama Rabba, and is recited towards the end of the service. Following the death of a spouse or close relative it is customary to recite the Mourners' Kaddish in the presence of a congregation daily for thirty days (eleven months in the case of a parent), and then at or near every anniversary of the death; and in what follows, a "mourner" means any person present at a service who has the obligation to recite Kaddish in accordance with these rules.
Customs for reciting the Mourners' Kaddish vary markedly among various communities. In Sephardi synagogues, the custom is that all the mourners stand and chant the Kaddish together. In Ashkenazi synagogues, the earlier custom was that one mourner be chosen to lead the prayer on behalf of the rest, though some congregations have now adopted the Sephardi custom to prevent bad feeling about the choice of leader. In many Reform synagogues, the entire congregation recites the Mourners' Kaddish together, speaking rather than singing the prayer. In some congregations (especially Reform and Conservative ones), the Rabbi will read a list of those who have a Yahrzeit on that day (or who have died within the past month), and then ask the congregants to name any people they are mourning, similar to the Misheberach.
It is important to note that the Mourners' Kaddish does not mention death at all, but instead praises God.
References
- Cyrus Adler, et al. ["Kaddish"]. Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906. pp. 401-403.
External links
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