Soul Services: Saying Kaddish

Written by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles


Soul Services: Saying Kaddish

There is an abundance of mystical significance torepparttar Kaddish prayer, which this article will touch upon; but first, some basics...

The most immediately noteworthy thing about Kaddish is that even though it is chanted by mourners, it is not a prayer forrepparttar 146890 dead. Exactlyrepparttar 146891 opposite. As you can glean from just a superficial reading, it consists solely of lofty praises forrepparttar 146892 Creator and heartfelt imploring forrepparttar 146893 perfection of Creation.

There are four variations of Kaddish: 'Whole,' 'Half,' 'Rabbis',' and 'Orphans'.' The first two are said only byrepparttar 146894 prayer leader,repparttar 146895 latter two byrepparttar 146896 mourners in unison, even though anyone who participates inrepparttar 146897 study ofrepparttar 146898 Oral Torah is entitled to sayrepparttar 146899 Rabbi's Kaddish.

The obligation of reciting Kaddish is part ofrepparttar 146900 mourning observances for a parent, sibling, offspring or spouse for one month, starting immediately upon burial. For parents,repparttar 146901 mourning continues throughrepparttar 146902 rest ofrepparttar 146903 year because ofrepparttar 146904 obligation of 'honor' in addition torepparttar 146905 mourning. When possible, it is preferable for a son ofrepparttar 146906 deceased to berepparttar 146907 Kaddish-sayer, rather than any other relative.

" ... Rabbi Akiva's mystical encounter with an lifelong sinner who had died..." So if Kaddish makes no mention ofrepparttar 146908 dead, and if it is so special, why do mourners say it? For one thing, it is an honor forrepparttar 146909 soul ofrepparttar 146910 deceased that its 'representative' is sayingrepparttar 146911 Kaddish. Primarily, it is a great merit and help forrepparttar 146912 soul during its year of judgment after death. This is especially true when it is said byrepparttar 146913 son(s) ofrepparttar 146914 deceased, and especially when those sons lead observant Jewish lives.

One way we know ofrepparttar 146915 extraordinary redemptive power of Kaddish is from a dramatic story that begins with Rabbi Akiva's mystical encounter with an lifelong sinner who had died and was suffering grievous, unrelenting punishment. The sinner informedrepparttar 146916 rabbi that only if his sole surviving child would reciterepparttar 146917 Borchu and Kaddish could he be redeemed. With great effort, Rabbi Akiva locatedrepparttar 146918 lad and taught him these prayers. Whenrepparttar 146919 youngster finally recited Kaddish inrepparttar 146920 synagogue, he earned his father's release. [1]

Saying Kaddish can also be very helpful forrepparttar 146921 mourners themselves. Just thinking aboutrepparttar 146922 ideas expressed as you say them (or before, or after) helps bring acceptance ofrepparttar 146923 tragic loss, even when it is seemingly unreasonable and still painful. It is important to remember that G-d has a master plan.

Having to chant Kaddish in public (a minyan is required) and, often, simultaneously with others, also helps to moverepparttar 146924 mourner beyond personal woes and to start thinking more communally. Kaddish-saying stops at eleven months, because "the judgment ofrepparttar 146925 righteous concludes after 11 months,repparttar 146926 wicked after 12," so to continue intorepparttar 146927 twelfth month would be to cast aspersion onrepparttar 146928 departed.

" The four letters ofrepparttar 146929 word Mishna(h) can be re-arranged to spell Neshama(h), meaning 'soul'..." In some communities,repparttar 146930 mourner teaches out loud a bit of Mishna and adds another Rabbis' Kaddish atrepparttar 146931 end of each ofrepparttar 146932 three daily services. The recommended texts, included in many versions ofrepparttar 146933 siddur, are very special, each citing various cases whererepparttar 146934 conclusion is 'Pure.'[2]

Mishna isrepparttar 146935 preferred vehicle of study in this situation.

Kaddish is not said in Hebrew. Rather, it is recited in Aramaic,repparttar 146936 main spoken language ofrepparttar 146937 Jewish people fromrepparttar 146938 period ofrepparttar 146939 destruction ofrepparttar 146940 first Temple (around 2400 years ago) pastrepparttar 146941 completion ofrepparttar 146942 Talmud (around 1400 years ago). Ifrepparttar 146943 reason is, as is traditionally understood, thatrepparttar 146944 majority ofrepparttar 146945 people were not fluent inrepparttar 146946 Holy Tongue, we can see how important it is forrepparttar 146947 mourner to understandrepparttar 146948 prayer he is saying.

Prayer Is the Key to Heaven

Written by VMT Singuillo


In today's modern world, high technology abounds anywhere. One such startling and awesome gudget I have seen is inrepparttar area of communications.

Imagine, now you can call anytime and anywhere withrepparttar 146788 use of a cellular phone also called cellphone (sometimes also spelled as celfone). It used to be that this phone is too bulky and is very expensive that onlyrepparttar 146789 rich andrepparttar 146790 powerful can have one.

Now, this phone has evolved to become technologically advanced too with its many features. You can even send text messages with it just like a pager. You can send photos with it. And most of all, you can even send videos with it.

Some ofrepparttar 146791 features also even include games in it, you can store important data, and of course, you can take pictures and videos with it. Today, some have gps (global positioning system) and can even be used like a walkie talkie or as a two-way radio. You can even surfrepparttar 146792 web with this. Isn't that cool?

Despite, all its technological advances, there are also limitations. Most of all, you have to pay for subcription fees and pay for allrepparttar 146793 added extras with it. One such limitation is you have to pay extra charges for roaming. Roaming means that you use it perhaps in a different area or country where you have not originally been using it.

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
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