Introduction
The day of death is the day when the Hebrew date matches the date of a person’s death, this day is called Yahrzeit (or Yahrzeit).
- If a person passed away in Adar in a regular year, and the following year is a leap year, we arrange the Yahrzeit in the first month of Adar.
On the day of death, there are several rules of behavior:
At home
- Do not participate in the joy of a wedding or a mitzvah meal on this day.
- On this day, it is customary to study Mishnah for the elevation of the deceased’s soul. It is worthwhile to find chapters of Mishnah whose initial letters match the Hebrew name of the deceased.
- Each of the deceased’s children lights a memorial candle in their home, which will burn throughout the Yahrzeit day.
- On this day, give charity for the elevation of the deceased’s soul.
- It’s worthwhile to organize a meal for family members and close friends, in which they bless the food and say words of Torah in honor and memory of the deceased.
- On this day, it is advisable to reduce unnecessary travel and any activity with a certain risk.
- On the first Yahrzeit, all mourning customs are practiced.
In the Synagogue
- It is very important to say the ‘Kaddish’ prayer on this day. Therefore, it is very advisable that you go to the synagogue, where you can say the Kaddish a number of times – it is an inseparable part of prayer in a communal setting.
- IIt is advisable to have an aliyah to the Torah on the day of the Yahrzeit. If you cannot go to the synagogue to request to have an aliyah, or if the Torah is not being read that day, it is advisable that you come on one of the preceding days when the Torah is read (such as the Shabbat before the Yahrzeit).
At the Cemetery
- It is important to go to the cemetery to visit the grave of the Yahrzeit, where you should read the sections that appear on page .123
- Please note that going to the cemetery or lighting the candle should not violate the Sabbath or holiday. Therefore, for example, if the Yahrzeit is on Shabbat, you should go only on Sunday. If it is on Sunday, you should make sure to light only after the end of the Sabbath. If the Sabbath has started, do not light after it has begun.
- On the day of the Yahrzeit, it is good to light a yahrzeit candle next to the tombstone.
After that, one says the Mourner’s Kaddish (provided there is a minyan).
Kaddish and its translation
| English translation | Hebrew version |
|---|---|
| May his great name be increased and hallowed | יִתְגַדַל וְיִתְקַדַש שְמֵה רַבָא |
| In the world he created according to his wishes | בְעָלְמָא דִיבְרָא כִרְעּותֵה |
| And will govern his kingdom | וְיַמְלִיְך מַלְכּותֵה |
| And his salvation will grow and his Messiah will draw near | וְיַצְמַח פֻרְקָנֵה וִיקָרֵב מְשִיחֵה |
| In your life and your days and in the life of all the house of Israel | בְחַיֵיכֹון ובְיֹומֵיכֹון ּובְחַיֵ דְכָל בֵית יִשְרָאֵל, |
| Soon and soon, And they said Amen | ּבַעֲגָלָא ובִזְמַן קָרִיב וְאִמְרּו אָמֵן |
| May his great name be blessed forever and for ever. | יְהֵאשְמֵה רַבָא מְבָרַך לְעָלַם ולְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָא |
| May he be blessed and praised And he will be glorified and exalted | יִתְבָרַך וְיִשְתַבַח וְיִתְפָאַר וְיִתְרֹומַם |
| And he will be proud and boast, And he will be exalted and glorified | וְיִתְנַשֵא וְיִתְהַדָר וְיִתְעַלֶה וְיִתְהַלָל |
| Blessed be the name of the Holy One, Blessed Be He | שְמֵה דְקֻדְשָא בְרִיְך הּוא |
| Above all blessings And service is praised | לְעֵלָא מִן כָל בִרְכָתָא שִירָתָא תֻשְבְחָתָא |
| And the consolations that are said in the world And they said Amen | וְנֶחָמָתָא דַאֲמִירָן בְעָלְמָא וְאִמְרּו אָמֵן |
| May great peace come from heaven | יְהֵא שְלָמָא רַבָא מִן שְמַיָא |
| And life is good for us and for all Israel and said Amen | וְחַיִים טֹובִים עָלֵינּו וְעַלכָל יִשְרָאֵל וְאִמְרּו אָמֵן |
| Make peace in His Highness, He will make peace with us, And throughout all Israel they said Amen. | עֹשֶה שָלֹום בִמְרֹומָיו הּוא יַעֲשֶה שָלֹום עָלֵינּו, וְעַל כָל-יִשְרָאֵל וְאִמְרּו אָמֵן |
