Introduction
“Yizkor” is a short prayer in which we ask God to remember the souls of our beloved ones and guard them along with the souls of the great people of the nation, due to our good deeds.
We say “Yizkor” four times during the year:
- On Yom Kippur.
- On Shemini Atzeret.
- On the seventh day of Passover, (outside Israel: on the last day of Passover).
- On Shavuot: (outside Israel, where they celebrate two days of the holiday, they remember on the second day).
- The most important thing in commemorating souls, as we say in the Yizkor prayer, is to give charity afterwards for the elevation of their soul. It is best to give the charity as soon as possible (but not on Shabbat or on a holiday when it is not permitted to handle money).
How do we remember?
After the Torah reading, when the Torah scrolls are still on the reading platform, we approach to say Yizkor.
The custom is for those who have a living mother and father to leave the synagogue during the time of the soul’s commemoration.
- In the first year after the death, do not say Yizkor, but remain in the synagogue.
We commemorate souls by saying their full Hebrew name and their father’s full Hebrew name (e.g., Isaac son of Abraham).
- On days when we commemorate souls, light a memorial candle for the elevation of their soul before the holiday begins.
