Kaddish

Who should say Kaddish

1. The midrashim speak how a child saying Kaddish for a parent could save the parent from a harsh judgement in heaven. Therefore, the minhag is to say Kaddish for a parent as well as get the Aliyah of Maftir and to pray as the Shaliach Tzibur especially for Arvit.
2. The Sephardic minhag is that anyone who wants may say Kaddish even if that is a number of people together.
3. Although saying Kaddish and prayers in the merit of one's parents, the primary merit for parents is that a child follows in the just and proper way.

Requirements for Kaddish

1. One may only say Kaddish in a congregation of 10 men above the age of Bar Mitzvah. The person saying Kaddish is included in the minyan, meaning that there has to be 9 people listening to Kaddish besides for the one saying Kaddish.
2. If there is up to four people in the minyan saying Shemona Esreh and will not be able to answer Kaddish, nonetheless, one may say Kaddish because there is a majority of the minyan who can answer.

When Kaddish may be said

1. If there's no minyan when the congregation reaches the end of Pesukei DeZimrah, they should wait for a minyan prior to saying Yishtabach because if they say Yishtabach and only get a minyan afterwards they shouldn't say Kaddish until they first say some pesukim.

Proper practices of the congregation during Kaddish

1. The congregants should listen carefully and answer the appropriate responses with kavana.
2. Anyone who answers "Amen Yehey Sheme Rabba..." with all of his strength and kavana any heavenly bad decree against him is ripped up.