Kaddish

From Halachipedia

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. [1]
  2. The Sephardic minhag is that anyone who wants may say Kaddish even if that is a number of people together. [2] For a discussion on the ashkenazic minhag see Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz
  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.[3]
  4. It is permissible to recite kaddish in memory of a non-Jew as long as the one who you are saying it for was a moral individual. [4]

Requirements for Kaddish

  1. One may only say Kaddish in a congregation of 10 men above the age of Bar Mitzvah.[5] 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. [6]
  2. If one cannot find ten men, it is permissible to use one katan, 9 or 10 years old, who has reached the age of chinuch, for it is better than completely nullifying kaddish. [7]
  3. 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.[8]
  4. If one began Kaddish with 10 men and one left, one may nonetheless finish kaddish. [9]
  5. One need not be meticulous and strict with regard to making sure that everyone is the minyan had 2 pubic hairs. [10]
  6. If there are 10 men and one of the minyan is unable to answer to kaddish, kaddish may nonetheless be recited. [11]
  7. If there are 10 men and one of the minyan is sleeping, kaddish may nonetheless be recited. Nevertheless, one should wake up the sleeper. [12]
  8. A deaf man and a mute man may be counted for a minyan, however, a deaf mute man is treated as a katan with regard to minyan. [13]

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.[14]
  2. A congregation may learn pesukim of Torah and then say kaddish yehe shelama. [15]
  3. A congregation may learn words of the Oral Torah and then say kaddish al yisrael. [16]

Answering to Kaddish

  1. It is proper to wait a little bit in between answering "amen" and "yehe sheme raba" when answering to kaddish. [17]

Proper practices of the congregation during Kaddish

  1. The congregants should listen carefully and answer the appropriate responses with kavana. [18]
  2. Anyone who answers "Amen Yehey Sheme Rabba..." with all of his strength and kavana any heavenly bad decree against him is ripped up.[19]
  3. Just like of does not walk in front of one who is praying, so too one should not walk in front of someone who is reciting kaddish. [20]
  4. If Kaddish began while one was standing, he/she should remain standing until after answering "Amen yehe sheme raba..." [21]

Sources

  1. ↑ Kitzur S"A 27:1
  2. ↑ Kaf HaChaim 132:16. The Chatam Sofer YD 2:345 records this as the Sephardic minhag as well.
  3. ↑ Kitzur S"A 27:22
  4. ↑ Sh"t Yechave Daat 6:60
  5. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:1, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 1
  6. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:7
  7. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 1
  8. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:7, Ben Ish Chai, Perashat Vayechi, 5
  9. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 7
  10. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 11
  11. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 12
  12. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 12
  13. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 14
  14. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:1
  15. ↑ BI"H, Vayechi, 9
  16. ↑ BI"H, Vayechi, 8
  17. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of answering to kaddish, seif 11
  18. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:5
  19. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:5
  20. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 2; Ben Ish Chai (Vayechi, 10)
  21. ↑ Ben Ish Chai (Vayechi, 8)
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