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]
  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]

Requirements for Kaddish

  1. One may only say Kaddish in a congregation of 10 men above the age of Bar Mitzvah.[4] 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. [5]
  2. If one canot 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. [6]
  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.[7]

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.[8]

Proper practices of the congregation during Kaddish

  1. The congregants should listen carefully and answer the appropriate responses with kavana. [9]
  2. Anyone who answers "Amen Yehey Sheme Rabba..." with all of his strength and kavana any heavenly bad decree against him is ripped up.[10]
  3. Just like of does not walk in front of one who is praying, so too one should not walk in fron of someone who is reciting kaddish. [11]

Sources

  1. ↑ Kitzur S"A 27:1
  2. ↑ Kaf HaChaim 132:16
  3. ↑ Kitzur S"A 27:22
  4. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:1, Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 1
  5. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:7
  6. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 1
  7. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:7
  8. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:1
  9. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:5
  10. ↑ Kitzur S"A 15:5
  11. ↑ Kitzur S"A of Rav Rephael Baruch Toledano, siman 12, laws of kaddish, seif 2
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