Kaddish

The Kaddish, said by the leader and by mourners, ready to read in Aramaic, transliterated or translated.

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The Kaddish

יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. אָמֵן
Yitgadal veyitkadash shemeih raba. (Amen)
May His great name be exalted and sanctified (Amen)
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא, כִּרְעוּתֵה, וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵה, וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵה, וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ. אָמֵן
Be'alma di vera chiruteih, veyamlich malchuteih, veyatzmach purkaneih, vikarev meshicheih. (Amen)
In the world which He created according to His will! May He establish His kingdom and may His salvation blossom and His anointed be near. (Amen)
בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
Bechayeichon uvyomeichon uvchayei dechol beit Yisrael, ba'agala uvizman kariv, ve'imru amen.
During your lifetime and during your days and during the lifetimes of all the House of Israel, speedily and very soon! And say, Amen.

The next two lines are said by the congregation, then repeated by the leader:

יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא יִתְבָּרַךְ. וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח. וְיִתְפָּאַר. וְיִתְרוֹמַם. וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא. וְיִתְהַדָּר. וְיִתְעַלֶּה. וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא, בְּרִיךְ הוּא. אָמֵן
Yehei shemeih raba mevarach le'alam ul'almei almaya, yitbarach veyishtabach veyitpa'ar veyitromam veyitnasei veyithadar veyit'aleh veyithalal shemeih dekudsha, berich hu. (Amen)
May His great name be blessed for ever, and to all eternity! Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honoured, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, (Amen)
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא, תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא, דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. אָמֵן
Le'eila min kol birchata veshirata, tushbechata venechemata, da'amiran be'alma, ve'imru amen.
Above and beyond all the blessings, hymns, praises and consolations that are uttered in the world! And say, Amen.

The half Kaddish ends here. The mourners' Kaddish and the Kaddish de-Rabbanan continue:

In the Kaddish de-Rabbanan (after study), add:
עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל רַבָּנָן. וְעַל תַּלְמִידֵיהוֹן וְעַל כָּל תַּלְמִידֵי תַלְמִידֵיהוֹן. דְּעָסְקִין בְּאוֹרַיְתָא קַדִּשְׁתָּא. דִּי בְאַתְרָא הָדֵין וְדִי בְכָל אֲתַר וַאֲתַר. יְהֵא לָנָא וּלְהוֹן וּלְכוֹן חִנָּא וְחִסְדָּא וְרַחֲמֵי. מִן קֳדָם מָארֵי שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. אָמֵן
Al Yisrael ve'al rabanan, ve'al talmideihon ve'al kol talmidei talmideihon, de'askin be'orayta kadishta, di ve'atra hadein vedi vechol atar va'atar, yehei lana ulhon ulchon china vechisda verachamei, min kodam marei shemaya ve'ar'a, ve'imru amen.
For Israel, for our teachers, for their disciples and for all the disciples of their disciples, who study the holy Torah, here and in every place: may there be for us, for them and for you grace, kindness and mercy from the Master of heaven and earth; and say, Amen.
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא, חַיִּים וְשָׂבָע וִישׁוּעָה וְנֶחָמָה וְשֵׁיזָבָא וּרְפוּאָה וּגְאֻלָּה וּסְלִיחָה וְכַפָּרָה וְרֵיוַח וְהַצָּלָה. לָנוּ וּלְכָל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. אָמֵן
Yehei shelama raba min shemaya, chayim vesava vishu'a venechama veshezava urfu'a ug'ula uslicha vechapara verevach vehatzala, lanu ulchol amo Yisrael, ve'imru amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, life, satisfaction, help, comfort, refuge, healing, redemption, forgiveness, atonement, relief and rescue, for us and for all His people Israel; and say, Amen.
עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא בְּרַחֲמָיו יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן. אָמֵן.
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu berachamav ya'aseh shalom aleinu ve'al kol amo Yisrael, ve'imru amen.
May He who makes peace in His high places, in His mercy make peace upon us and upon all His people Israel; and say, Amen.

Understand

One of the most sacred rituals observed by all Jews throughout the generations is the practice of reciting the Kaddish prayer for the merit of the departed soul of one's father or mother.

The Kaddish is recited for the first time in the cemetery, immediately following the burial. Henceforth, it is recited every day, in the designated places in the three daily prayer services, for eleven months.

The duty to recite Kaddish rests upon the children of the deceased. If a person dies without children, then another relative should assume the task. If that is not possible, then another person can be assigned or hired to recite Kaddish in the merit of the deceased.

Kaddish can only be recited at a minyan — a communal regular prayer service held with the participation of at least ten adult (age 13 or older) Jewish men.

If the mourner is able to lead the prayer service for the congregation, it is a particular merit for the soul of the departed for him to do so.

What is Kaddish?

For centuries the Jewish People have honored their loved ones who’ve passed on, through the recital of the Kaddish prayer.   It’s actually a prayer who’s content speaks merely of the exalted name of God, & makes no mention of the deceased

Our sages tell us (Pesikta in Devarim chapter 14) that the departed soul can achieve Kapparah or Atonement even after leaving this world through good deeds done on behalf of the soul. Rabbeinu B’chaya adds that charities given in memory of the departed & the Kaddish prayer specifically help the soul achieve atonement and reach to higher levels in the after-world. Due to the honoring of Gods name amongst a minyan (group) of 10 or more Jews, Kaddish has traditionally become the way to honor our loved ones who’ve departed on to the next world.

According to the Jewish law and tradition Kaddish is said for one year by the son or other close relative of the departed soul. In many situations this isn’t possible due to circumstances such as there are no male close relatives, or someone is unable to attend services in a synagogue.

Kaddish : Video