The Kaddish (The Mourner’s Prayer)

The “Kaddish” is an ancient Jewish prayer, going back at least to the 13th century. It is a prayer of praise, often used in worship services, usually as a responsive prayer between a speaker and the congregation. But it is most well-known for its use in the mourning ritual. It is usually recited three times a day for 11 months after the death of a parent. (There are variations in both the form and the practice.)

We might wonder why a prayer of praise would be used of a prayer of mourning. Why not a lament? It is to remind the offerer, in spite of terrible loss, that he or she still trusts in God.

I “said the Kaddish” on my own, for both of my parents. It was an interesting experience, which I recommend. The discipline of offering a prayer three times a day for almost a year brought a range of emotions and insights into my own attitude of prayer, offering me a way to enrich my own prayer life and examination of my attitudes. After a while, the prayer is memorized, and the words flow one after the other. Sometimes that made it seem as if my life had become the prayer; other times it felt like I was mechanically spouting words without hearing them. Yet the prayer is now a part of me, connecting me to God and my parents in special way through their death. It was (and is) a bitter-sweet experience. It is also tradition to recite the Kaddish again on the anniversary of the death, and those annual moments remind me of the power God can have in my life, if I only endeavor to give Him the chance.

The Kaddish
Exalted and hallowed be God’s great name
In this world of His creation.
May His will be fulfilled
And his sovereignty revealed
In the days of your lifetime
And the life of the whole house of Israel
Speedily and soon.
And say, Amen.
Be His great name blessed forever,
Yea, to all eternity.
Be the Name of the most Holy One blessed,
Praised and honored, extolled and glorified,
Adored and exalted supremely.
Blessed be He,
Beyond all blessings and hymns, praises and consolations
That may be uttered in this world,
And say, Amen.
May peace abundant descend from heaven
With life for us and for all Israel,
And say, Amen.
May he who creates the harmony of the spheres
Create peace for us and for all Israel,
And say, Amen.

There is an excellent book, entitled Kaddish, byLeon Wieseltier . It reflects on the author’s experience in losing his father, returning to the faith and saying the Kaddish. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in prayer, loss, or the Jewish traditions.