Week of Parshat Beha'alotecha
June 20, 2003

Kaddish Tips II

The recitation of the Kaddish-The Holy prayer has a magnetic attraction for Jews worldwide. Jews who only come to shul on Shabbat make sure to come to say Kaddish whenever they are obliged to. Jews who hardly ever come to shul may come to say Kaddish on the Yahrzeit of a loved one.

What is this Kaddish? What does the prayer mean and what is it supposed to accomplish? It is clear that the saying of the Kaddish provides a venue for comfort and introspection for the survivor(s) of a lost loved one. And the prayers chanted by the living relative most certainly bring Nachas and glory to G-d and to the loved one who is no longer here.

“Yisgadal Veyiskadash Shemay Rabbah – May His (G-d’s) Name be made great and sanctified.” What does it mean that G-d’s name should be enlarged and made great?!! The commentators explain that this phrase is based on the prophecy of Zechariah 14:9, which depicts the final pre-messianic war of Gog and Magog whereby the greatness of G-d, will be noticed and felt by all.

In the world that we live in G-d and G-dliness is a challenge to experience. In fact the Hebrew word for world is Olam, which is directly related to the word Neelam which means hidden. This implies that G-d and G-dliness are hidden from the naked eye in this world. It is our challenge to discover and uncover G-dliness in our world. This is achieved through Prayer, study of Torah, as well as the performance of Mitzvot.

Jewish tradition teaches that at the end of days the overpowering light of Torah Truth that has been stored away since the time of Creation will shine brightly on the world and - Yisgadal Veyiskadash Shemay Rabbah – G-d’s Great and Holy Name will be expressed fully.

Therefore when one comes to shul to say the Kaddish it is an affirmation of faith in the Almighty as well as a hopeful statement of trust towards the promised great days of the future.

May G-d wipe away the tears off our faces and erase death from the world.

Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Ephraim Epstein
rabbiepstein@sonsisrael.com

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