Learn Hebrew

Prayer Tutorial
with Audio CD

Sanctifying the Name of God

The Kaddish is an ancient prayer of praise (written in Aramaic) that expresses a longing for the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. Originally recited by rabbis when they had finished giving their sermons (the Rabbi's Kaddish), in time the prayer was modified and became associated with mourning.

The words of the Kaddish provide lasting comfort by stressing the greatness and sovereignty of God - even in the most harrowing of life circumstances. The word kaddish means sanctification, referring to the hallowing of God's Name (Kiddush haShem).

Jewish tradition requires that Kaddish be recited during the first eleven months following the death of a loved one and thereafter on each anniversary of the death (called the Yahrtzeit). This is called avelut. Kaddish is usually recited by the mourner(s) while they stand with a minyan, or group of at least 10 adults in a congregation (it is also customary for Kaddish to be recited every morning service at synagogue).

Note that if Kaddish is recited with a minyan (i.e., a quorum of ten), the prayer leader (shaliach tzibbur: שָׁלִיחַ צִיבּוּר) takes three steps back before beginning the last line, then bows to the left and says, "Oseh shalom bimromav," bows to the right and says, "hu ya'aseh shalom aleinu," and then bows forward and says, "v'al kol yisrael, v'imru amen."

In the following, the words enclosed in brackets are recited by the congregation, not by the person(s) reciting Kaddish:

The Mourner's Kaddish

Exalted and sanctified is God's great name (Amen) in the world which He has created according to His will, and may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.

(Amen. May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.)

May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, elevated and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, (blessed be He) beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are spoken in the world; and say, Amen. (Amen.)

May there be great peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen. (Amen.

Different Versions of the Kaddish

Today there are several versions of the Kaddish:

1. Kaddish D'Rabanan (Rabbi's Kaddish) - This is perhaps the original form of the Kaddish, developed before the destruction of the Second Temple and recited by scholars to conclude their daily studies. It is similar in form to the Kaddish Shalem (see below).
2. Chatzi Kaddish (Half-Kaddish) - Serves to mark the ending of a section of the liturgy and contains the two basic paragraphs (the initial Yitgadal paragraph and the Yishtabach paragraph) as well as the central phrase Y'hei Sh'mei Raba M'vorach L'alam Ul'olmey Almayah. It has a more "upbeat" tone than Kaddish Yatom.
3. Kaddish Shalem (Full Kaddish) - This is the Chatzi Kaddish plus three additional lines, one (Titkabel Ts'lot'hon) to ask for our prayers to be accepted and two (Y'hei Sh'lama Raba and Oseh Shalom Bimromav) asking for peace. Kaddish Shalem is recited at the end of a service, having a tone of sonorous praise.
4. Kaddish Yatom (Mourner's Kaddish) - This is the same as the Kaddish Shalem except that the additional line asking for our prayers to be accepted is not included. This form of the Kaddish is recited throughout the 11-month period of mourning of a loved one and each year at yahrzeit.
5. Kaddish L'chad'ta - This version is recited at the end of studying a book of Talmud and includes instead of the standard first paragraph an extended statement and request for resurrecting the dead and rebuilding Jerusalem.

The Mourner's Kaddish
 

יִתְגַּדַל וְיִתְקַדַשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ
וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן
וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל
בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵׂא
וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בָּרִיךְ הוּא
לְעֵלָא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָה וְנֶחֱמָתָא
דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא
וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
עוֹשֶׁה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ
וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוֹ אָמֵן

Exalted and sanctified is God's great Name (Amen)
in the world which He has created according to His will,
and may He establish His kingdom in your lifetime
and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel,
speedily and soon; and say, Amen. (Amen)
May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled
and honored, elevated and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations
that are uttered in the world; and say, Amen. (Amen)
May there be great peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen. (Amen)
May He who makes peace in His high places make peace within us
and for all Israel, and say ye: Amen (Amen)




 

Mourner's Kaddish in English (pdf)

<< Return

Hebrew for Christians
Copyright © John J. Parsons
All rights reserved.