Kaddish Related Definitions

GAN EDEN:

Gan Eden ( Garden of Eden ) is a term widely used in traditional Jewish literature to denote the spiritual reward of the righteous in the World to Come. It is not to be confused with the Garden of Eden mentioned in the Creation (Genesis), as the dwelling place of Adam and Eve.

GEHINNON:

Gehinnon is one of the seven names given to the place designated for the punishment of sinners, once the soul has departed the body.

GENESIS:

Genesis is the first of the 5 Books of Moses known as the Torah, and includes the story of Creation.

HALACHAH:

Halachah is Hebrew for "way" or "path" . The legal tradition of Judaism which is usually contrasted with its theology, ethics, and folklore, Halachic decisions determine normative practice, and where there is a dispute, these decisions follow the majority opinion of the rabbis.

KADDISH:

Kaddish is a prayer for one's departed which is recited daily during the first year after a person's passing. It has the ability to lift the soul out of Gehinnon and bring it to Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden).

On the day of the Yahrzeit, the Kaddish can cause the soul to rise to higher levels in Gan Eden itself. When a person leads the prayer in the synagogue on the Yahrzeit, it can elevate the soul even more than the Kaddish.

The Yahrzeit is a time of judgment for the deceased. Therefore, charity or any good deeds which are done on behalf of the departed can help him or her pass judgment and even be elevated. Some people have the custom to fast on the Yahrzeit. This brings atonement to his or her parents.

MISHNAH:

It is customary to study Mishnayos ( Mishnah) as a source of merit for the souls of the departed. Allusion to this custom is found in the letters of the Hebrew word "Mishnah". The Hebrew letters which form the word "Mishnah" can also be used to form the word "Neshamah", or soul.

Earliest surviving work of Rabbinic literature, the six divisions of the Mishnah are mainly concerned with Halachah and include elements from compilations of the Oral Torah. Although not a legal code, since it cites different opinions on many subjects, the Mishnah is regarded as authoritative by later generations and has become the basis of the whole halachic tradition.

Four periods are set aside for the study of Mishnayos as a merit for the departed:

(a) The Shivah, or seven day mourning period during which time those visiting the mourners are expected to study mishnayos. Mourners themselves are prohibited from most forms of Torah study on their own during this period.

(b) The Sheloshim, the remainder of the 30 day mourning period commencing from the burial during which time the mourners themselves also may study.

(d) Each year on the Yahrzeit.

O.B.M.:

O.B.M. is an abbreviation for "Of Blessed Memory".

YAHRZEIT:

Yahrzeit is the yearly anniversary of the death of a father, mother, relative, or member of one's extended family such as grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters. There is a universal Jewish custom to light a special candle which burns for at least 24 hours on the day of the Yahrzeit. This is an act of respect for the deceased.

YIZKOR:

Yizkor is the ancient custom of recalling the souls of the departed and contributing to charity in their memory. It is rooted in the fundamental Jewish belief in the eternity of the soul.

When physical life ends, only the body dies, but the soul ascends to the realm of the spirit where it regularly attains higher levels of purity and holiness. When life is over, the soul can no longer perform good deeds; the method of attaining merit is the sole province of mortal man who must struggle with the baseness and selfishness of his animal nature. But there is a way that the disembodied soul can derive new sources of merit. History is a continuum. If we, the living, give charity or do good deeds due to the lasting influence or in memory of a departed parent or other loved one, the merit is truly that of the soul in its spiritual realm. Moreover, God in His mercy credits our deed to the departed one because he or she too would have done the same were it possible.

Even if the departed one was too poor to have made contributions to charity, the soul benefits nonetheless, because it may be assumed that he or she would have been charitable had sufficient means been available. But mere intentions do not suffice; only accomplishment can achieve this purpose.

A Yizkor service is not attended by those whose parents are both living.