Pnina Souid
Responding to Kaddish: An Appeal for Greater Awareness
Dear Fellow Community Members,
I am writing to address an important matter regarding the recitation of Kaddish in our synagogue and our collective response to it.
As we all know, Kaddish holds profound significance in our tradition as a prayer that proclaims the sanctity of Gd’s name. And we also know that some of the Kaddish prayers in the synagogue are recited by mourners during their year of mourning, and on the yahrtzeit, the anniversary of their loved one’s passing.
Our sages teach us about the tremendous spiritual power of responding “amen” to Kaddish, particularly the response of “Amen yehehShemeh Rabah.”The Gemara in Masechet Shabbat (119b) cites Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s teaching that answering “Amen yeheh Shemeh Rabah” with full concentration has the power to nullify harsh decrees.
I have observed with concern that some members of our congregation are not consistently responding “amen” at the appropriate points during Kaddish. While we may view this as simply squandering an opportunity to fulfill a mitzvah, I would like to draw attention to a deeper dimension of this matter.
When a mourner is recitingKaddish, he may be experiencing fresh grief or struggling with the pain of the loss, even if he is marking his loved one’s tenth yahrtzeit. Our attentive silence during their recitation and our unified response of “amen”at the appropriate moments express not only our reverence toward Hashem, but also our support and respect for the mourner in our midst.
I therefore respectfully urge our community to maintain attentive silence and respond “amen” with proper kavanah(concentration) during the recitation of Kaddish. Let us ensure that we honor both our obligation to Hashem and our responsibility to comfort and support our fellow congregants in their time of need.
Sincerely, Michael Cohen