Kaddish is a 13th century Aramaic prayer said during every traditional prayer service. Kaddish means “sacrification” in Aramaic and it is related to the Hebrew word kadosh, meaning “holy.”

Of the five variations of the Kaddish, the best known is the Mourner’s Kaddish. The prayer never mentions death or dying but instead proclaims the greatness of God. By reciting it, mourners show that even as their faith is being tested by their loss, they are affirming God’s greatness.

Traditionally, the prayer is only said when there is a minyan, a quorum of 10 Jews, so that one can feel a part of the community even while grieving. The mourner must remain part of the community even as his or her instinct might be to withdraw.

A person mourning a parent says Kaddish 11 months. Historically, Kaddish was said for only 30 days for a child, spouse or sibling; many now say Kaddish for 11 months when in mourning for any family member. Kaddish is also said each year in the anniversary of the death (yahrzeit) and at Yizkor.

Kaddish reads as follows:

Yitgadal víyitkadash shímei raba bíalma di víra chiríutei; víyamlich malchutei bíhayeichon u-víyomeichon, uvíhayei díchol beit yisrael, ba-agala u-vi-zíman kariv, víimru amen.

Yíhei shímei raba mívarach líalam u-líalmei almaya.

Yitbarach víyishtabah, víyitpaíar víyitromam, víyitnasei víyit-hadar, víyitíaleh víyitíhalal shímei díkudsha, bírich hu, líela min kol birchata víshirata, tushbíhata vínehemata, da-amiran bíalma, víimru amen.

Yíhei shílama raba min shímaya, víhayim, aleinu víal koi yisrael, víimru amen.

Oseh shalom bi-míromav, hu yaíaseh shalom aleinu víal kol yisrael, víimru amen.

The rhythmic cadences of Kaddish are soothing both in mourning and over the years as we say it at yahrzeit and at Yizkor to remember our loved ones. We say the prayer as a community because none of us is alone in mourning.