{"id":6053,"date":"2010-01-04T08:00:17","date_gmt":"2010-01-04T06:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=6053"},"modified":"2018-05-24T11:16:02","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T08:16:02","slug":"02-04-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/02-04-08\/","title":{"rendered":"08 – Saying Kaddish for a Person Who Does Not Have an Adult Son"},"content":{"rendered":"
A minor whose mother or father died says Kaddish<\/i> for his parent though he has not yet reached the age of mitzvot<\/i> (bar mitzvah).\u00a0 Mourner\u2019s Kaddish<\/i> was instituted for that purpose, since a child cannot lead the prayer service in order to facilitate the ascent of his parent\u2019s soul. Therefore, the Chachamim<\/i> instituted Kaddish<\/i> (Rama<\/i>, Yoreh De\u2019ah <\/i>376:4). Even if the minor has not yet reached the age of understanding, the Kaddish<\/i> is read to him; the young orphan repeats the Kaddish<\/i> word for word, and the congregation answers Amen<\/i>. (According to the Ari<\/i>, it is important to be strict and have an adult say the Mourner\u2019s Kaddish<\/i> with the minor, because that Kaddish<\/i> is included in the twelve Kaddishim<\/i> that are necessary to hear every day. See further in this book 23:10.)<\/p>\n
In the case of a man or woman who was not privileged to leave behind a son, a God-fearing grandson may say Kaddish<\/i> for him or her the whole year. This is possible even if the deceased has a son who is not God-fearing and does not go to synagogue to recite Kaddish<\/i>. A grandson from a son takes precedence over a grandson from a daughter. If the deceased does not have a grandson yet, but has a son-in-law, the son-in-law should say Kaddish<\/i>. The grandson and son-in-law are permitted to say Kaddish <\/i>only when one of their own parents is deceased, or if their parents agree to his reciting Kaddish<\/i> while they are living. However, someone whose parents are strict that he not say Kaddish<\/i> while they are both alive may not recite the Kaddish<\/i> for his grandparent or in-law.<\/p>\n
When the deceased does not have a son, grandson, or son-in-law, the father of the deceased recites the Kaddish<\/i>. If his father is also dead, the brother or nephew says Kaddish<\/i>.<\/p>\n
When none of these relatives can say Kaddish<\/i> for the deceased, part of the inheritance money should be used to hire a God-fearing person to recite Kaddish<\/i> for him. It is good to hire someone who is engrossed in Torah. If there is someone in the family who is occupied with Torah study, he takes precedence over a stranger. The monetary compensation for the Kaddish<\/i> is important in order to ensure the fulfillment of its recital. Furthermore, by employing someone who is involved in Torah or a poor person who has children to support, the deceased will acquire more merit.[7]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n If a minor who already reached the age of understanding passes away, his father must say Kaddish<\/i> for him or her (Pitchei Teshuvah<\/i>, Yoreh De\u2019ah <\/i>376:3). There are those who have the custom to say Kaddish<\/i> even for a small baby (see Pnei Baruch<\/i> 34:30).<\/p>\n One who hires himself out to recite Kaddish<\/i> may do so for a number of people, on condition that he ends up saying at least one Kaddish<\/i> a day for each of the deceased (Igrot Moshe<\/i>, Yoreh De\u2019ah<\/i>, <\/i>part 1, 254, and see Pnei Baruch<\/i> 34:23-28).<\/p>\n It is proper for an adopted son to say Kaddish<\/i> for his adoptive parents. All the more so, if the adoptive parent does not have another son, it is a mitzvah for the adopted son to say Kaddish<\/i> (Yalkut Yosef<\/i>, part 7, 23:13). It is also good for a righteous convert (ger tzedek<\/i>) to say Kaddish<\/i> for his gentile parents (Yalkut Yosef<\/i>, part 7, 23:14, and Piskei Teshuvot<\/i> 132:20).<\/p>\n