Guide
How to say Kaddish.
The Mourner's Kaddish (Kaddish Yasom) with the Hebrew, a transliteration you can read aloud, and a plain English meaning. You don't need to read Hebrew to say it.
Before you start
- Kaddish is said only with a minyan: ten Jewish men over bar mitzvah age.
- Stand with your feet together, facing east (toward Jerusalem), the way you stand for the Amidah.
- Say it slowly and clearly. The congregation answers "Amen" at the places marked below, and the long answer "Y'hei sh'mei rabo" after the third line.
The words.
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא.
Yisgadal v'yiskadash sh'mei rabo.
May His great Name grow great and be made holy.
Congregation: Omein
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ, וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ, וְיַצְמַח פֻּרְקָנֵה וִיקָרֵב מְשִׁיחֵהּ.
B'olmo di v'ro chir'usei, v'yamlich malchusei, v'yatzmach purkonei vikoreiv m'shichei.
In the world He created as He willed. May He bring His kingship to rule, make His redemption grow, and bring His Moshiach near.
Congregation: Omein
בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
B'chayeichon uv'yomeichon uv'chayei d'chol beis Yisro'eil, ba'agolo uviz'man koriv, v'imru omein.
In your lives and in your days, and in the lives of the whole House of Israel, quickly and soon. And say: Amen.
Congregation: Omein. Y'hei sh'mei rabo m'vorach l'olam ul'olmei olmayo. Yisborach.
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם לְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא, יִתְבָּרֵךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאֵר וְיִתְרוֹמָם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא בְרִיךְ הוּא.
Y'hei sh'mei rabo m'vorach l'olam l'olmei olmayo. Yisboreich v'yishtabach v'yispo'eir v'yisromam v'yisnasei v'yis'hador v'yis'aleh v'yis'halal sh'mei d'kudsho b'rich hu.
May His great Name be blessed for ever and all time. Blessed, praised, honored, raised up, lifted high, glorified, exalted and acclaimed be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He.
Congregation: Omein
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא, תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחָמָתָא, דַאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
L'eilo min kol birchoso v'shiroso, tushb'choso v'nechomoso, da'amiron b'olmo, v'imru omein.
Higher than any blessing or song, any praise or comfort that is spoken in this world. And say: Amen.
Congregation: Omein
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא, וְחַיִּים טוֹבִים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
Y'hei sh'lomo rabo min sh'mayo, v'chayim tovim oleinu v'al kol Yisro'eil, v'imru omein.
May great peace come from heaven, and good life, for us and for all Israel. And say: Amen.
Congregation: Omein
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו, הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן.
Oseh sholom bim'romov, hu ya'aseh sholom oleinu v'al kol Yisro'eil, v'imru omein.
The One who makes peace in His high places, may He make peace for us and for all Israel. And say: Amen. (From Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, say "Oseh hasholom," the peace.)
Congregation: Omein
The last line: three steps and bows.
- 1
Step back
Before "Oseh sholom," take three small steps back.
- 2
Right
Turn your head slightly to your right and say "Oseh sholom bim'romov."
- 3
Forward
Bow slightly forward and say "hu."
- 4
Left
Turn slightly to your left and say "ya'aseh sholom oleinu."
- 5
Forward, then step in
Bow forward and say "v'al kol Yisro'eil, v'imru omein." Then take three steps forward to where you stood.
The bows are a light nod of the head, not a deep bow.
Who says it, and for how long.
- Who: the main obligation is on the sons of the person who passed away. If there are no sons, or they can't say it regularly, another relative may, or the family arranges for someone to say it on their behalf.
- How long: for a parent, eleven months. The count starts from the day of passing, even if the burial was later, and ends one day short of eleven months. After that it is said every year on the yahrzeit.
- How often: at Shacharis, Mincha and Maariv. If you can't manage every prayer, try for at least one Kaddish a day.