YIZKOR

What is the custom of Hazkarat Neshamot (mentioning the names of the deceased)?

In the following four times of the year: Yom Kippur, Simchat Torah, the seventh of Passover, and Shavuot, it is customary to mention the names of the deceased.

In addition to that, it is customary to take a pledge to donate money for the upliftment of their soul.

The meaning of Yizkor

Yizkor means “to remember”. In this prayer we ask Hashem to remember those loved ones who have passed away from the world.

When we pray Yizkor we strengthen the bond and honor our loved ones who have passed away.

The component of the remembrance prayer is our pledge to donate money after the holiday to the honor and exaltation of the soul of the deceased.

By giving charity, we perform positive actions in this material world, which the deceased can no longer do.

Who says Yizkor

A person whose one of their parents is not alive says Yizkor for them.

In addition Yizkor can be said for every deceased Jew like relatives or friends.

When praying Yizkor on more than one person, one should repeat the Yizkor paragraph, and replace the words accordingly. For example instead of ‘Abba Mori’ (my father), one should say my husband / son / brother / uncle / grandfather, etc.

Maot Yizkor

It is mentioned in the holy books that it is Et Ratzon (time of willingness) to pledge to donate money for the exaltation of the soul of the deceased.

The importance of saying Bli Neder (lit. without an oath)

When pledging to give charity one must be careful and say “for I will donate Bli Neder” and this according to Gemara in masechet Nedarim and certainly even the intention of donating is good for the deceased.

The importance of donating the money immediately after the holiday

It is important to give to charity immediately after the holiday without unnecessary delay because otherwise the soul will become a prosecutor chas veshalom.

Seder Tefilat Yizkor

It is customary for those whose parents are alive to leave the synagogue during Yizkor prayer.

The reason for that is not to embarrass the people who say Yizkor and some have also feared the evil eye.

Praying Yizkor on the first year (of losing loved ones)

There are disagreements whether or not to say Yizkor on the first year of losing loved ones, the prevailing custom is not to pray Yizkor, not to mention the name of the deceased lest his remembrance be accompanied by sorrow, and violate the commandment of rejoicing during the holiday.

Where does one pray Yizkor

In the first place, Yizkor should be said in minyan in the presence of 10 Jews in the synagogue, and when it is not possible, the prayer can also be said at home, alone.

Text of Yizkor

For a father (and all males) say:

Hebrew (transliteration and translation follow):

Transliteration

Yizkor Elohim et nishmat avi mori (insert Hebrew name and his father/mother’s Hebrew

name) she’halach le’olamo, ba’avur she’bli neder etein tzedaka be’ad hazkarat nishmato,

bischar zeh te’hey nafsho tzerura bitzror ha’chayim im nishmot Avraham Yitzchak

ve’Yaakov Sarah Rivka Rachel ve’Leah, ve’im she’ar tzadikim ve’tzidkaniyot she’began

eden, ve’nomar amein.

Translation:

May God remember the soul of my father, my teacher (insert Hebrew name and his father/mother’s

Hebrew name) who has gone to his world, because I will — without obligating myself with a vow —

donate charity in memory of his soul. In this merit, may his soul be bound up in the bond of life, with

the souls of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah, and with all the other righteous men who are in the Garden of Eden, and let us say, Amen.

El Malleh Rachamim

After Yizkor, the prayer of El Malleh Rachamim (G-d is full of mercy), and in some Jewish communities the prayer of Av HaRachamim (Father of Mercy) is also said.