A mourner first recites kaddish at the cemetery after burial. The kaddish is generally thought of as a prayer for the dead. But while the mourner’s kaddish certainly is recited in that context, it does not mention death and the dead. Essentially, it is an affirmation of life and faith, confronting death with life. Reciting the mourner’s kaddish is an act of looking to the future and all of life with faith and hope, in the presence of grief and despair.

The Kaddish emphasizes hallowing and praising God’s Name through redemption of life in this world and through the universal acceptance of His sovereignty. In addition to the form of kaddish known as mourner’s kaddish, there are several variations recited at the conclusion of various sections of the prayer service.

Kaddish is an Aramaic word meaning holy. Recitation of kaddish is an act of hallowing and praising God and His name. In Jewish tradition, such an act must take place in public assembly, which is defined as at least a quorum of ten adults (minyan). Thus the kaddish, in amy variation, is recited only in the presence of a minyan.

Mourner’s Kaddish is recited for eleven months, less one day, counting from the day of the death. In a leap year, First Adar and Second Adar are counted as two separate months. Mourner’s Kaddish is also recited on each anniversary of the death (yahrzeit), and at the Memorial Service of Yizkor on Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot.