Saying Kaddish is one of many challenges Jews and Jewish communities are facing in this time of quarantine and social isolation. The practice of saying kaddish for a loved one is very meaningful and comforting for many people. But the practice is traditionally situated within a community – a minyan. In fact, that is the essence of kaddish – that the mourner turns to the community and calls them to join with the mourner in praising God (even in times of loss and sadness). So the lack of a minyan can be a very painful impediment. Therefore, I am sharing this prayer, adapted from one that was written by Rabbi Dov Edelstein z”l, originally for Kehillat Hod veHadar and later included in SIddur VeAni Tefillati of the Masorti Movement.

May all mourners be comforted and may we all survive this period in the best possible way.

אֵ-ל אֱל-ֹהֵי הָרוּחוֹת, אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדְךָ נַפְשׁוֹת הַחַיִּים וְהַמֵּתִים,
פְּנֵה הַיּוֹם בְּחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים אֶל תְּפִלָּתִי לְזֵכֶר יַקִּירִי – יַקִּירָתִי -.
זְכָר־נָא אֶת כָּל הַחֶסֶד וְהַטּוֹב שֶׁעָשָׂה- שֶׁעָשְׂתָה בְּעוֹלַם הַחַיִּים.
תֵּן לוֹ-לה מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה,
וּצְרֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֿ – נִשְׁמָתָהּ

גלוי וידוע לפניך, רחמנתא די בשמיא

שרצוני לקדש את שמך ברבים ולקרא לציבור במילים –
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא.
עֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם [בעשרת ימי תשובה הַשָּׁלוֹם] בִּמְרוֹמָיו
הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְעַל כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי תֵּבֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן

אבל זה נמנע ממני כעת עקב מצבינו הקשה

אנא קבלי את תפילתי וכוונתי ברצון

ולמען שמך הגדול שלחי רפואה וישועה לעולם

תהלים כג

God of All Spirits, in Whose hands are the souls of the living and the dead,

Turn today, in love and compassion, to my prayer in memory of my beloved (—)

Please remember all the lovingkindness and good that s/he did in the land of the living.

Grant her/him perfect rest under the sheltering wings of Your Presence

And bind his/her soul in the bond of Life.

It is clear to You, Compassionate Mother in Heaven,

That my wish is to declare Your holiness within the community and to call out the words:

“Yitgadal v’yitqadash sh’mei Rabbah …

Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya`aseh shalom aleinu v`al kol yisra’el

V`l kol yoshvei tevel, v’imru amen”

But this has been impossible for me in light of our difficult circumstances

So please accept my prayer and my intention.

And for the sake of Your Great Name, send healing and salvation to the world!

Recite the 23^rd Psalm –

Image: I“Yahrzeit Memorial Candle in memory of my father-1” by zeevveez is licensed under CC BY 2.0