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Kaddish DeRabbanan

Ashkenaz · Weekday · Shacharit · Preparatory Prayers · Korbanot · Kaddish DeRabbanan

Nusach
Ashkenaz
Edition
Translation based on the Metsudah linear siddur, by Avrohom Davis, 1981

Kaddish DeRabbanan

Kaddish is not the name generally given to this prayer in the Talmud. It is referred to there as “May His great Name...”, because the congregational response beginning with these words is the heart of this prayer. Only in one minor tractate, (Maseches Soferim 16, 19, and 21) is it referred to as Kaddish. Composed primarily in Aramaic, the language spoken and understood by most Jews in the Second Temple period (See Tosafos to Maseches Berachos 3a), nevertheless, several Hebrew phrases, which were familiar even to the unschooled, were also incorporated in the prayer. This particular form of Kaddish d’Rabanan, is so named because of the insertion of the paragraph which begins with the words “Upon Israel and upon our Sages, etc.” This Kaddish is recited following the study of Talmud or Midrash and invokes God’s blessings on the Sages of Jewry, the transmitters of the Oral Torah.

Exalted and sanctified be His great Name

These opening words refer to the fulfillment of God’s prophecy, through Ezekiel (38:23) “And I will thus exalt Myself and sanctify Myself; and I will be known in the eyes of the many nations, and they will know that I am Adonoy.”—Levush, Siddur HaGra. One should be very careful to emphasize the letter gimel (ג) when saying the word “Yisgadal (יִתְגַּדַּל),” in order that it not be heard as “Yiskadal (יִתְקַּדַל),” from the word קְדָל which means neck.—Mishnah Berurah 56:2

in the world which He created according to His will and may He rule His kingdom. In your lifetime and in your days, and in the lifetime of the entire House of Israel, speedily and in the near future— and say Amein.

May His sovereignty be revealed.

We pray that the redemption will come speedily and that the process of the redemption itself will not be prolonged.—Siddur HaGra

May His great Name be blessed forever and for all eternity.

This phrase, the heart of the Kaddish, is found almost verbatim in Daniel 2:20.

Blessed and praised, glorified, and exalted and uplifted, honored and elevated and extolled be the Name of the Holy One, blessed is He;

The ten expressions of praise in the Kaddish refer to the ten utterances by which God created the world. (See Maseches Avos 5:1.)

above (Ten Days of Penitence: far above) all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations which we utter in the world—and say Amein.

May God be praised and exalted far beyond all the blessings, hymns and praises that are uttered.—Mishnah Berurah in the name of the Vilna Gaon 56:14.

Consolations are uttered because God is in mourning over the destruction of the Holy Temple and the exile of His people.

Upon Israel, and upon our Sages, and upon their disciples, and upon all the disciples of their disciples, and upon all those who engage in Torah study in this land and in every land. May there be unto them and unto you abundant peace, favor, kindness, compassion, long life, ample sustenance and redemption from their Father Who is in heaven and on earth, —and say Amein.

May there be abundant peace from heaven and a good life for us and for all Israel, —and say Amein.

He Who makes peace (Ten Days of Penitence: the peace) in His high heavens may He, in His mercy, make peace for us and for all Israel, —and say Amein.

Where it comes in the siddur

Texts and sources

Every prayer text in Amidora comes from openly licensed editions published on Sefaria. Only editions released under CC-BY, CC0 or the public domain are included.