Jewish Word | The Mourner's Kaddish

The Mourner's Kaddish, a prayer with ancient roots that a person says upon the loss of a parent, sibling or spouse, is one of the most instantly recognizable Jewish prayers of all time. Different versions of its sonorous and alliterative words, "Yitgadal v'yitkadash Shmei rabbah" ("May His great Name be exalted and sanctified") and the congregational response, "Y'hei Shmei rabbah mevorach" ("May His great Name be blessed"), drawn from passages in the biblical books of Ezekiel, Daniel and Job, are said at various points in synagogue services, funerals, shivas and after Torah study, generally in the presence of a minyan.