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Siman 56 – Answering Kaddish

  1. Concentrate on the words of Kaddish said by the chazzan so you will know what you are answering omayn to. (MB1)
  1. Answer “Omayn. Yehay shemay rabba…” with full concentration, out loud, and with your heart and soul.  (ShA1 – MB1)
  1. You must be very careful not to talk in the middle of Kaddish or Kedusha. (MB1)
  1. Don’t even think Torah thoughts during Kaddish because you need a lot of concentration when answering Kaddish. (MB1)
  1. Don’t pause between “Yehay shemay rabba” and “mevarach”. (Rama1)
  1. Say “Yisgadayl veyiskadaysh” with a tzairay under the daleds.

“Yisgadayl” and not Yisg’dayl.

“Yisgadayl” and not Yiskadayl.

“veyis’hallol” and not veyis’allol nor veyis’challol.

“di v’ra” and not divra. (MB2)

  1. Pause after “chir’oosay”. (MB2)
  1. The custom is that the congregation does not respond “omayn” until after the chazzan says “omayn”. Therefore, the chazzan should say “uvizman koriv v’imru omayn” in one go. (MB2)
  1. Pause after “omayn” before answering “Yehay shemay rabba…”. (MB2)
  1. Pause after “omayn” before answering Modim D’rabbanan. (MB2)
  1. It is best to pronounce “Shemayh” with a mapik hay. (MB2)
  1. Say “M’vorach” and not m’voiruch.

“l’ollam” and not l’oillam

“ool’olmay” with a (shoorook) vuv.  (MB2)

  1. The chazzan should also say “Yehay shemay rabba…” quietly without repeating omayn first. Then, continue “Yisborach…” out loud.  (MB2)
  1. On days that the double “l’ayla ul’ayla” is said, don’t say “min kol birchasa” rather “mikol birchasa” so that there will be all together 28 words. (MB2)
  1. When answering “Yehay shemay rabba” loudly -be discreet so that people do not mock you. (MB5)
  1. “Omayn. Yehay shemay rabba…” is a greater mitzva than Kedusha and Modim. Try to run in order to be able to hear Kaddish. (ShA1 – MB6)
  1. Stand for any Dovor Shebikdusha. For Kaddish, remain standing until after “Yisborach…ve’imru omayn.” Some poskim hold that you don’t need to stand for Kaddish – just that if you are already standing (i.e. after Hallel) remain standing until you answer “Omayn. Yehay Shemay rabba…”.(Rama1 – MB7)
  1. If you entered shul after the beginning of Kaddish and only heard the congregation responding all or part of “Yehay shemay rabba…”, answer with them without the preceding “omayn”. Also for Kedusha – as long as you entered before the congregation finishes, you may answer with them. (Rama1 – MB9)
  1. As the chazzan begins “Yisgadayl…”you must be quiet and listen. Concentrate on his words so you know what you are answering omayn to. (MB 10)
  1. The custom is to answer “Omayn” after “Yisgadayl veyiskadaysh shemay rabba”. When the chazzan says “b’reech hu” our custom is to answer also “b’reech hu”. (MB12,13)
  1. The chazzan should pause after “b’reech hu” before continuing “l’ayla…” (MB14)
  1. When answering “Omayn. Yehay shemay rabba…” where do you end? 
  1. Bais Yosef: say 28 words all the way until “da’amiran b’alma”
  2. Mogen Avraham: until and including “Yisborach”
  3. Gr”a: just say until the end of the praise – until “ulmaya”. If you want to continue with the new paragraph “Yisborach…”, take a breath first. 

If you find yourself at a spot that you aren’t allowed to interrupt, be careful to answer only until “ulmaya”. (MB 15)

  1. The chazzan should bow at the following places:
  1. Yisgadayl
  2. Yehay shemay rabba
  3. Yisborach
  4. b’reech hu
  5. omayn                         (ShA4)
  1. After Kaddish take three steps back and only then say “Osseh shalom…” (ShA5)