Kaddish, Its Origins, Meanings and Laws (BOOK REVIEW)

Title: Kaddish, Its Origins, Meanings and Laws

Author: HaRav David Assaf, zt”l
Published by Maimonides Research Institute
Manufactured: Israel
Language: English
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 342
Order: Rabbi Assaf <ryassaf@aol.com>

Maimonides Research Institute in Haifa offers us a masterpiece to understand in every smallest detail Kaddish. As the title itself suggests, we are exposed to the full order of the Kaddish, including ancient manuscripts. This book is the first English translation of Kaddish, it was first published in Hebrew in 1966.

HaRav David Assaf, zt”l was born in Poland and then moved to Eretz Israel and settled in Haifa, where for 30 years he served as Rav.

The brilliant scholar, Rabbi David Assaf, of blessed memory –– have gathered and compiled alphabetically the commentaries and laws from the writings of the Acharonim, Rishonim and Shulchan Aruch.

The explanation to correct daily conduct in Aggadah Kaddish, the Rabbis’ Kaddish, the mourner’s Kaddish and other Kaddish are all explained in details.

Kaddish is the cadence of all prayer services and Kaddish marks the boundary between sections and as the Sages says; The purpose of Kaddish is to connect the worlds.

To this version, the original Hebrew texts have all been transliterated according to the following rule: Consonants follow the standard Ashkenazi pronunciation; Vowels follow the standard Sephardi pronunciation. 

 

The main themes are: The Kaddish of the great Sages, The text and Language of Kaddish, Deeper Implications, Its meaning and pronunciation, the Kaddish following Aggadah, The Rabbis’ Kaddish, The mourner’s Kaddish, The obligation of reciting Kaddish, Death, burial and the twelve months of mourning, Laws of Kaddish, Kaddish in the three daily prayers and on Sabbath.

 

One ideal book to G-d fearing Jews to fill the seats of Battei Midrashim worldwide. As stated by the author "Many men, great of both mind and faith, have set their minds to studying this prayer…a prayer upon which has rested a special holy aura throughout the generations”. Kaddish strengthens the Divine service and respect and love to the dear departed.

Contact:

Maimonides Reserch Institute

1866 55th Street

Brooklyn, NY, 11204

Office: 212-366-9020

Fax: 718-234-7616

Reviewed by Gilson Rodrigues de Arruda.