Yahrzeit

Yahrzeit (Yiddish: יאָרצײַט, romanized: yortsayt, lit. 'year-time', plural יאָרצײַטן, yortsaytn) is the anniversary of a death in Judaism. It is traditionally commemorated by reciting the Kaddish in synagogue and by lighting a long-burning candle.

The word Yahrzeit is a borrowing from the Yiddish yortsayt (יאָרצײַט), ultimately from the Middle High German jārzīt. It is a doublet of the English word yeartide. Use of the word to refer to a Jewish death anniversary dates to at least the 15th century, appearing in the writings of Shalom of Neustadt [he], Isaac of Tyrnau, and Moses Mintz. Mordecai Jafe also uses the term in his 1612 work Levush ha-Tekehlet.

Though of Yiddish origin, many Sephardic and Mizraḥi communities adopted the word, which likely spread through rabbinic literature. Variants of the word are found in Judeo-Arabic (yarṣayt or yarṣyat), Ladino, Judeo-Italian, Judeo-Tajik, and Judeo-Tat. Yosef Ḥayyim of Baghdad notes a once-common false etymology of the word as a Hebrew acronym. Other names for the commemoration include naḥalah (נחלה) in Hebrew, meldado and anyos in Ladino, and sāl (سال) in Judeo-Persian.

The tradition of commemorating a death anniversary in Judaism has ancient origins. During the Talmudic era, it was common to observe the date of a father's or teacher's death by fasting, or by abstaining from consuming meat and wine. The Gemara's discussion suggests that this was a voluntary practice in accordance with the directive to honour one's father "while alive and after his death." Rashi notes that it was customary to gather around the grave of a distinguished individual on the anniversary of his death.

The modern practice of observing Yahrzeit for parents likely originated among the Jewish communities of medieval Germany, later being adopted by Sephardic Jews.

Yahrzeit is typically observed on the anniversary according to the Hebrew calendar of the date of death of an immediate family member or outstanding individual. Some authorities hold that when an individual was not buried within two days of their death, the first Yahrzeit is instead held on the anniversary of their burial. There are also exceptions when the date falls on Rosh Ḥodesh or in a leap year of the Hebrew calendar:

When commemorated by an immediate relative, the day is marked by two main practices: reciting the Mourner's Kaddish, and lighting the Yahrzeit candle, which is kept burning for twenty-four hours. Other customs including being called up to the public reading of the Torah or reciting the Haftara on the preceding Shabbat, and sponsoring a synagogue Kiddush in honour of the deceased. A lightbulb by the name of the deceased may be lit on the synagogue's Yahrzeit board. Historically, fasting was also a common practice.

According to some sources, the Yahrzeit candle holds Kabbalistic significance. Aaron Berechiah of Modena likens the burning wick in the candle to the soul in the body, citing the Proverb "man's soul is the candle of God." He notes furthermore that the numerical value of נר דלוק ('burning candle') is equivalent to that of השכינה ('the Shekhinah'). Other scholars posit that the candle-lighting tradition may have Christian origins.