A Yahrtzeit That Falls on Shabbat
Question
Greetings and blessings to the honorable Rabbi shlita,
My son’s yahrtzeit, may Hashem avenge his blood, falls on Shabbat. I wanted to ask several practical questions:
A. An aliyah to the Torah: Should one receive an aliyah on the Shabbat before the yahrtzeit, on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit itself, or on both Shabbatot? And if one receives an aliyah, is it preferable to receive Maftir or a regular aliyah?
B. Prayers as shaliach tzibbur: Which prayers is it appropriate or customary to lead on the Shabbat before the yahrtzeit and on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit itself?
C. Reciting Kaddish: Does one recite Kaddish on the Shabbat before the yahrtzeit and on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit itself, and if so, at which prayers?
I would be grateful to know what the proper custom is to follow in practice.
Thank you very much!
Answer
Greetings and blessings.
A. The aliyah to the Torah should be on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit itself.
It is better to receive Maftir than a regular aliyah, since it also includes the blessings of the Haftarah, and the elevation for the soul is greater.
B. There is no need to lead the prayers on the Shabbat before the yahrtzeit. You should lead on Shabbat itself.
Some have the custom that a mourner on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit leads all the Shabbat prayers, and you should act according to the custom of your synagogue.
The custom is that a mourner whose yahrtzeit occurs during the week leads as shaliach tzibbur on Motza’ei Shabbat, and this applies in your case on the Motza’ei Shabbat before the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit.
C. Kaddish is recited on the Shabbat of the yahrtzeit itself, at all the prayers.
