Kaddish for a Father Who Left the Faith

This question and answer were automatically translated using our trained AI and have not yet been reviewed by a qualified rabbi. Please treat this translation with caution.
go to original →

Question

If a father was Haredi and, unfortunately, left the faith, should his son say Kaddish for him after his death?

Answer

One should say Kaddish for him for twelve months. If in the synagogue where one prays, it is customary that several mourners do not say Kaddish together, the mourner whose father observed the commandments has precedence in saying Kaddish. Unless he was killed by non-Jews, as his death serves as atonement.

Source

One who has strayed and left has the status of an apostate. The Rema in Siman 376, section 4, writes: "There is an opinion that if an apostate was killed by idolaters, his sons say Kaddish for him (even though the Rema in Siman 340, section 5, writes that one does not mourn for him, Kaddish is different, as Beit Hillel writes there. It seems that the reason is that one does not mourn for him because there is no sorrow over his death since he caused a great desecration of the Name in this world, but one says Kaddish for him because he has atonement since he was killed by idolaters)." The Shach in S"K 15 writes: "Only if killed, but if he died naturally, then not," and I wrote above in Siman 340 that if killed, he has atonement. However, the Gilyon Maharsha points out to the Rema from the response of the Radach (which is the response to the words of the Rema) that Kaddish is said for an apostate, and only if there is another mourner, the mourner for the apostate does not say, because saying Kaddish is an act of honoring the father, and the son of the apostate is not so obligated to honor him because he is wicked, but if there is no other mourner, the son of the apostate must say Kaddish. So ruled the Chatam Sofer in Shu"t Siman 326. And so ruled the Ktav Sofer in Siman 109. Therefore, he has the right of precedence. And saying Kaddish for twelve consecutive months is because the Rema in Siman 376, section 4, writes: "It is customary that Kaddish and prayer are said only for eleven months, so as not to make their father and mother wicked, for the judgment of the wicked is twelve months." And the Pitchei Teshuva in S"K 10 writes: "See in the book Chomot Yerushalayim Siman 257, where it is written that one who knows that his father and mother were wicked from those who are judged for twelve months should and is obligated to say Kaddish for twelve months." And so it is written in Shu"t Chatam Sofer YD 326. And see Shu"t Beit Yotzer OH Siman 45.

Comments

Have an additional question on this topic or need clarification? Leave your comment below. (Please note that the comment will not be published but will be sent directly to the answering Rabbi for review and a private response)

Please sign up or log in to submit your comment

Become our patrners in supporting and spreading the Torah
Help us answer more questions faster and better
Join the mission
More questions in this category