Mitzvot for the Soul of the Deceased
Question
My dad passed 5 years ago and every day I say Tehillim with the letter of the beginning of his name for the Neshamos Can I keep doing this?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
The recitation of Tehillim for the neshama (soul) of your father is a wonderful thing to do and keep doing.
Our sages list a number of other mitzvot that are also recommend and beneficial for the soul of a parent(s). One example, especially appropriate as we approach Yom Kippur, is “repentance” – trying to get closer to G-d. This is especially true on the yartzeit – on the anniversary of the death. (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 221:1)
One of the sources for performing mitzvot for the souls of the deceased, especially during the year following their death, is based on the Talmud (Shabbat 152b-153a) where it says: "For twelve months the body still remains…the soul ascends and descends. After twelve months, the body is nullified and the soul ascends and from then on never descends." Mitzvot done for the merit of the soul during this time helps the soul to ascend to Heaven.
So too, in the work Sukkat Shalom, which is a major source on matters relating to elevating the soul of the deceased, it is written that “if the Torah considers burial of the deceased, which is taking care of the body, to be an act of true kindness (chessed shel emet), how much more so is it an act of kindness to help the neshama to reach its place in Heaven through mitzvot and Torah study done on behalf of the deceased!”
Other mitzvot cited in sources as being beneficial for the souls of deceased include: 1. Lighting Shabbat candles 2. Putting up mezuzas where needed 3. Putting on tefillin 4. Observing Shabbat and Jewish holidays 5. Wearing Tzitzit 6. Being careful to recite the daily prayers 7. Visiting the sick 8. And giving tzedaka