Interrupting Pesukei De’zimrah to Recite Kaddish
Question
Hi,
I am unfortunately in the year of aveilus for my dad, who passed away 2 months ago, and sometimes I am in the middle of reciting Pesukei De’zimrah. I know one may not interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah; however, may I interrupt to say Kaddish for my dad?
Answer
Thank you for your question.
One may interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah in order to recite Kaddish for one’s parents; however, if it is possible, you should say it between perakim or at least at the end of a subject that you are saying. Although some say that if one will be able to find another minyan later to say it, then he should say it then, rather then to interrupt the Pesukei De’Zimrah.
It is important to understand the reason for this halacha, since it will also give us an understanding and appreciation for the Kaddish we say for our parents.
The source of this halacha is brought in Maharshag, Volume 1, Siman 48, that one may interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah to say Kaddish for one’s parents, since saying Kaddish is showing respect and kavod to one’s parents, and therefore one may interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah mipnei hakavod.
Hagaon Harav Fried shlit”a brings from the sefer Rav Pe’alim that by not saying Kaddish, it would seem to the congregation that he does not respect his parents. This is the quote from Rav Pe’alim:
שו"ת רב פעלים חלק ב - אורח חיים סימן יד
מיהו ודאי ענין הקדיש דנ"ד ודאי דמי לדין שאלת והשבת שלום מפני הכבוד והיראה, דהא אלו היתומים שאומרים קדישים אלו שהם חובת הציבור להוציאם י"ח, הנה הם מכבדים אביהם ואמם בזה, כי כונתם לעשות נ"ר לאביהם ואמותיהם, ואצל העולם נחשב המחסר קדיש א' מקדישים אלו מזלזל בכבוד הנפטר, כי בעיני העולם אמירת כל הקדישים הם צורך גדול לנפטר, וחובה גדולה היא על היתומים לאומרם כולם, ואין לך כבוד גדול מאמירת הקדיש, והרואה את זה יושב ואינו אומר קדיש, חושב מתעצל ומזלזל בכבוד הנפטר, דאינו יודע שהוא בתוך הזמירות, על כן יש להורות בשופי שיאמר היתום קדיש ברכו אף על פי שהוא בתוך הזמירות.
Teshuvos Rav Pe’alim, Volume 2 – Orach Chaim, Siman 14
However, it is certain that the matter of this Kaddish is similar to the rule of responding to questions or greeting someone out of honor or fear. For these orphans who recite the Kaddishim that are considered a communal obligation, to discharge the tzibbur’s responsibility, they are honoring their father and mother by doing so, since their intention is to bring nachas ruach to their parents.
And in the eyes of people, someone who misses even one Kaddish is viewed as disrespecting the niftar, because people consider the saying of all the Kaddishim to be of great benefit for the departed, and it is regarded as a major obligation upon the orphans to say all of them. There is no greater honor than the recitation of Kaddish.
Therefore, when people see the orphan sitting and not saying Kaddish, they assume he is being negligent and belittling the honor of the niftar, as they do not know that he is in the middle of Pesukei DeZimrah.
For this reason, the orphan should say the Kaddish “Yisgadal” before Barechu, even if he is in the middle of the Pesukei DeZimrah.
The sefer Elef HaMagen on Mateh Ephraim (who writes, as we said earlier, that one should recite the Kaddish between the perakim or at least at the end of a subject) writes that it is a big leniency that the poskim allowed one to interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah to say Kaddish. Nevertheless, since the poskim have ruled that it is permitted, one may do so in practice. However, if one would be able to find a minyan later and would be able to say the Kaddish then, it would be better not to interrupt Pesukei De’zimrah and say it later, so it would not be considered as having not said Kaddish for one’s parent, since he will be saying it later.
Wishing you all the best.
Source
Maharshag, Vol. 1, Siman 48
Rav Pe’alim, Vol. 2, Orach Chaim Siman 14
Elef HaMagen on Mateh Ephraim (Hilchos Kaddish during Pesukei De’zimrah)
Psak of HaGaon Rav Amrom Fried shlit”a - Azamroh Lishmecho issue # 317
