Yartzeit: The Date

A yartzeit is generally observed on the date of death of the deceased. (1) There is a view, however, that the first yartzeit should be observed on the date of burial, not death. This practice was enacted due to the concern that one might accidentally conclude the twelve months of mourning period early. The twelve months of mourning end twelve months after burial, not death. Others disagree and rule that even the first yartzeit should be observed on the date of death. (2) Yet others differentiate and say that if the burial took place two or more days after death then the first yartzeit should indeed be observed on the day of burial. Otherwise, it is always to be observed on the day of death. (3) Everyone agrees, however, that in all subsequent years the yartzeit should be observed on the day of death.

Le'halacha - In the first year after death even if the burial was within three days of death, Ashkenazim should hold a yartzeit gathering in the 12th month while Sefardim should do so in both the 11th and 12th month.(4)

The question of when to observe an “Adar Yartzeit” is quite interesting. Take the case of one who died in the month of Adar in a “regular” year. How should the yartzeit be observed in a “leap” year? Sefardi practice is to observe the yartzeit in the second Adar while (4) Ashkenazi practice is to observe the yartzeit in the first Adar and preferably to observe it again in the second Adar. (5). If one passed away in a “leap” year, the yartzeit is observed in leap years on the exact date of death (whether in the first or second Adar).

So too, there is some question when to observe yartzeit in a regular year for one who died on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar Sheini, which is actually the thirtieth day of Adar Rishon. This is because there is no thirtieth day of Adar in a “regular” year! As such, the yartzeit should be observed on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar, which is actually the thirtieth day of Shevat. (6)

Similarly, the month of Cheshvan sometimes has twenty-nine days, and sometimes it has thirty days. When is one to observe yartzeit for one who died on the thirtieth of Cheshvan in a year when there are only twenty-nine days in Cheshvan? Le'halocho it depends on how many days there were in the Cheshvan of the first yartzeit. If there were twenty-nine days in the Cheshvan of the first yartzeit, the yartzeit should always be observed on the twenty ninth of Cheshvan ,and should be stringent in the following years if there will be 30 days to Cheshvan, to also recite kaddish on the thirtieth day. However, if the Cheshvan of the first yartzeit had thirty days (just like the previous year when the person died), then the yartzeit is, of course, observed on the thirtieth day of Cheshvan. In future years, when Cheshvan has only twenty-nine days, the yartzeit is to be observed on the first day of Kislev. (7)

One who is unsure when someone died should observe the yartzeit on the day that the death was discovered. If even this cannot be determined, then one may choose any day of the year to be observed as yartzeit.(8) One should continue reciting Kaddish on a yartzeit even once 50 years have passed since the death of one’s parents. 

1. YD 402:12.

2. Taz, YD 402:9.

3. Shach, YD 402:10.

4. YD 402:12, OC 568:7.

5. Rema, OC 568:7.

6. Mishna Berura 568:42.

7. Mishna Berura 568:42.

8. Mateh Moshe 5:767; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 221:8; Mishna Berura 568:42.