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I've noticed that there are varying minhagim among people whether to stand during Kaddish or not. Is there any actual halacha regarding this and whether it's required?

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7 Answers 7

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The Mishna Brura OC 56 sk 8 implies that one cannot sit down during kaddish, but if he was sitting already then he may continue to do so. However, he says it is proper to be strict and stand up anyway. I note that the whole standing up discussion is limited to the part of kaddish until "da'amiran be'alma ve'imru amen".

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  • Of course, this ruling does not apply to the aged or infirm who have difficulty standing up and sitting down frequently. Dec 27, 2012 at 19:33
  • @Bruce James, presumably they would be in the category of those who remain sitting.
    – Seth J
    Feb 10, 2013 at 4:46
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I believe most Ashkenazic communities have everyone stand; many Sephardic ones have only those reciting it stand. I'd strongly assume it's about custom and not law at that point.

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  • It's interesting; most synagogues I've been to, many stand and some sit, though it might be that the Ashkenazim stand and the Sephardim sit. Aug 5, 2011 at 14:38
  • @Shalom, IINM among S'faradim (or some of them), the whole congregation stands for certain instances of kadish — though I don't know which.
    – msh210
    Aug 5, 2011 at 15:31
  • In most Chasidic communities, usually only those reciting stand.
    – yoel
    Dec 1, 2011 at 22:51
  • @MSH210 Sephardim only stand for Kadish when it is Friday night. Dec 25, 2011 at 3:37
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The Arizal was not Makpid to stand during Kaddish (Shaar Hakawanot Daf 16 Amud 4 based on the Kaf HaHaim 56:20 and the Sefaradi Aharonim all agreed to this Pesak).

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  • Who are the Sefaradi Aharonim which agreed to this Pesak?
    – user9643
    Jun 27, 2017 at 5:44
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Great sourcing, Double AA! Just translating them here... OC 56:1 has the Bet Yosef (followed as the great decisor by Sephardic communities) not enunciating a preference for standing during Kaddish. The Rema (Ashkenazic custom) then interjects that "it is proper for one to stand when they answer Kaddish & all matters of [special] Holiness." Be'er Hatav (ibid, note 4), following the Turei Zahav, expounds that "the Darkei Moshe (also from the Rema) writes that the Mahari"l would not stand up for Kaddish, however any Kaddish that would find him standing, he would remain standing until after 'Amen! Yehei Shmei Rabbah'. And so too wrote the Sheyarei Kenesset HaGedolah, 'I too follow the custom of the Maharil.' View OC 55. And so too was written in the Sefer HaKavanot of the Arizal, and this is its language there: 'This that seems to be indicated from the Jerusalem Talmud that one must stand for the response of Amen, Yehei Shmei Rabbah is an error. For this is not from the Jerusalem Talmud itself, merely that one wise man [quoted therein] would do so.' And in the Kavanot, there is a gloss, and this is it's language: 'What my Master za"l was accustomed to doing was that any Kaddish that followed an Amidah - Shacharit, Mincha or Maariv - he would remain standing. And those of Titkabel and of returning the Torah Scroll [to the Ark], he would answer [PRESUMABLY Amein Yehei Shmei Rabbah] and afterwards he would sit.' Mishnah Berurah in Note 8 adds Hallel to the latter list of non-post-Amidah Kaddishes, then opines, "It is proper to concern oneself with the words of the more stringent opinions. And we may derive this a priori from Eglon, King of Moab who was a Gentile, yet he rose on his own from his throne due to G-d's words. Surely we, His Nation [should rise upon hearing holy words]!"

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  • It's worth noting that the Rema's source in Hagahot Mordechai is based on a non-extant/existent "Yerushalmi" quoting a non-existent pasuq.
    – magicker72
    Jul 12, 2019 at 21:25
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It is customary to stand during Kaddish both out of respect for the person or people reciting it and for the deceased.

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    Ami Schreiber, welcome to Judaism.SE, and thanks very much for this answer! You could make it much more valuable by editing in a source that backs up your point. Also, please consider registering your account, to help you have access to more of the site's features.
    – Isaac Moses
    Dec 1, 2011 at 23:25
  • +1, thank you for answering. Please visit us again soon. Jul 22, 2012 at 18:04
  • Why should we honor people reciting Kaddish more than people reciting Psukei DeZimra (or shaking a lulav)? Feb 3, 2014 at 21:50
  • Who says that we have to honor the deceased? Feb 3, 2014 at 21:50
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There are some who believe responding "amen" and "y'hay shmay rahbah..." in response to the Kaddish is one of the most essential aspects of prayer. In honor of this it would be logical to stand. (Of course, one could say the same for Shema Yisroel, the basic declaration of faith, during which we don't always stand!) Art Scroll's Mesorah Series "Kaddish" states that responding to Kaddish "takes precedence over an opportunity to respond to any other prayer, even Kedushah and Borchu" citing Orach Chaim (56:1) among others.It also says taht some congregations have a custom to say certain passages from Numbers and Psalms before recitation of the Kaddish. It does not appear to discuss the need for the congregation to stand. Neither the Art Scroll RCA or Koren siddurim seem to have directions to stand.

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  • "(Of course, one could say the same for Shema Yisroel, the basic declaration of faith, during which we don't always stand!) " ..... When do we ever stand for Shema Yisroel?
    – SAH
    Aug 24, 2014 at 17:48
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    @SAH. Thank you. I've always wondered the same. Shema Yisroel seems to be an obvious prayer for standing. Don't know why we don't. In fact I have learned that you HAVE to sit unless already standing. Another thing that surprised me SAH is that at my old shul, the congregation said Shema Yisroel out loud, in unison, word by word, with an elongated Echad. The second and third paragraphs were recited silently. In my new synagogue, the worshipers recite Shema silently and say the second paragraph in unison.
    – JJLL
    Aug 25, 2014 at 0:39
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The Magen avraham and other poskim write that the maharil would only stand if he was standing up to the point of kadish,but if he was sitting he would stay that way, and so was the minhag of the arizal. It is good to note that the poskim are more machmir by kadish tiskabel since it is a essential part of the davening. The mishna berurah writes that according to everyone it is permissible to sit after the frase leala.

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    – msh210
    Jan 9, 2014 at 7:55

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