3

I have noticed at funerals that some people face the grave while saying Kaddish and at others face a different direction.

Is there a reason for it for both ways?

Improve this question
1
  • 1
    I never paid attention to that. Only thing I can think of is that those not facing the grave, perhaps are facing east? AFAIK, there is no specification of which way one must face for Kaddish, unlike the ruling for the Amidah.
    – DanF
    Feb 25, 2019 at 21:19

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

It is widely accepted to turn towards the Temple Mount when saying Kaddish (and many other tefilot), but there are other minhagim. For this reason many jewish cemeteries are laid out in a fashion that mourners standing in front of the grave will actually be facing towards the Temple Mount. That way, mourners don't have to turn away from the grave in order to say Kaddish, but that is more of an emotional than a Halachic thing. Some might even hold it to be disrespectful to the dead to face towards the grave when davening, if that is not also the direction of the Temple Mount. Just as we refrain from Mizvot (like Tallit and Tefilin) and other activities (like eating or running) on cemeteries because the dead cannot participate in them, turning towards the grave (and away from the Temple Mount) when saying Kaddish might be considered as ostentatious. We say Kaddish for the benefit of the souls of the deceased, but we direct Kaddish towards Hashem, not a (dead) body.

Improve this answer
1
  • 1
    Welcome to Mi Yodeya! Generally one should provide sources for what they use in the answer, to make them more useful to the public.
    – N.T.
    Mar 14, 2021 at 11:36

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .