Memorial Prayers 2 - השכבות (cont'd)

Following קריאת התורה on שבת morning (in some congregations on weekday mornings as well) we recall the souls of the departed. This is based on דברים כא:ט as darshened by ספרי there, as follows: כפר לעמך refers to the living; אשר פדית refers to the departed, meaning that the dead need כפרה. To this end, one whose relative’s yahrzeit or the like was the past week makes a memorial prayer and pledges צדקה in order to atone for the sins of the departed.

We do so specifically on שבת because at that point the shuls are full and those who are attending can take to heart that one day they will also need their sins atoned for, to which end they should be involved in תשובה ומעשים טובים while they still have the opportunity to do so.

Similar to אבהרחמים, which is a communal memorial prayer on behalf of martyrs collectively, individual memorial prayers (referred to in ספרדי tradition as השכבות, while having no formal title in the אשכנזי one) are subject to rules as to where they are said or not. While each congregation is entitled to establish its own custom in this regard, nevertheless we present here some broad guidelines as put forth by the פוסקים.

1) השכבות are not said:

a.      On שבת מברכים (even during ספירה, during which we would say אב הרחמים) including שבת מברכים חודש אב and שבת ר"ח אב

                                                              i.      Except for someone who was buried that week (according to some opinions)

b.      שבת ר"ח אייר

c.      All of חודש ניסן (even what of it that overlaps with ספירה, where we would say אב הרחמים)

2)השכבות are said on any other occasion at which there is קריאת התורה (I have seen those who are מקפיד   not to say השכבות on ר"ח, though this is by no means universal).

References: רמא או"ח רפד:ז, מ"א שם ס"ק ז-ח, מ"ב שם ס"ק יז-יח

Memorial Prayers 2 - השכבות

As a continuation of our series on the liturgical texts said between הפטרה and אשרי that precedes מוסף. We have so far discussed יקום פורקן and the תפלה on behalf of the congregation. In this article we will discuss אל מלא רחמים, a type of השכבה (prayer on behalf of the deceased - this is the term used in the ספרדי tradition, while the אשכנזי tradition has no specific title for this category).

1

While the concept of remembering the deceased on שבת is mentioned as early as מדרש תנחומא [1], its specific placement is first spelled out by מחזור ויטרי [2] which writes as follows:

"After the שליח ציבור executes a תפלה on behalf of the congregation, he then remembers the departed who increased תורה and תקנות in כלל ישראל, and those that left צדקה for the community.

Now, perhaps one may say that there is no way to spiritually assist the deceased - on that the פסוק in (דברים (כא:ח says כפר לעמך ישראל אשר פדית ה which tells us (by way of דרשה) that where we ask for mercy for the departed - they are then thrown from גהנם to גן עדן like an arrow is shot from a bow."

2

שבולי הלקט adds [3] that שבת is a day of rest, similar to the Messianic Era, a day that even the departed rest from being judged - and it is therefore fitting to remember them לברכה and to daven for them.

Now, the question is, why should we daven for the departed on שבת, while they are not actually being judged? Instead, we should daven for them on weekdays, while they are being judged! -?- The answer is, while the departed are not being judged is an עת רצון [4].

3

There are גאונים who say that the צדקה pledged in memory of the departed doesn't have any effect on the departed at all, and there are those who say it does. Either way, its a good thing, because at least it helps the living, and perhaps the departed as well. [5]

4

We specifically remember the departed on שבת because that is where shuls are (relatively) at their peak capacity so that the living can take the reward for being involved in תורה and מצוות to heart. [6]

Now, even though we do not normally say תחינות on שבת, and we are not supposed to cause people pain, still, the departed need atonement, so for this need it is allowed. [7]

5

Residual benefits of אל מלא רחמים are the strengthening of belief in reward and punishment, in that, if we assume the necessity of giving צדקה for the benefit of the departed, it is implied that there is reward and punishment; as well as a התעוררות to תשובה, in that the congregation will (hopefully) keep in mind that life is not eternal, and that it is never too soon to do תשובה [4].

[1] האזינו א

[2] סדר שבת אות טו (מהדורת אוצר הפוסקים)

[3] שבולת פא

[4] שו"ת בצל החכמה סי' קכא

[5] תניא רבתי סי' טז; רוקח סי' ריז

[6] ביאור הגרא או"ח רפד:ז; מטה משה תנח

[7] אג"מ או"ח ב סי' עד