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+---- Thread: Marking the anniversary of a Jewish tzaddik's passing (/showthread.php?tid=3387)
Marking the anniversary of a Jewish tzaddik's passing - Director Michael - 07-08-2021
B"H
The following questions were received.
Note: The anniversary of a Jewish tzaddik's passing (the day of the "yahrzeit" = "yearly time") is also called the day of his/her "hilulah" (rejoicing).
Quote:When it comes to the yahrzeit day of a Gentile loved-one, we have:
- the specific prayer for the person's soul, by Rabbi Immanuel Schochet that is published by Ask Noah,
- giving charity in honor of the person's yahrzeit,
- Psalms 47 and 139 which can be recited.
For the hilulah day of a Jewish tzaddik [very righteous person], can we do the same?
1) I don't think that the memorial prayer by Rabbi Schochet which we provide in Ask Noah's publications is appropriate to say for a tzaddik's hilulah.
2) Yes, you can definitely give charity in honor of a tzaddik's hilulah, any time during that day - which is the Hebrew date from sundown to sundown.
3) Those chapters of Psalms are not necessary to recite for a tzaddik's hilulah. Instead, it would be appropriate for anytime during the day of the hilulah to read something about the life of the tzaddik, and/or to read some of the tzaddik's teachings that are appropriate for Noahides to study.
4) It is a widespread custom to light a 24-hour yahrzeit candle in honor of a tzaddik's soul on the day of the hilulah. The candle is lit at or after sundown on the Hebrew date.
Note: a 24-hour yahrzeit candle can also be lit in honor of the yahrzeit of a close relative who is a Gentile. It seems to me that the appropriate time to do this would be at or after sunrise on the secular anniversary of the Gentile's passing.
Quote:For a Gentile couple, if the husband is at work and his wife is at home and the husband will not be able to pray for the yahrzeit of a loved-one and / or a tzaddik:
If the wife is praying and/or putting aside money for charity in honor of the yahrzeit, is her husband absolved from doing those things?
1) It's permitted, but not required, for Gentiles to pray or study or give charity for a loved-one's yahrzeit or a tzaddik's hilulah. So the husband doesn't need to be absolved. And if the wife does any of these, that would not automatically absolve the husband, or vice verse.
2) A Gentile may (and it's a good idea!) set aside money for charity while at work, or any time of the day or night. Since the time of a tzaddik's hilulah is from sundown to sundown on the Hebrew date, a Gentile can give the charity at night when the Hebrew date begins, or before going to work. And the same applies for the reading / study that's mentioned above.
Quote:And when the Gentile wife is giving the charity, will she have to put a coin for her husband and a coin for herself?
She doesn't have to, because it's not required. But the husband can hand a coin to his wife in advance, and ask her to be the one to put aside his coin for charity.