- Family and Society
- Yartzeit - Memorial Day
Question
Hi
my fathers first yahrtzeit is 21 adar 2016. because of leap year i am observing adar 1 and adar 2 as yahrtzeits. Is that correct?
When do i stop saying kaddish?
Thanks
Answer
ב"ה
The Ashkenazi custom is to observe the Yahrzeit in the first Adar, while there are those who say to keep the Yartzeit both Adar I and Adar II. (See Rema תקס"ח and Mishna Berura there ס"ק מ"ב.)
The Sefardi custom is to observe the Yahrzeit in the second Adar. Nevertheless, The Bet Yosef says (יור"ד ת"ג) that if first Yahrzeit falls in a leap year, the first month of Adar should be observed, for the first time, because that is the end of 12 months.
As far as Kaddish, the Askenazi custom is to say kaddish for 11 months and to stop one day before a complete 11 months.( רמ"א יורה דעה סי' שעו: ד, וראה גשר החיים פרק לב: יג )
So in your case, since your father passed away on the 21 of Adar, the kaddish should be discontinued on the 20th of Shevat. Although, the year is a 13 month year, nonetheless,the Kaddish is said for the same duration of 11 months.
Besorot Tovot
All the best.