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Y'hay Sh'may Raba

The essence of the Kaddish

Shema Yisrael, Part 1

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Y'hay Sh'may Raba: The essence of the Kaddish

The Kaddish response is meant to be said with "all the power of your mental focus." Here is a practical guide to saying each word with total mindfulness and focus.

Handouts:	Kaddish chart
Audio:	Listen to Audio \| Download this MP3

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Tzvi Freeman is the author of Bringing Heaven Down to Earth and, more recently, Wisdom to Heal the Earth. Subscribe to The Daily Dose of Wisdom and Freeman Files for regular updates.

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elka leah drazin Tzfat June 5, 2026

I find the humming, buzzing background music very distracting.
What he has to say is important. Thank you. Reply

elliot shifman Bloomfield June 3, 2026

Amen! Reply

Dirshe Alinur Reston June 4, 2026

in response to elliot shifman:

Amen rabbi freeman tzvi is good man Reply

Aki Fleshler Portland August 28, 2022

You are saying Kaddish (either as shaliach tzibbur, or because your are chayiv). You come to "v'imru amen", and the minyan responds "y'hei shmei rabbah...".

When do you say your own "y'hei shmei rabbah..."? Do you 1 wait until the minyan is finished 2 say it with the minyan 3 wait until a certain point in the minyan's recitation before starting yours If you have sources for your answers, please provide them here. Reply

Alicia Tn August 30, 2021

Your metaphor for "bracha" as a grape vine inspired me to think of how a blessed grape vine will naturally bend low with the weight of its grapes. Thank you for sharing beautiful concepts! Reply

Emily Vegas via chabadredrock.com October 6, 2017

Thank you so much Rabbi! Reply

Izzy Buffalo January 15, 2013

thank you so much! keep up the amazing work! Reply

Mrs. lisa huntsman September 28, 2011

meditations In case I have not already said so, with clarity, I do so now. These meditations are helping me stay close to Elohim. Thank you! Reply

Mr. Richard Raff August 23, 2010

The essence of the Kaddish Once i heard in a audio class on mediation that G-d has given everything He created a place in His Kingdom. Really.... back then i did not have a clue on how to picture this thought and what it meant. Now i have come back to looking at the picture from a distance and have received a perspective on the big picture. When i think of the three worlds i think of Rabbis. The world of thought i think of Rabbi Asher Crispe. The world of speech i think of Rabbi Mendel Kaplan and of course the world of action i think of Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. All of you and more have been a great help to G-d and to me as well thank you. Reply

William Ballentine Wausau, Wisconsin August 5, 2010

meditation Cannot begin to tell you how much I learnt from Rabbi Freeman. Reply

Moshe raffial newyork, u.s.a. July 12, 2010

it is so beautiful! Reply

Anonymous winnipeg, canada October 22, 2009

Kaddish line Great explanation. So now I pretty well have the Moda-Ani and Shema for meditation, and Kaddish's oft repeated premier sentence.

I will go to the Ask the Rabbi site to ask about the Yehey Shmey Raba sentence:

1. Do the two higher worlds of Atzilut and Keter have a place ?

2. The final/join up word Itborach- Does it not have a greater significance than joiner ? The Siddur shows the word Blessed capitalized, seemingly not a lightweight word.

Yasher koach. Please keep up your inspiring work. Reply

Anonymous Bonney Lake, United States September 1, 2009

Posting I am going to video myself saying the Kaddish of Y'hay and post it on my live spaces blog . I want to see if I really have that feel like Rabbi Tzvi Freeman does. I like that approach of direction for the direction I would like my prayer to be delivered.I hope someone would comment so i could correct either pronouncing of the prayer or the way I look when say it. Reply

Anonymous Baltimore, MD August 31, 2009

Kaddish response This video is totally AWESOME!! Even though I've been simply saying these words for a while, after Rabbi Freeman's video I now UNDERSTAND exactly what I'm saying and what it means. Best of all, I know the effect in the world that comes from saying these words. Reply

Anonymous Norman, OK August 30, 2009

Imminent vs. Immanent Did you misspell "immanent"? I believe you had "imminent" which means "about to happen."

I really liked the parallel you drew between mortal kings and the king of the universe. Does the Tanach use the expression melech ha olam? Reply

lucy davila apopka, fl August 29, 2009

Y'hay and ani wow this is what I was very interested in knowing. Now I believe "when the student is ready the teacher will come" Reply

Natalie Lainoff Monroe Twp., NJ August 28, 2009

kaddish I've only said ahmen during kiddish. Tomorrow I will definitely do the responses. I am fairly new to all of this and hope I'll be able to find the right place in the Siddur. Having just finished learning to read hebrew, I expect it will take me a bit of time. It's wonderful to hear the Rabbi and the way he explains everything. I look forward to many more lessons. Reply

Chanoch (Henry) Brown Miami Beach, FL August 28, 2009

modeh & yhay shmay wonderful, fantastic meditations. It fills the world with light. It is wonderful that you are sharing these meditations with the world.
Thanks, Reply

boB August 28, 2009

y;hay for a fairly new Chabadnick, I found this awesome Reply

Anonymous Bonney Lake, WA August 28, 2009

All together I still need practice putting them all together but I will try to begin first thing Sat morning.. Reply

Melissa Fort Kent, ME August 26, 2009

Thank You This was such an exciting, important teaching! Thank you! Reply

Jewish Meditation

In order to give one’s words wings with which they may fly, we endeavor to infuse them with meditative intentions. Learning to inspire prayer with meditation greatly enhances the experience and imbues it with enhanced meaning and reach. This series offers guided meditations appropriate to everyday prayer.

Y'hay Sh'may Raba: The essence of the Kaddish

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