iTorah

Loading, Please Wait...

v3.0.5
A Yissachar / Zebulun Partnership in Loving Memory of Yishak ben Simcha A"H & Felicia bat Miriam A"H
Rabbi Eli Mansour

Daily Halacha

Reciting “Kodam Abuna De’bi’shmaya Ve’ar’a” in Kaddish Titkabal

Lectured by Rabbi Eli Mansour

Published
March 17, 2026
Duration
30:05

Lecture Text

Our community's practice is to recite in Kaddish Titkabal the phrase "Kodam Abuna De'bi'shmaya Ve'ar'a" – asking that our prayers be accepted "before our Father who is in the heavens and the earth."

Hacham Ovadia Yosef was of the opinion that this text is incorrect, as the word "Ve'ar'a" ("and the earth") does not belong. Several Rishonim omit this word from their text of the Kaddish, and, moreover, we cannot speak of G-d as our "Father on earth," as every person already has a father here on earth. Hashem is our Father in the heavens, in addition to our father here on earth. All Siddurim that bear a Haskama (letter of approval) by Hacham Ovadia omit the word "Ve'ar'a."

Nevertheless, the custom among the communities in Aleppo, Syria was always to include the word "Ve'ar'a," and the work Yosef Haim justified the legitimacy of this text. Therefore, it is proper for Syrian Jews who follow the customs of Aleppo to add the word "Ve'ar'a."

I am reminded of the time when, as a youngster, I became aware of Hacham Ovadia Yosef's ruling that the Beracha of "La'minim" in the Amida prayer should conclude with the words "U'machni'a Zedim," as opposed to the text which is customarily used in our community – "U'machni'a Minim." Hacham Ovadia advanced several compelling proofs to his ruling, and so I figured that this is the correct text. When I served as Hazzan in the synagogue, I recited "Zedim" in accordance with Hacham Ovadia's ruling. Hacham Baruch Ben-Haim approached me afterward and asked why I had changed the word from "Minim" to "Zedim," and I explained to him that I thought I should follow Hacham Ovadia's view. The Hacham reprimanded me, noting that notwithstanding Hacham Ovadia's ruling, it is improper to change the text that has been used in our community for generations.

With regard to "Ve'ar'a," too, given the longstanding tradition among Syrian Jews to include this word in Kaddish, this is the custom that our community should follow.

Summary: The custom in our community is to recite in Kaddish Titkabal the phrase "Kodam Abuna De'bi'shmaya Ve'ar'a," including the word "Ve'ar'a."