The main purpose of the Kaddish is to be a prayer for a person in mourning, although of its several variants, not all are mourning. In the mouth of the one saying this prayer, it takes the form of justification, acceptance of God's Judgment over the deceased, and, at the same time, affirmation of the holiness of the Almighty and his greatness.

The recitation of the Kaddish provides the last good that the relatives remaining on earth can perform for the soul of a deceased relative. It is believed that reciting this prayer can alleviate the suffering of the soul, ward off punishment for sins committed during life, and makes it possible for the soul of the deceased to rise as high as possible in the spiritual world, getting closer to the Almighty.

One of the important parts of the Kaddish is given to the consolation of the entire Jewish people for the losses and sorrows they suffered for the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. That means, prayer not only mourns the deceased, but also combines personal loss with grief over the tragedy of the people of Israel. The sense of unity of the Israeli people in mourning is also expressed in the fact that this prayer cannot be recited in private, but only in a minyan, where at least 10 people over 13 years of age are present.

The responsibility of reciting Qaddish Yatom rests primarily with the sons of the deceased, and in their absence, with the closest relative. The husband reads a prayer for his wife. If the deceased has no relatives, the reciting is entrusted to a stranger for a fee.

The Kaddish is recited according to the Jewish calendar for 11 months from the day of death, every day. Also, a prayer is said at the cemetery on the anniversary of the death, and ten adult Jews must be present.

The Kaddish prayer is not recited in Hebrew, but in Aramaic, since it was compiled during the time of the Talmud, when this language was spoken for Jews. The sages considered that in order for this prayer to be understandable to everyone, it should sound, like some other prayers, in the everyday dialect in which the people spoke.

The Kaddish should be recited standing, legs closed and straight. The prayer is said moderately loudly, but so that those present can hear and respond “Amen.” In the case when there are several Jews in a minyan who are obliged to read the prayer, it is customary to read Qaddish Yatom all together, at the same time.