If Yizkor may be said at home, why is the emphasis placed on saying it in shul? Rabbi Mendel Kaplan plumbs the depths of this significant prayer and reaches a critical conclusion.
by Anash.org writer
For many Jews, the only time they will attend shul is to say Yizkor for their departed loved ones. Indeed, their only active connection to Yiddishkeit may be through this prayer.
With shuls closed this Pesach due to the coronavirus, community leaders are instructing people to say this tefilla at home, with what can be perceived as a flippant attitude and this may pose serious ramifications for the future.
What lies at the core of Yizkor?
Is there indeed a significance to memorialize neshamos in a shul setting, if it can anyway be done by one davening alone?
In this video lecture, Rabbi Mendel Kaplan of Chabad of Flamingo, Toronto, plumbs the depths of this poignant and impactful tefilla. Fasten your seat belt and get ready for a fascinating journey!
