The Kaddish and the Undercover Karaite

Although I have previously been critical of the rabbinic Kaddish prayer, some interesting details emerge from further analysis.  I should reiterate that it is a rabbinically produced prayer, in Aramaic, which was written some time after the destruction of the 2^nd Temple.

A full text appears here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaddish

The prayer can only be dated back to c.900 CE, and its first use as a mourner's prayer was in the 13^th century. As such, it has little force even in terms of Rabbinic halacha.

Its contents do not mention the dead, but the living. The word “Kaddish” comes from the opening line - יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא.    This calls to sanctify the great Name of God.  It is rather ironic, since the Name YHWH  has been banned from use by the rabbi, even though it is a commandment for all Israel to call on this Name.

What is even more surprising is the extra section known as the Kaddish D’Rabbanan or Al Yisrael. This extra section is read in the synagogue service after a recital of a Talmudic passage.  However, it does not itself refer to the Talmud, but calls for blessings of al Israel, including the rabbis and their students.  There is a caveat:

“וְעַל כָּל מָאן דְּעָסְקִין בְּאוֹרַיְתָא.”

This refers to those who study “Orayta”, which is the Aramaic word for Torah (written). This is agreeable, since it does not actually ask for blessings for people who study Talmud.  We must encourage the rabbis and their students to study only the Written Torah.  So perhaps the composer of this prayer was an undercover Karaite, after all.