Q&A: Elevation of the Deceased’s Soul
Elevation of the Deceased’s Soul
Question
What is the source for the idea that one can study Torah or pray for the elevation of a deceased person’s soul? And if there is a source for it—what does it mean? Why would our study or prayer here in this world help someone who has already finished his life? Isn’t he judged according to his own deeds?
Answer
Hello Natan. Various customs developed around the elevation of a soul and healing, including Torah study for the sake of a deceased person’s soul. In the Talmud, Bava Kamma 16, it says that they held an academy session at Hezekiah’s grave out of respect for him. It doesn’t say there that this elevates his soul.
See here for sources and a short discussion: http://www.kipa.co.il/ask/show/12194-%D7%94%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%9C%D7%AA-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%A2%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%99-%D7%A0%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A0%D7%A4%D7%98%D7%A8
As for Torah study for healing, that is apparently actually forbidden because of the ways of the Amorites and divination. The halakhic decisors wrote that if one does it so that the merits should stand in the sick person’s favor, and not because the study itself is supposed to heal him, then perhaps it is permitted. Even then, it isn’t clear to me why the merits should go to the deceased or the sick person. Can merits be transferred? Or perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, credits it to him because on his account we studied more Torah. A practical difference would be that this would have to be study done especially in his honor, and not study that one would have done anyway. It seems to me logically that if one studies something anyway and dedicates it to someone’s merit or someone’s healing, it has no real meaning. If one adds extra study in his merit, then there is at least some logic that it may help him.
Discussion on Answer
great minds thinks alike
(:
Puzzling, puzzling, puzzling
Every person returns in reincarnation in order to make a correction. So what does this “elevation” help—is this some kind of business deal?
If this were true, we’d pray for the merit of the wicked too—why not? After all, it says, “And your people are all righteous,” so let’s save them through this elevation!
By the way, if people really dedicate Torah study for an elevation… then the learners don’t receive reward?
Rabbi, honoring parents is an exalted thing; even after their death there is supposedly a commandment to say Kaddish for them even if they are non-Jews, but how would that help them? They died as non-Jews! Could you explain…
You’re assuming a lot of assumptions that don’t have the slightest basis and then raising difficulties. Reincarnations and elevations and so on. One does not say Kaddish for non-Jewish parents (and there is also no Torah-level commandment to honor them). And besides, non-Jews are human beings too, so if they died as non-Jews, don’t they deserve an elevation of soul?
I wanted to note that, just as you said, Rabbi Michi, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein also explicitly wrote this.