A Liturgical Quandry

[debka_notion]

Those of you who've used certain prayerbooks have encountered the version of Kaddish with the names of concentration camps interspersed between each of the words. It's absolutely horrid, in terms of the meaning of the text of Kaddish, which praises G-d, and is not actually a mournful text.

On the other hand, I've seen it used, and while I despised it, I also found it frighteningly effective, as an emotion-provoking piece. I don't know why it works, but it does.

So, when faced with something so contradictory, what do you do?

Comments

[gimmelgirl.livejournal.com]

We're doing it this year... I agree that it's jarring, but that's the point. The kaddish, when done in the context of mourning, is inherently jarring. You want me, who lost a loved one, to praise God?! That's the challenge, and here, it's framed as a challenge not for an individual mourner, but for us as a Jewish people collectively.
It's a measure of endurance or even defiance: despite this horrid national loss, that occurred in the lifetime of my shul and its members, we continue to praise God. We continue to exist. And so, at the end of the martyrology, where we are brought to question/consider how it is we've survived despite our oppressors attempting to swallow us up, it drives the point home. Methodically, they tried to blot us out. The names of the camps beats a slow rhythm. But despite it. we, with an equally, if not MORE deliberate, rhythm, proclaim God's glory.

[cynara-linnaea.livejournal.com]

I like the thought as a reason why we might want to keep doing it, but I am rather doubtful that the originator had that in mind. I feel like a kaddish afterwards would achieve the same effect of praising G-d in defiance of tragedy without shoehorning in the camp names, which just creates dissonance and emotional whiplash.

I have led it, but I don't like it. I much prefer the specific Kel Male Rachamim. Kel Male Rachamim followed by kaddish gives each a moment of due respect rather than trying to do it simultaneously.

But then again, the entire concept of kaddish as a mourners' prayer is rather odd; not just the content but also the evolution of the custom.

I guess I have no helpful advice, just some ramblings.

[gimmelgirl.livejournal.com]

Why do you think that's not what the originator had in mind? Just curious.

[cynara-linnaea.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I can verbalize it. It's probably just my cynicism about recent additions to the service, augmented by the fact that I first encountered it in the Harlow (a machzor I utterly despise for flagrant liturgical idiocy).