Rabbi Daniel Korobkin

Yizkor is a prayer that we say several times over the course of the year. It was instituted by the rabbis to be said initially on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, because the Day of Atonement, according to this Midrashic tradition, is not only for the living as a Day of Atonement, but it’s also a Day of Atonement for those who have already passed from this world. So by saying Yizkor, the living have an opportunity to help achieve atonement for those loved ones who have already departed from the world. Later, historically, the Yizkor was expanded to other times in the year, when so many people are coming to synagogue anyway, during the Yamim Tovim, during the holy days, such as Passover, Sukkot, Shavuot. And so it’s a time to reflect upon the life of the person who either gave birth to me, or who was very, very close to me familially. And it gives me an opportunity to, at a joyous time of this holy day, to really reflect upon what that person meant to me, how their departure from this world has impacted me, but also to, because it’s a holy day, to try and connect spiritually with someone who’s not part of this world.