Kaddish Background

Apropos the reward for honoring Shabbat, the Gemara cites statements about the reward for answering amen. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that anyone who answers: Amen, may His great name be blessed, wholeheartedly, with all his might, they rip his sentence, as it is stated: “When punishments are annulled in Israel, when the people offer themselves, bless the Lord” (Judges 5:2). What is the reason for when punishments are annulled? Because the Jewish people blessed God. When one recites: Amen, may His great name be blessed, and blesses God, his punishment is annulled. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even if one has within him a trace of idolatry, when he answers amen he is forgiven. It is written here, in the verse above: “When punishments [pera’ot] are annulled.” And it is written there, with regard to the sin of the Golden Calf: “And Moses saw that the nation was wild [paru’a], for Aaron had let them loose for anyone who might rise against them” (Exodus 32:25). Even one with the wildness of idolatry is forgiven. Reish Lakish said: One who answers amen with all his strength, they open the gates of the Garden of Eden before him, as it is stated: “Open the gates, and a righteous nation shall come who keeps the faith” (Isaiah 26:2). Do not read: Who keeps [shomer] the faith [emunim], but rather: Who say [she’omerim] amen. What is the allusion of the word amen? Rabbi Ḥanina said: It is an acronym of the words: God, faithful King [El Melekh ne’eman].

The rebellious Jews who have sinned with their bodies and also the rebellious people of the nations of the world who have sinned with their bodies descend to Gehenna and are judged there for twelve months. After twelve months, their bodies are consumed, their souls are burned, and a wind scatters them under the soles of the feet of the righteous, as it is stated: “And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet” (Malachi 3:21). But the heretics; and the informers; and the apostates [apikorsim]; and those who denied the Torah; and those who denied the resurrection of the dead; and those who separated from the ways of the Jewish community and refused to share the suffering; and those who cast their fear over the land of the living; and those who sinned and caused the masses to sin... all of these people descend to Gehenna and are judged there for generations and generations... Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Avin said: And their faces on the Day of Judgment will be black and sooty like the bottom of a pot.

The story is told of Rabbi Akiva who was walking in a cemetery and came across a naked man who was dark as coal and carrying a huge load of sticks on his head. Thinking that he was alive, Rabbi Akiva asked how he had gotten into the situation of needing to do such difficult work, and offering to go to any means necessary to redeem him. The man asked Rabbi Akiva to get out of his way. "What's the story here", asked Rabbi Akiva. "I'm actually dead", the man replied, "and every day they send me to cut down trees."

"What was your job when you were alive", Rabbi Akiva asked. "I was a tax collector", the man replied, "and I would favor the wealthy and kill the poor."

Rabbi Akiva asked him, "“Haven’t you heard anything from those
appointed to punish you about how you might be relieved?”

“I did hear from [those appointed over me] one impossible thing", he replied. "They told me the only way to get out of this situation is if I had a son who stood up in the minyan and declared "Barchu et Hashem Hamevorach", and they answer after him, "Yehei Shmei Rabah Mevorach". If that were to happen, I would immediately be released from this punishment. I didn't have a son, but I left behind a pregnant wife. I don't know if she gave birth to a son. If she did give birth to a son, who would possibly teach this son Torah, since nobody in the world liked me?"

Immediately, Rabbi Akiva decided that he would go search and see if the man did in fact have a son who he could teach Torah and teach to lead prayers."

Rabbi Akiva asked the man who was being punished, "What's your name?", and the man answered, "Akiva". He asked him, "What's your wife's name?", and he answered "Shoshbina". He asked "Where are you from?", and the man responded, "Ludkia".

Immediately Rabbi Akiva put himself through great difficulty to find the man's family. When he made it to the town, he asked about the man. "May that man's bones erode", the people responded. He asked about the man's wife. "May her memory be wiped out for all time", they said. He asked about the child. They responded, "He isn't even circumcised". Rabbi Akiva immediately circumcised the boy. Rabbi Akiva put a book in front of the boy, but the boy couldn't learn anything until Rabbi Akiva fasted for 40 days.

A heavenly voice emerged, asked, "You're fasting on behalf of this kid?" Rabbi Akiva responded, "Master of the Universe, have I not prepared him before you?"

Immediately, God opened up the boy's heart, and he was able to learn Torah, the Shema and Birkat Hamazon (the grace after meals). Rabbi Akiva stood him up in front of the community to recite Barchu, and they recited, "Baruch Hashem Hamevorach". Immediately, they released the boy's father from his punishment.

Immediately, the boy's father came to Rabbi Akiva in a dream, saying to him, "May it be God's well that you rest for all time in the Garden of Eden, for you saved me from the punishment of Gehennom. Rabbi Akiva responded with a verse from Psalms, "God's name is forever, God's memory passes from generation to generation."

Therefore, the custom developed for someone who doesn't have a father or mother to say Barchu or Kaddish on Motzei Shabbat (when the souls of those in Gehennom, who have been in temporary reprieve for Shabbat, are returning to Gehennom).