By Rabbi Yair Hoffman
This article was written l’ilui nishmas the author’s father, Nosson Yoseph Ben Moshe whose yartzeit is 5 Iyar.
It is the custom within Klal Yisroel to light a Yartzeit candle on the day that a relative had passed away. The lighting has no accompanying blessing, and people would like to express themselves in a Tefillah when lighting the candle. This is not only true on a Yartzeit but whenever Yom Tov comes as well.
The author of the Peleh Yoetz, Rabbi Eliezer Papo (1785—1828), did in fact compose such a prayer. Rav Papo was the Rabbi of the city of Selestria in Bulgaria. Bulgaria was a part of the Ottoman Empire at the time. The Tefillah of the Pelehe Yoetz is reproduced and translated below, as a public service.
×”×¨×™× ×™ מדליק × ×¨ ×–×” ×œ×ž× ×•×—×ª ולעילוי × ×©×ž×ª ×בי מורי ____ בן ____
תפילה ×”× ×ž×¦×ת בספר ×לף המגן מבעל ×”×¤×œ× ×™×•×¢×¥ על פרשת ×•×™×¦× ×¢×ž×•×“ ×›”ד
×™×”×™ רצון ×ž×œ×¤× ×™×š ×”’ ××œ×§×™× ×• ו×להי ××‘×•×ª×™× ×•, שתקבל ×‘×¨×—×ž×™× ×•×‘×¨×¦×•×Ÿ כל מעשה הטוב ש×× ×™ עושה, בין במחשבה, בין בדיבור, בין במעשה ויהיה הכל לזכות ×•×œ×ž× ×•×—×ª ולעילוי ×œ× ×©×ž×•×ª עמך ישר×ל, ובפרט ×œ× ×¤×© רוח ×•× ×©×ž×” של ×מי _____. ×™×”×™ רצון ×©×ª×”×™× ×” × ×¤×©×•×ª×™×”× ×¦×¨×•×¨×•×ª בצרור ×”×—×™×™×.
Behold I am lighting this lamp for the resting and uplifting of the soul of my father, my teacher _______ the son of _______.
May it be Your will before you, Hashem our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, that all my good deeds whether in thought, speech or action be done for a merit and a resting and an elevation of the souls of your nation Israel. It should be especially for the soul of my mother _____. May it be Your will that their souls be bound in the pebbles of life.
The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com
