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The date of the Yahrzeit, which is determined by the Hebrew calendar, is the anniversary of the death.
The main obligation, is the custom on the day of the Yahrzeit, which begins at sundown, is to recite the Kaddish prayer three times (evening, morning, and afternoon). Also people will light a special candle which burns for 24 hours, called a "Yahrzeit candle".
In previous times, it was customary to fast on the day of the Yahrzeit. While some Jews still do this, amongst Orthodox Jews it has become customary to complete a tractate of Talmud or a volume of the Mishnah, necessitating a siyum (celebratory meal), which overrides the need to fast.
| Milestones in the Jewish Life Cycle |
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| Birth: Brit milah | Zeved habat (Simchat Bat) | Hebrew name | Wimpel | Redemption of First-born
Teenage: Bar/Bat mitzvah Adult: Ablution in Judaism | Prayers and blessings Marriage: Matchmaking | Jewish view of marriage | Role of women in Judaism | Niddah | Mikvah | Tzeniut Cultural: Aliyah | Torah study Items of religious significance worn at various times: Tzitzit | Tallit | Tefillin | Yarmulke-Kippa Death: Chevera Kaddisha | Shiv'ah | Kaddish | Yahrzeit |
Jewish law and rituals