Hilchot Tefilla - Kaddish I

The orgin of the Kaddish

כי שם ה' אקרא - ר' יוסי אומר: …מנין לאומר יהא שמיה רבא מברך, שעונים אחריהם לעולם ולעולמי עולמים? ת"ל הבו גודל לאלקינו

Sifrei Devarim 306:37

Variantly: "When I call out the name of the L-rd": R. Yossi says: Whence is it derived that when those standing in the synagogue hear (from the prayer leader) "Bless the blessed Yod-keh-vav-keh" that they respond "Blessed is the blessed yod-keh-vav-keh forever"? From "When I call out the name of yod-keh-vav-keh, ascribe greatness to our G-d." Greater is he who answers "Amen" (to a blessing) than the blesser (himself). R. Nehorai said to him: This is the natural order of things: The common soldiers wage the war, and the heroes triumph! And whence is it derived that grace is recited with three? From "When I (1) call out the name of the L-rd, you (2) ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when the grace leader says "Let us bless," that they respond after him "Blessed is He of whose we have eaten, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd, ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when one says (in the kaddish) "Let the great name be blessed," the response is "for ever and ever"? From "ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that our fathers went down to Egypt only so that the Holy One Blessed be He do wonders to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Shemoth 2:23-24) "And it was in the course of those many days … and G-d heard their outcry," and "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that the L-rd brought the ten plagues upon Pharaoh and Egypt only because they had not sanctified His great name in the world? For in the beginning it is written (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L-rd that I should hearken to His voice?" and in the end, (Ibid. 9:27) "The L-rd is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones." And whence is it derived that the L-rd performed wonders for our fathers at the Red Sea and the Jordan and the streams of Arnon only to sanctify His name in the world? viz. (Joshua 1:5) "And it was, when all the kings of the Emori on the western side of the Jordan, etc." and Rachav said to the messengers of Joshua (Ibid. 2:10) "For we have heard that the L-rd dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that Daniel descended into the lions' den only so that the L-rd do wonders with him to sanctify His name in the world? From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And it is written (Daniel 6:27) "An order is hereby issued by me that in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and fear before the G-d of Daniel." And whence is it derived that Chananiah, Mishael and Azaryah descended into the fiery furnace only so that the L-rd do wonders with them to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Ibid. 3:32-33) "It behooves me (Nevuchadnezzar) to relate the signs and wonders that the great G-d has performed for me. How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!" And whence is it derived that the ministering angels do not mention His exalted name until Israel mention His name below — "Hear, O Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one"? From (Iyyov 38:7) "when there sang together the stars of morning," followed by "and all the sons of G-d shouted." "the stars of morning" — Israel, who are compared to stars, viz. (Bereshith 22:17) "and I shall multiply your seed like the stars of the heaven." "the sons of G-d" — the ministering angels, viz. (Iyyov 1:6) "and the sons of G-d came, etc."

ברכות ג׳ א:י״ד

וְאָמַר לִי: בְּנִי, מָה קוֹל שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּחוּרְבָּה זוֹ? וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ: שָׁמַעְתִּי בַּת קוֹל שֶׁמְּנַהֶמֶת כְּיוֹנָה וְאוֹמֶרֶת: ״אוֹי לִי שֶׁחֵרַבְתִּי אֶת בֵּיתִי וְשָׂרַפְתִּי אֶת הֵיכָלִי וְהִגְלִיתִי אֶת בָּנַי לְבֵין אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם״. וְאָמַר לִי: …לֹא זוֹ בִּלְבַד אֶלָּא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל נִכְנָסִין לְבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת וּלְבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת וְעוֹנִין ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ הַגָּדוֹל מְבֹורָךְ״, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְנַעְנֵעַ רֹאשׁוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר: אַשְׁרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ שֶׁמְּקַלְּסִין אוֹתוֹ בְּבֵיתוֹ כָּךְ, מַה לּוֹ לָאָב שֶׁהִגְלָה אֶת בָּנָיו, וְאוֹי לָהֶם לַבָּנִים שֶׁגָּלוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחַן אֲבִיהֶם

Berakhot 3a:14

And after this introduction, Elijah said to me: What voice did you hear in that ruin?
I responded: I heard a Heavenly voice, cooing like a dove and saying: Woe to the children, due to whose sins I destroyed My house, burned My Temple, and exiled them among the nations.
And Elijah said to me: …Moreover, any time that God’s greatness is evoked, such as when Israel enters synagogues and study halls and answers in the kaddish prayer, May His great name be blessed, the Holy One, Blessed be He, shakes His head and says: Happy is the king who is thus praised in his house. When the Temple stood, this praise was recited there, but now: How great is the pain of the father who exiled his children, and woe to the children who were exiled from their father’s table, as their pain only adds to that of their father (Rabbi Shem Tov ibn Shaprut).

רש"י על ברכות ג׳ א:י״ד:א׳

אשרי המלך שמקלסין אותו בביתו כך – אשרי כל זמן שהיה קלוס זה בתוך בית המקדש

Rashi on Berakhot 3a:14:1

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סוטה מ״ט א:ח׳

עָלְמָא אַמַּאי קָא מִקַּיַּים אַ"קְּדוּשָּׁה דְסִידְרָא" וְאַ"יְּהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא" דְּאַגַּדְתָּא

Sotah 49a:8

The Gemara poses a question: But if everything is deteriorating, why does the world continue to exist? The Gemara answers: By the sanctification that is said in the order of prayers, after the passage that begins: And a redeemer shall come to Israel, which includes the recitation and translation of the sanctification said by the angels, and by the response: Let His great name be blessed, etc., which is recited after the study of aggada. As it is stated: “A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order” (Job 10:22). Therefore, it can be inferred from this verse that if there are orders of prayer and study, the land shall appear from amidst the darkness.

רש"י על סוטה מ״ט א:ח׳:א׳

עלמא אמאי מקיים - מאחר שהקללה הולכת תמיד ורבה:

Rashi on Sotah 49a:8:1

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רש"י על סוטה מ״ט א:ח׳:ב׳

א"קדושה דסידרא" - סדר קדושה שלא תקנוה אלא שיהו כל ישראל עוסקין בתורה בכל יום דבר מועט שאומר קריאתו ותרגומו והן כעוסקין בתורה וכיון שנוהג בכל ישראל בתלמידים ובעמי הארץ ויש כאן שתים קדושת השם ותלמוד התורה חביב הוא וכן יהא שמיה רבה מברך שעונין אחר הגדה שהדרשן דורש ברבים בכל שבת היו נוהגין כך ושם היו נקבצין כל העם לשמוע לפי שאינו יום של מלאכה ויש כאן תורה וקידוש השם:

Rashi on Sotah 49a:8:2

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תוספות על ברכות ג׳ א:י״ד:א׳

אין העולם מתקיים אלא א”סדרא דקדושתא” וא”יהא שמיה רבא” דבתר אגדתא, שהיו רגילין לומר קדיש אחר הדרשה ושם היו עמי הארצות ולא היו מבינים כולם לשון הקודש לכך תקנוהו בלשון תרגום שהיו הכל מבינים שזה היה לשונם :

Tosafot on Berakhot 3a:14:1

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What we can infer from the sources so far:

- The Kaddish started as a ceremony concluding a public sermon (derasha) in the vernacular (Aramaic) based on Agada, as referred to in the Gemara in Sota

- Every public sermon was supposed to end with words of consolation for Zion (נחמת ציון), and the Kaddish refers to this and amplifies this theme

- The core of the Kaddish consists of the line יהא שמיה רבה מברך

- There is a certain connection to the temple service

Every line in the Kaddish alludes to the coming of the Mashiach and the Olam Habba in one way or the other, and this is the consolation offered by the Kaddish. We will explore these allusion below, and we start with tracing back the orgin and meaning of the center line יהא שמיה רבה

Origin of יהא שמיה רבה

ברכות נ״ז א:ב׳

הָעוֹנֶה ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ״ — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא

Berakhot 57a:2

One who answers in a dream: May His great name be blessed from kaddish is assured that he is one who has a place in the World-to-Come

דברים ו׳:ד׳

(ד) שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ה' אֱלֹקֵ֖ינוּ ה' ׀ אֶחָֽד׃

Deuteronomy 6:4

(4) Hear, O Israel! ה' is our God, ה' alone.

תרגום ירושלמי, דברים ו׳:ד׳

כֵּיוַן דִּימְטָא קִיצָא דַּאֲבוּנָן יַעֲקב לְמִסְתַּלְקָא מִגּוֹ עַלְמָא קְרָא לִתְרֵי עֲשַר שִׁבְטַיָא בְנוֹי וְאָקִים יַתְהוֹן חֲזוֹר חֲזוֹר לְדַרְגְּשָׁא עֲנֵי אֲבוּנָן יַעֲקב וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן דִּילְמָא לְטַעֲוָותָא דְהַוֵּי תֶּרַח אָבוֹי דְאַבְרָהָם פְּלַח אַתּוּן פַּלְחִין דִּילְמָא לְטַעֲוָותָא דַּהֲוָה לָבָן אָחוּי דַאֲמָהָא פְּלַח אַתּוּן פַּלְחִין אוֹ לֵאלָהָא דְיַעֲקב אַתּוּן פַּלְחִין עַנְיַין תְּרֵי עֲשַר שִׁבְטַיָא כַּחֲדָא בְּלֵב שְׁלֵימָה וַאֲמַר שְׁמַע כְּעַן יִשְרָאֵל אֲבוּנָן ה' אֱלָהָנָא ה' חָד עָנֵי יַעֲקב וַאֲמַר יְהֵי שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרֵךְ לַעֲלָם:

Targum Jerusalem, Deuteronomy 6:4

When the end had come to our father Jakob, that he should be taken up from the world, he called the twelve tribes, his sons, and gathered them round his couch. Then Jakob our father rose up, and said to them, Do you worship any idol that Terah the father of Abraham worshipped? Do you worship any idol that Laban (the brother of his mother) worshipped? Or worship you the God of Jakob? The twelve tribes answered together, with fulness of heart, and said, Hear now, Israel our father: The Lord our God is one Lord. Jakob responded and said, May His Great Name be blessed for ever!

משנה ברכות ט׳:ה׳

כָּל חוֹתְמֵי בְרָכוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ בַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מִן הָעוֹלָם. מִשֶּׁקִּלְקְלוּ הַמִּינִין, וְאָמְרוּ, אֵין עוֹלָם אֶלָּא אֶחָד, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ אוֹמְרִים, מִן הָעוֹלָם וְעַד הָעוֹלָם.

Mishnah Berakhot 9:5

The mishna articulates a general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him, as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. “With all your soul” means even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might” means with all your money, as money is referred to in the Bible as might. Alternatively, it may be explained that “with all your might” means with every measure that He metes out to you; whether it is good or troublesome, thank Him. The mishna teaches several Temple-related halakhot. One may not act irreverently or conduct himself flippantly opposite the eastern gate of the Temple Mount, which is aligned opposite the Holy of Holies. In deference to the Temple, one may not enter the Temple Mount with his staff, his shoes, his money belt [punda], or even the dust on his feet. One may not make the Temple a shortcut to pass through it, and through an a fortiori inference, all the more so one may not spit on the Temple Mount. The mishna relates: At the conclusion of all blessings recited in the Temple, those reciting the blessing would say: Blessed are You Lord, God of Israel, until everlasting [haolam], the world. But when the Sadducees strayed and declared that there is but one world and there is no World-to-Come, the Sages instituted that at the conclusion of the blessing one recites: From everlasting [haolam] to everlasting [haolam]. The Sages also instituted that one should greet another in the name of God, i.e., one should mention God’s name in his greeting, as it is stated: “And presently Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, The Lord is with you, and they said to him, May the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4). And it says: “And the angel of God appeared to him and said to him, God is with you, mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12). And it says: “And despise not your mother when she is old” (Proverbs 23:22), i.e., one must not neglect customs which he inherits. And lest you say that mentioning God’s name is prohibited, it says: “It is time to work for the Lord; they have made void Your Torah” (Psalms 119:126), i.e., it is occasionally necessary to negate biblical precepts in order to perform God’s will, and greeting another is certainly God’s will. Rabbi Natan says another interpretation of the verse: “Make void Your Torah” because “it is the time to work for the Lord,” i.e., occasionally it is necessary to negate biblical precepts in order to bolster the Torah.

רש"י על ברכות נ״ד א:ח׳:א׳

כל חותמי ברכות שבמקדש היו אומרים עד העולם – במסכת תענית (פ"ב דף טז:) אמרינן אין עונין אמן במקדש; המברך אומר בסוף כל ברכה, ברוך אתה ה' אלקי ישראל מן העולם ועד העולם, ברוך חונן הדעת; וכן בכולם. והעונין אומרים ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד... ואשמעינן הכא דבמקדש ראשון לא היו אומרים אלא ברוך ה' אלקי ישראל מן העולם:

Rashi on Berakhot 54a:8:1

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ברטנורא על משנה ברכות ט׳:ה׳:י׳

משקלקלו המינים. שאין מאמינים בתחיית המתים ואמרו אין עולם אלא זה, התקינו עזרא ובית דינו שיהו אומרים מן העולם ועד העולם לומר ששני עולמות יש, העולם הזה והעולם הבא, להוציא מלב המינים שכופרים בתחיית המתים:

Bartenura on Mishnah Berakhot 9:5:10

משקלקלו המינים – Since they [the Sectarians] did not believe in the Resurrection of the Dead and said that that there is no world other than this one, Ezra and his court established that we should say, “from eternity to eternity,” to state that there are two worlds – this world and the next world, to remove from the hearts of the Sectarians who denied belief in the Resurrection of the Dead.

משנת ארץ ישראל על משנה ברכות ט׳:ה׳:ל׳

המינים הללו הם הצדוקים שהתנגדו לתחיית המתים, או אולי גם השומרונים. בכתובות שומרוניות ובטבעות מופיעה הססמה "ברוך ה' לעולם"

Mishnat Eretz Yisrael on Mishnah Berakhot 9:5:30

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נחמיה ט׳:ה׳

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֡ם יֵשׁ֣וּעַ וְ֠קַדְמִיאֵ֠ל בָּנִ֨י חֲשַׁבְנְיָ֜ה שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֤ה הֽוֹדִיָּה֙ שְׁבַנְיָ֣ה פְתַֽחְיָ֔ה ק֗וּמוּ בָּרְכוּ֙ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹֽקֵיכֶ֔ם (1) מִן־הָעוֹלָ֖ם עַד־הָעוֹלָ֑ם (2) וִיבָֽרְכוּ֙ שֵׁ֣ם כְּבֹדֶ֔ךָ (3) וּמְרוֹמַ֥ם עַל־כׇּל־בְּרָכָ֖ה וּתְהִלָּֽה׃

Nehemiah 9:5

The Levites Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, and Pethahiah said, “Rise, bless the LORD your God who is from eternity to eternity: ‘May Your glorious name be blessed, exalted though it is above every blessing and praise!’

We see in this verse references to

ברוך אתה ה' אלקי ישראל מן העולם ועד העולם
ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד
לְעֵֽלָּא מִן־כָּל־בִּרְכָתָֽא

What we can infer from these sources:

-The formulas מן העולם ועד העולם and ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד are since ancient times closely linked with each other and with the (temple) service

- Both expressions have come to mean an afirmation of the believe in עולם הבא as against the sectarians. This explains the statement הָעוֹנֶה ״יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ״ — מוּבְטָח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא בֶּן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא

- This explains why יְהֵא שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא is at the core of the Kaddish, and why this statement in itself can be seen as a suitable expression of נחמת ציון with which to conclude a sermon

Further important references in the Kaddish

יחזקאל ל״ח:י״ח

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא בְּי֨וֹם בּ֥וֹא גוֹג֙ עַל־אַדְמַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אדושם ה' תַּעֲלֶ֥ה חֲמָתִ֖י בְּאַפִּֽי׃

…וְהִתְגַּדִּלְתִּי֙ וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתִּ֔י וְנ֣וֹדַעְתִּ֔י לְעֵינֵ֖י גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י ה'׃ {ס}

Ezekiel 38:18

On that day, when Gog sets foot on the soil of Israel—declares the Lord GOD—My raging anger shall flare up.

…Thus will I manifest My greatness and My holiness, and make Myself known in the sight of many nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD [38:23]

איוב כ״ה:ב׳

הַמְשֵׁ֣ל וָפַ֣חַד עִמּ֑וֹ עֹשֶׂ֥ה שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם בִּמְרוֹמָֽיו׃

Job 25:2

Dominion and dread are His;
He imposes peace in His heights.

Summary so far

The Ḳaddish has a remarkable history. Originally, it had no relation whatsoever to the prayers, and still less to the dead. It was the doxology recited by the teacher or preacher at the close of his discourse, when he was expected to dismiss the assembly with an allusion to the Messianic hope, derived especially from the Prophets and the Psalms. Therefore Ezek. xxxviii. 23 is employed; and as the last redemption of Israel was, like the first, brought in connection with the Holy Name (see Pes. 50a; Pesiḳ. 92a; Ex. iii. 15), the emphasis was put upon the congregational response, "May His Great Name be praised for all eternity!" (see Sifre, Deut. 306). So great was the value attached to this response that the Talmud (Soṭah 49a) declares: "Since the destruction of the Temple the world has been sustained by the Ḳedushshah of the liturgy and the 'yehe shemeh rabba' [the Ḳaddish response] of the haggadic discourse." "Joining loudly and in unison in the congregational response 'yehe shemeh rabba' has the power of influencing the heavenly decree in one's favor, or of obtaining for one forgiveness," assert R. Joshua b. Levi and R. Johanan (Shab. 119b; comp. Midr. Mishle x. 10, xiv. 4). When Israel enters the synagogue or the schoolhouse and responds, "Let His Great Name be praised!" the Holy One, blessed be He! says: "Happy the king who is thus lauded in his house!" (Ber. 3a).

[Cyrus Adler, Jewish Encyclopedia]

An interesting parallel text to the Kaddish found in Masechet Sofrim

מסכת סופרים י״ד:י״ב

ועוד צריך [לומר] על הכל יתגדל וישתבח ויתפאר ויתרומם ויתנשא ויתעלה ויתהדר ויתקלס (הנכבד והנורא) שמו של מלך מלכי המלכים הקב"ה בעולמות שברא העולם הזה והעולם הבא, כרצונו וכרצון כל עמו בית ישראל תגלה ותראה מלכותו עלינו במהרה ובזמן קרוב והוא יבנה ביתו בימינו ויחון פלטתנו ופלטת עמו ישראל ברחמיו וברוב חסדיו בשלום ובחן ובחסד וברחמים המקום (הוא) יעשה עמנו בעבור שמו הגדול ואמרו אמן:

Tractate Soferim 14:12

One must also say: ‘Magnified and hallowed, praised and glorified, exalted and extolled, uplifted, honoured and adored above all be the name of the supreme King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, in the worlds which He hath created, this world and the world to come, in accordance with His desire and the desire of all His people, the house of Israel. May His kingdom be revealed and made visible unto us speedily and at a near time; and may He build His house in our days, and be gracious unto our remnant and unto the remnant of His people Israel in His mercy and in the abundance of His lovingkindness, in peace and grace, kindness and compassion. May the Omnipresent do all this for us for the sake of His great name; and say ye, Amen’.

(This text is supposed to be said just before Keriat Hatora as is still done by Ashkenazim)

How the Kaddish further evolved in Halacha

תשובות הגאונים החדשות - עמנואל (אופק) סימן לה
ועל מעשה הקדיש אשר שאלת לא נמצא בידינו עליו דבר מבורר היטב מן הראשונים, אך סמכוהו האחרונים על הפסוק הזה +ויקרא כב, לב+ ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישר' ועל מה שאמ' רבו' במדרשו +ברכות כא, ב+ כל דבר שבקדושה לא יהא פחות מעשרה, מן הדברים הללו יוצא להם שאם נתקבצו עשרה בני אדם לדבר מצוה בין בתפלה בין בתלמוד תורה צריכין לקדש, לכך אחר פסוקי דזמרה וסמוך לברוך הבוחר בשיר ובזמרה חי העולמים יקדישו פעם אחת, לפי שכבר סיימו את המצוה של פסוקי דזמרה ועכשו יתחיל באחרת שהיא ק"ש בברכותיה לפניה ולאחריה [רבי אברהם בן רבי יצחק אב"ד נרבונה (1085 – 1158)]

Interesting note from Wikipedia

חכמי נרבונה הקדמונים מראשית המאה ה-9 נחשבו גאונים, משמעותו הייתה שהם כגאוני סורא ופומבדיתא. רבנו תם במכתב לרבי משולם יליד נרבונה שחי במֶלוּן, גוער בו על כל מיני הקלות בדין שהוא נוהג, ושם ברשימה אחת את גאוני נרבונה עם גאוני סורא ופומבדיתא. וכך אומר ר"ת:

"גם אשלח לחכמי עירך אם יודו לקוּלותיך ולגרסותיך, ולמה שאתה אינך בקי בדברי גאוני מלכותך ומלכות כל מקומות ישראל ורב יהודאי ורב עמרם ורב שר שלום ור' אחאי ופ' ר"ח ומס' סופרים ופרקי דר' אליעזר ורבנן סבוראי, כי ידעתי כי אם היית [בקי] בהם לא מלאך לבך להתריס כנגדן, ואחרי שהורית בוש אתה לחזור." [ספר הישר (חלק התשובות) סימן מו]

Appendix: The original text of the Kaddish

יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא בְּעָלְמָֽא דִּי־בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ.

וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכוֹן וּבְיוֹמֵיכוֹן וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל־בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב.

יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא

לְעֵֽלָּא מִן־כָּל־בִּרְכָתָֽא וְשִׁירָתָֽא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָֽא וְנֶחָמָתָֽא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָֽא.

Notes:

- It seems that יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרוֹמַם וְיִתְנַשֵּׂא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא is a later expansion in (mostly) Hebrew of the core message יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ

- This expansions adds 8 words of praise that together with יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ form 10 words of praise, against the 10 expressions with which the world was created (עָלְמָֽא דִּי־בְרָא, Avot 5:1)

- תִּתְקַבּל צְלוֹתְהוֹן וּבָעוּתְהוֹן was added later to link the Kaddish to the Amida

- יְהֵא שְׁלָמָֽא רַבָּֽא מִן־שְׁמַיָּֽא וְחַיִּים was added later as a consolation for Aveilim

- עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו is mostly parallel to יְהֵא שְׁלָמָֽא but just in Hebrew rather than Aramaic, and was probably taken from אֱלֹקַי נְצוֹר

- As noted earlier, the נֶחָמָתָֽא is a reference to the derasha that preceded the kaddish

- In its original form, a clear link can be seen between the structure of the kaddish and Nehemiah 9:5

Appendix: The Name of God (שְׁמֵיהּ רַבָּא) and Redemption

שמות ג׳:ט״ו

(טו) וַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ ע֨וֹד אֱלֹקִ֜ים אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַר֮ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֗ם אֱלֹקֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִצְחָ֛ק וֵאלֹקֵ֥י יַעֲקֹ֖ב שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם זֶה־שְּׁמִ֣י לְעֹלָ֔ם וְזֶ֥ה זִכְרִ֖י לְדֹ֥ר דֹּֽר׃

Exodus 3:15

(15) And God said further to Moses, “Thus shall you speak to the Israelites: ה', the God of your fathers’ [house]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you: This shall be My name forever, This My appellation for all eternity.

זכריה י״ד:ט׳

וְהָיָ֧ה ה' לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִהְיֶ֧ה ה' אֶחָ֖ד וּשְׁמ֥וֹ אֶחָֽד׃

Zechariah 14:9

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one LORD with one name.

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, עמידה, אבות ג׳

...וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Amidah, Patriarchs 3

...Who brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name, with love.

We see in the sources above that the story of the first, paradigmatic redemption of Egypt starts out with a focus on the Name of God, and that likewise in the second redemption at the end of times the Name of God is envisioned to play a central role

שמות כ׳:כ״א

מִזְבַּ֣ח אֲדָמָה֮ תַּעֲשֶׂה־לִּי֒ וְזָבַחְתָּ֣ עָלָ֗יו אֶת־עֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁלָמֶ֔יךָ אֶת־צֹֽאנְךָ֖ וְאֶת־בְּקָרֶ֑ךָ בְּכׇל־הַמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַזְכִּ֣יר אֶת־שְׁמִ֔י אָב֥וֹא אֵלֶ֖יךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּֽיךָ׃

Exodus 20:21

Make for Me an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your sacrifices of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come to you and bless you.

רש"י על שמות כ׳:כ״א:ה׳

בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי. אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן לְךָ רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ שֶׁלִּי, שָׁם אבוא אליך וברכתיך – אַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתִי עָלֶיךָ; מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹּא נִתַּן רְשׁוּת לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ אֶלָּא בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה בָאָה שָׁם, וְזֶהוּ בֵית הַבְּחִירָה, שָׁם נָתַן רְשׁוּת לַכֹּהֲנִים לְהַזְכִּיר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ בִּנְשִׂיאַת כַּפַּיִם לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם (סוטה ל"ח):

Rashi on Exodus 20:21:5

בכל המקום אשר אזכיר את שמי IN ALL PLACES WHERE I MENTION MY NAME — This means: where I will give you permission to mention My Proper Name, there אבא אליך וברכתיך I WILL COME TO THEE AND I WILL BLESS THEE — I will make My Shechina rest upon thee. From this you may learn that He did not give any permission to mention (pronounce) His Proper Name except in the place where the Shechina would come — and this is the Chosen House (another term for the Temple at Jerusalem). He gave permission to the priests to pronounce His Proper Name there whilst lifting up their hands to bless the people (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:21:3; Sotah 38a; and Rashi on Numbers 6:27).

ברכות ו׳ א:י״ג

וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ אֶחָד שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁשְּׁכִינָה עִמּוֹ — שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּכָל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַזְכִּיר אֶת שְׁמִי אָבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וּבֵרַכְתִּיךָ״.

Berakhot 6a:13

The Gemara returns to Ravin bar Rav Adda’s statement: And from where is it derived that when even one who sits and engages in Torah study, the Divine Presence is with him? As it is stated: “In every place where I cause My Name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you” (Exodus 20:21); God blesses even a single person who mentions God’s name, a reference to Torah study (Iyyun Ya’akov).

דברים י״ב:ה׳

כִּ֠י אִֽם־אֶל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֨ר ה' אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ מִכׇּל־שִׁבְטֵיכֶ֔ם לָשׂ֥וּם אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם לְשִׁכְנ֥וֹ תִדְרְשׁ֖וּ וּבָ֥אתָ שָּֽׁמָּה׃

Deuteronomy 12:5

but look only to the site that your God יהוה will choose amidst all your tribes as God’s habitation, to establish the divine name there. There you are to go,

מלכים א ח׳:י״ז

וַיְהִ֕י עִם־לְבַ֖ב דָּוִ֣ד אָבִ֑י לִבְנ֣וֹת בַּ֔יִת לְשֵׁ֥ם ה' אֱלֹקֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

I Kings 8:17

“Now my father David had intended to build a House for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

The Temple is seen not so much as a House of God (God's house is the whole universe) but as a house of the Name of God, connected with the presence of the Shechina and as the only place on earth where the full name of God may be invoked in prayer. In later rabbinic traditions, the Name of God and the Shechina became connected primarily with the study of Torah, as this now was the only available means for connecting with God after the destruction of the Temple. This transition is very similar to what we have seen previously happening in the two first chapters of Masechet Chagiga.