By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

This article is published l’ilui nishmas the author’s father-in-law whose yartzeit is today.

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.

תפילה הנמצאת בספר אלף המגן מבעל הפלא יועץ על פרשת ויצא עמוד כ”ד

______הריני מדליק נר זה למנוחת ולעילוי נשמת אבי מורי ____ בן

יהי רצון מלפניך ה’ אלקינו ואלהי אבותינו, שתקבל ברחמים וברצון כל מעשה הטוב שאני עושה, בין במחשבה, בין בדיבור, בין במעשה ויהיה הכל לזכות ולמנוחת ולעילוי לנשמות עמך ישראל, ובפרט לנפש רוח ונשמה של אמי _____. יהי רצון שתהינה נפשותיהם צרורות בצרור החיים.

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 [email protected]