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THE SOURCE OF RECITING KADDISH ON BEHALF OF THE DECEASED

“Absolve Your nation Israel which you redeemed” (Deut. 21:8). The Rabbis expounded in the Pesikta, (a compilation of Medrashim on the Torah) ‘... this refers to the dead who can receive atonement through the charity of the living.’ From this we learn that the dead derive benefit from charity which the living consecrate in their behalf... This also applies to one who recites Kaddish or any blessing publicly in the synagogue as... in the story of R’ Akiva (R’ Bachya, Deut. 21:6).

The source of reciting Kaddish on behalf of one’s deceased parents is an incident that is attributed to Rabbi Akiva mentioned in Mesechta Kallah (one of the “minor mishnayot”)

Once, R’ Akiva saw a bizarre man with a complexion black as coal. On his head, he was carrying a load heavy enough for ten men, and he was running swiftly as a horse. R’ Akiva ordered him to stop.
‘Why do you do such hard work?,’ the Tanna (Rabbi Akive was one of the Tannaim, the Rabbis quoted in the Mishnayot) asked.
The apparition answered, ‘Do not detain me lest my supervisors be angry with me.’
‘What is this? What do you do?’
‘I am a dead man,’ he replied. ‘Every day I am punished anew by being sent to chop wood for a fire in which I am consumed.’
‘What did you do in life, my son?’ asked R’ Akiva.
‘I was a tax-collector. I would be lenient with the rich and oppress the poor.’
R’ Akiva persisted. ‘Have you heard if there is any way to save you?’
‘I heard that if only I had left a son who would stand before the congregation and call out “Boruchu Es Hashem HaMevorach”, “Bless HASHEM, Who is to be blessed!” — to which the people would respond ‘Boruch Hashem HaMevorach Le’Olom Va’ed’,, Blessed is HASHEM, Who is to be blessed, forever and ever! And if only had I left a son who could proclaim to the congregation, ‘Yehay Shemay Rabbah, “May His great Name be exalted and sanctified”
— to which the people would respond ‘Yehay Shemay Rabbah Mevorach’
May His great Name be blessed! If I had such a son I would be released from my punishment.
But I left no son ... When I died, my wife was pregnant, but even if she had a son, there would be no one to teach him.

That moment R’ Akiva resolved to discover if a boy had been born and, if so, to teach him until he could lead the congregation in prayer. He went to Ludkia (the town where the tax-collector came from) and inquired after the despised tax-collector. ‘May the bones of the wicked one be pulverized!’ the people spat out. To R’ Akiva’s inquiries about the widow, they responded, ‘May her memory be obliterated from the earth!’ And his child — ‘He is not even circumcised.’

R’ Akiva took the child, had him circumcised, and personally taught him Torah and the order of prayers. When he was ready, R’ Akiva appointed him to lead the congregation in prayer.
‘Bor’chu es HASHEM...’ and the people blessed Him.
‘Yisgadal V’yiskadash shrnei rabbah...’ and the people responded, ‘Yehei shmei rabbah...’
Instantly, the tortured soul was freed from its punishment. That very night, it appeared to R’ Akiva in a dream and blessed him. ‘May it be God’s will that your mind be at ease in Paradise, for you have rescued me from the judgment of Gehinnom.’

R’ Akiva cried out to God, ‘May you be known as HASHEM [the Attribute of Mercy] forever; HASHEM is Your appellation throughout the generations!’

From the Artscroll Kaddish
Mesorah Publications, New York