Can the Living Help the Dead?

Tractate Shevuot 7-13, Daf 8b, "If death purifies"

Our discussion reveals that offerings are not made for someone who has passed away because "if death - it purifies" - the death of a person atones for them as much as their offering would have, and they no longer need the sacrifice (see Rashi). However, other sins committed are not atoned for by death (see "Beit Ha'otzar" Part 1, Rule 86).

Distinguishing between "Atonement" and "Merit": It is common practice to do many things for the elevation of the deceased's soul, such as reciting "Kaddish" during the year of mourning, giving to charity, mentioning souls in "Yizkor" and "El Maleh Rachamim" prayers, and more. How does this impact the deceased's soul? Can it add merit or atone for sins they hadn't cleansed from? When engaging in "elevation of the soul," we must differentiate between "atonement" and "merit." That is to say, between actions that save the deceased from the punishment of Gehinnom and acts that aim to elevate their soul in holiness.

In the world of truth, the soul receives its reward based on its deeds in this world. No one can perform a good deed and credit it to the "merit" of the deceased. There is no reason for the deceased to gain from a good deed not performed by them. In the afterlife, the soul is rewarded for its own actions and not for those of others. This is what the Rashba wrote (Shut 7, Siman 539): "Even if all the righteous of the world sought mercy for him and all acts of charity were done for his merit, they do not benefit him thereby. This is our opinion on the matter." However, it is possible to ask for mercy for the deceased, that Hashem, in His mercy, lessens their punishment, as the Rashba also wrote: "If a righteous one asks for mercy for him... it is possible that Hashem eases it for him due to the merit of the righteous." (Book of "Chassidim" Section 170).

Not only is it difficult to choose actions to "merit" the deceased, but some doubt if performing good deeds for the elevation of the deceased's soul will help alleviate their punishment (a response of one of the early rabbis in "Chasdei Olam" in the appendix of the Book of Chassidim, published by Mossad Harav Kook, page 191), because the living cannot atone for the dead. Similarly, 'Beit Yosef' (Orach Chaim, Siman 284) mentions Rav Avigdor's opinion that the sins of the dead cannot be atoned for by charity.

However, many believe that one can atone for the souls of the deceased, which is the reason for reciting "Yizkor" and "El Maley Rachamim" prayers and taking actions for the elevation of the deceased's soul. This view is based on the words of the Sages (P'sikta D'Rav Kahana, Section 20): "Great is charity that it rescues from Gehinnom, as it is said, 'Atone for Your people Israel.' Could it be that once a person has died, they cannot be saved through charity? The text says atone, teaching that they are thrown from the domain of Gehinnom."

Children Can Add "Merits" to Their Parents:

The holy books ("Chasdei Olam" and others) explain that none of this applies to the descendants of the deceased, for their good deeds are credited to their father who raised and educated them. It is because of the father, who raised them, that the child continues to do good and observe commandments. Thus, not only does the child atone for the father's sins, but they also gather additional merits to elevate his soul. When the child attends Torah study, it is credited for the elevation of the father's soul, this deed counts for him, a blessed outcome of the father's actions on earth (see more in "Divrei Sofrim" Mourning Part 1, Siman 376, page 240, which elaborates on the merit of giving charity by a son).