Can the Living Help the Dead? Jewish Sources on Atonement, Merit, and Elevating the Soul

“If He Died, Death Atones” (​Tractate Shevuot 7–13, page 8b) We are taught that a sacrifice may not be brought on behalf of a person who has already passed away, because “if he died — death atones.” This means that the person’s death provides the same atonement that his sacrifice would have provided, and therefore he no longer requires the offering (see Rashi).

However, other sins he committed are not fully atoned for by death alone (see Beit HaOtzar, vol. 1, section 86).

Distinguishing Between Atonement and Merit

It is customary for Jews to perform many actions “for the elevation of the soul” of the deceased, such as:

• reciting Kaddish during the year of mourning,

• giving charity in their memory,

• mentioning their names during Yizkor or Av HaRachamim,

• and many similar practices.

What is the actual effect of these actions on the soul of the deceased? Do they add merit, or atone for sins that were not cleansed during life?

We must distinguish between the following which are not the same:

1. “Atonement” (כפרה)

Actions that can lessen punishment or help the deceased escape Gehenna.

2. “Merit” (זכות)

Actions that raise the soul to higher levels of holiness.

A Person Receives Reward Only For Deeds They Themselves Performed

Upon arriving in the World of Truth, the soul receives reward only for its own deeds performed in this world.

A living person cannot perform a mitzvah and have it credited as “merit” for someone who has passed away, but there is no logical reason the deceased should gain reward for a mitzvah they did not do.

The Rashba writes (Responsa, vol. 7, 539): “Even if all the righteous of the world prayed on his behalf and all acts of charity were done for his merit — this would not benefit him. This is our view.”

However, the Rashba adds that one may pray for heavenly mercy on behalf of the deceased — that God, in His compassion, may lighten their punishment: “If even one righteous person prays for him… it is possible that God will lighten his judgment through the merit of the righteous person.” (Sefer Chassidim, 170)

Do Acts for the Deceased Help?

Not only can one not add merit for the deceased, but some early authorities questioned whether good deeds performed for “the elevation of the soul” can reduce punishment at all.

A responsum printed in Chasdei Olam (end of Sefer Chassidim, Mossad HaRav Kook edition, p. 591) argues that:

• the living cannot atone for the dead,

• charity cannot cleanse the sins of those who have passed away.

The Beit Yosef (Orach Chaim 284) cites Rabbi Avigdor, who also holds that sins of the dead cannot be atoned for through the charity of the living.

Many others rule that it is possible to atone for the souls of the dead. This is the basis for:

• Yizkor,

• Kel Maleh Rachamim,

• giving charity in their memory,

• actions done “for the elevation of the soul.”

This view is supported by the Tannaim, who said (Pesikta Rabbati 20): “Great is charity, for it saves from Gehenna… One might think that once a person dies, charity can no longer help. The Torah says ‘atone’ — teaching that charity can remove him from the judgment of Gehenna.”

Children Can Add Merit to Their Parents

The holy books (Chasdei Olam, and others) explain that all the above limitations do not apply to a person’s descendants.

The deeds of children are credited to the merit of their parents, because:

• the parent brought the child into the world,

• raised them,

• and enabled them to perform mitzvot.

Therefore:

• A child can atone for a parent’s sins.

• A child can add new merits to elevate the parent’s soul.

When a child attends a Torah class, this is considered an elevation of the father’s soul, because it is the “fruit” of the father’s actions in this world.

See also Divrei Sofrim (Avelut, vol. 1, 376, p. 340), which elaborates greatly on the power of a child’s charity given for a parent’s sake.