(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman)

This article was written l�ilui nishmas the author�s father, Nosson Yoseph Ben Moshe whose yartzeit is 5 Iyar. It is his tenth yartzeit.

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.

????? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ____ ?? ____

????? ?????? ???? ??? ????� ???? ???? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???? ?”?

??? ???? ?????? ?’ ?????? ????? ???????, ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ???? ???? ????, ??? ??????, ??? ??????, ??? ????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????, ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ??? _____.� ??? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????.

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]

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