Psalms by the letters of the name
At a grave, at an unveiling and on the yahrzeit it is customary to read the verses of Psalm 119 that begin with the letters of the person’s Hebrew name, then those of the word נשמה, “soul”. Type the name in Hebrew letters and the verses appear in order.
No Hebrew keyboard? Tap the letters:
Type a name to see the verses.
Send this page to the family
Why the letters of the name?
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm, and it is built on the Hebrew alphabet: eight verses for each of the 22 letters. From this comes the custom of reading, in someone’s memory, the verses of the letters of their name, and ending with the letters of נשמה (nun, shin, mem, heh), “soul”. It is widespread in both Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities, usually at the graveside.
When is it read?
- At the shloshim, on the yahrzeit and, in many communities, at the end of the eleventh month. Find the yahrzeit date.
- At the headstone unveiling.
- At any visit to the grave; some also read it during the shiva.
What else is said
Other psalms are customarily read too, followed by El Malei Rachamim with the name, the Mourner’s Kaddish when there is a minyan, and a few words about the person. The whole order is in our guide to the azkara.
When is the yahrzeit?
The calculator finds the Hebrew date of death and the yahrzeit for the next ten years.
Common questions
Do you include the father’s or mother’s name?
The common custom is the person’s own name, then נשמה. Some families add the parent’s name too. Type it after the name and its verses are added in order.
What about final letters?
ך, ם, ן, ף and ץ count as כ, מ, נ, פ and צ. Each of the 22 letters has eight verses in the psalm.
Is a minyan needed to read psalms?
No. Psalms can be read alone. The Mourner’s Kaddish is what needs a minyan.