Praying at righteous people's grave sites

BS"D

The following came up in another discussion group and here is my answer which thought it might be useful elsewhere.

I would recommend you to ask a rabbi for clarification. I will, try to answer you though. It is said that the soul of a person comes back to the grave on the Jewish HolyDays and on the death anniversary. The custom to pray at the holy graves is not to pray to them rather for them, the righteous, who are able to travel freely through the heavens and the earth, to intercede on one's behalf to Hashem specially if the person has not as big a merit. Of course, the righteous one is, the more of an opening one has to have Hashem grant requests. Much like one does in government where a voter would call ones senator or governor to achieve a goal since the voter does not have the access as the senator or governor does.

Best communication is praying directly to Hashem and one should always strive to be closer to Hashem by keeping the laws in its details and not deviate from them. Deviation from the laws lead only for one to be pushed away from Him and sometimes, payments for past good deeds may come to one here on earth instead where it really counts.

Hashem gives us free choice. When we come to this world, we are given the choice to do good or not. We are given a spiritual credit card, life and all, including life, belongs to Hashem and with the credit card, we are given rules, the laws to keep. Depending the type of credit one may have and merited when coming into this world and how one uses it, one may end up spiritually and maybe physically well off and if this "credit card" is misused, G-d forbid, carrying a huge spiritual debt. Depending on the debt, such as it was with Amalek and others like him, Imach Shemam u'Zuchram, the souls may end up being split into pieces or even destroyed if they do not rectify. We are also, along the way, given tests and a chance to rise above all since Hashem is all loving and merciful or otherwise, He is all righteous.

Also, we are supposed to emulate Him and His midot/traits as per Derech Hashem text.

To clarify, a Jew honors a sage as a Jew to a Jew and teacher, no more than that. In case of the Matriarchs and Patriarchs, as our ancestors. Idolotry is going further and worshipping them. Always prayers are directed to Hashem.

Please keep this in mind while in your journey since it is easy to get caught up in the wrong things and misunderstand. The foundation is that: Hashem is first, in between and in all and His laws (see bottom of page) are His gift and the path, as alluded by the word used for Jewish Law, halacha.

Brachot/Blessings Of Torah;

Tsila

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Excerpt from previous posting:

The Holy One Blessed is He/Hashem, gave each of us laws to keep. Originally, six laws were given after Adam transgressed. After the flood, the seventh law, not to eat/benefit from meat of an animal taken before it is completely dead was added then.

At Mount Sinai, when the Children of Israel/Jews were set aside by G-d and became a nation, the 613 laws were given along with the two tablets containing the ten commandments.

These 613 laws are coded in the ShulchanAruch/the Code of Jewish Law and have traditional divisions of four sections:

1. Choshen Mishpat: laws that relate to business and financial dealings

2. Even Haezer: laws that relate to weddings and divorce.

3. Orech Chayim: laws of prayer, Shabbat and holidays.

4. Yorah Deah: Kosher food, mikva, idolatry and a few other topics.

Online Halacha, as per Sephardi tradition, available here. To learn on how and to keep the laws, please contact your local Orthodox rabbi and *synagogue.

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*Click here for possible Aish HaTorah locations in your area

Good alternatives: Ohr Somayach, National Council of Young Israel

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At Mount Sinai, the what is now known as The Seven Laws of Noah / Sheva Mitzvot B'nai Noah was regiven to all nations.

Recently, a bit of these laws were codified in a book called The Divine Code. Another volume is still in the works. These laws are scattered all over the Torah and Talmud and are being compiled into these books and is considered to be the equivalent to the Shulchan Aruch/Jewish Codified laws for the non-Jews.

PLEASE NOTE: ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR LOCAL ORTHODOX RABBI