According to Kabbala, on the anniversary of death (yahrzeit) the soul of the deceased rises to a higher spiritual level in heaven. This is the reason that on this day the descendants and acquaintances of the departed make a special effort to help their souls continue their ascent. Below are a some of the customs relating to the yahrzeit:

On the Shabbat before the yahrzeit of a parent, it is customary for the son to be called up to the Torah reading.

On the day of the yahrzeit itself, a 24-hour candle (“yahrzeit candle”) is lit at home or in the synagogue, before sunset of the previous day. If the yahrzeit occurs on a Sunday, the candle is not lit until after Havdala is recited at the conclusion of Shabbat.

On this day, Kaddish is recited for the departed, and if possible, the son should serve as the prayer leader for the three daily prayer services in the synagogue. The custom to serve as a prayer leader and/or to recite Kaddish applies even when the yahrzeit falls on a Shabbat.

On the yahrzeit it is appropriate for the descendants of the deceased to give money to charity, as a merit for the soul of their loved one.

Some have the custom of holding a commemorative meal on this day, while others make do with bringing cake and drinks to the synagogue, so that those present can recite blessings and say “lehayim” (“for life”) as a merit for the soul of the deceased.

It is appropriate on the yahrzeit to learn Mishna as a merit for the soul of the departed. It is customary to study the four mishnayot from Tractate Mikvaot that begin with the letters spelling neshama, meaning “soul”: Chapter 7, mishnayot 4–7. In addition, some learn mishnayot whose initial letters spell the name or names of the deceased.

Some take this custom of Torah study in memory of the deceased one step further, and every year on the yahrzeit they conduct a siyum, a ceremony marking the completion of a unit of the Oral Torah, such as a tractate of the Talmud or one of the six orders of the Mishna.