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At most (maybe even all?) Conservative synagogues, the congregation remains seated during every kaddish (except mourner's kaddish, and then only mourners rise). At Ashkenazic Orthodox synagogues, the entire congregation rises for every kaddish. The question: Does anybody know how far back this difference goes, and why it originated? Back in the 1940s, for example, was the difference in practices already in place? What about in the early 1900s? Can the difference in practice be traced to older halachic traditions (e.g. "The Shulchan Aruch says X but the Rema says Y"), or is there some subtle ideological point being made?

This question of sitting vs. standing for kaddish was raised in Is it required to stand during Kaddish? but there the context seems to be only Kaddish Yatom, and I am interested in the other instances of kaddish as well; also, my question is not so much about the halacha as it is about the historical point of divergence in practice between Orthodox and Conservative congregations in the United States.

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mweiss
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    It seems you've never been to a Sephardic Orthodox synagogue. – Double AA Feb 08 '13 at 15:04
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    Also, in your linked question, only the lowest voted answer makes any reference to mourning. The question and other answers deal with all kaddishes. – Double AA Feb 08 '13 at 15:06
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    Michael, welcome back to MY. More than likely the divergence traces back to some ideological shift based on either ignorance of the Halachah or relaxing in its observance/enforcement/encouragement. Are there places in Conservative synagogues where the congregation stands uniformly that suggest some ideological push to do so (like prayer for the State of Israel)? – Seth J Feb 08 '13 at 15:10
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    I don't know what's common or not, but the Conservative congregation I go to on weekdays stands for kaddish (all of them). – Monica Cellio Feb 08 '13 at 15:21
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    Actually I attended a Sephardic Orthodox congregation nearly exclusively from 1998-2002 and my recollection (which could be wrong) is that they rose for every kaddish. But I've edited the question to specify "Ashkenazic Orthodox" to avoid complicating the question. Since Conservative Judaism emerged out of an Ashkenazic context it would be odd if they adopted a Sephardic minhag, no? If this really does originate in an Ashkenazic/Sephardic difference then the "when" and "why" questions seem to be even more salient. – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 15:38
  • Also possibly worth mentioning in this context is that Chabad follows Nusach HaAri, but (at least in my experience) the minhag in Chabad is to rise for every kaddish. – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 15:40
  • Monica, interesting! I wonder if this is a regional thing. – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 15:40
  • DoubleAA, in the linked question the first answer (middle ranked) refers to "those reciting it", as does one of the comments on that answer, which only makes sense if we are assuming the context is Kaddish Yatom. – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 15:43
  • Or it could be just one congregation. I'm not that well-travelled, as C shuls go. – Monica Cellio Feb 08 '13 at 15:44
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    Seth, this doesn't have the feel of a strict/lax distinction, nor of a knowledgeable/ignorant distinction. After all (as has been pointed out) there are variations even within Sephardic Orthodox congregations on this point. Regarding Prayer for the State of Israel, at my (Modern Orthodox) congregation everybody rises for that, as well as the prayers for the United States and the Israeli Defense Forces. When I lived in England, the norm in all Orthodox congregations was to rise for the prayer for the Royal Family. Are there places where one does not rise for such prayers? – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 15:51
  • @MichaelWeiss, when's the last time you were at Rabbi Z's? – Seth J Feb 08 '13 at 15:54
  • @MichaelWeiss It could also make sense (and I think this was the intention) if including all cases of kaddish: those said alone and those said together. – Double AA Feb 08 '13 at 16:03
  • @Seth, can't remember. What's the minhag there? – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 16:10
  • @MichaelWeiss, suffice it to say that it still feels awkward when I stand for those things in my current Shul, which I've been attending for 8.5 years now. I was actually surprised the first time I ever saw the Shul president get up in front of the Aron to recite those things - and announce that recitation was about to commence - instead of the rabbi just reciting them quietly after concluding the MiSheBerach for the sick during leining. – Seth J Feb 08 '13 at 16:19
  • @Gershon, did you even read the second paragraph of the question? – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 18:00
  • @Gershon, the wording of the linked question does not mention Kaddish Yatom, but two of the three answerers seem to take for granted that is the context, as they refer to "those reciting kaddish", which doesn't make sense in the context of kaddish shaleim and chatzi kaddish. Also, my question is mainly about the historical divergence between Conservative and Orthodox minhag, which is not addressed in the other question at all. – mweiss Feb 08 '13 at 18:09
  • @MichaelWeiss Just so you know, policy here is to evaluate duplicity by the content in the two questions, not in the answers. If you feel an old question doesn't have full enough answers, you can consider adding a bounty when you have enough rep. (I'm not saying that applies here, necessarily. Just a general pointer.) – Double AA Feb 08 '13 at 18:41

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The Rem"a, in his glosses to Shulchan Aruch SIman 56, writes that it is best to stand when Kaddish is being recited. In his work Darchei Moshe he brings the custom of the Maharil and the Ariza"l, who would remain standing for Kaddish if they were previously standing but would not intentionally stand for Kaddish. The Magen Avraham writes that one should not be lenient in this regard, and should make sure to stand. (Shaul Wolf Chabad.org)

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/371098/jewish/The-Recitation-of-Kaddish.htm

whether to stand or not isn't at all related to orthodox or conservative but a difference in opinion among legitimate Rabbis. also the person who is reciting kaddish apposed to those responding definitely does stand according to all opinions

Dude
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    Nonetheless, there does seem to be a difference between the Conservative practice and the Orthodox Ashkenazi practice. The OP is asking about that difference. Is this difference of opinion that you mention here the reason? How far back does it go? – Daniel Mar 15 '16 at 02:21