By Dr. Zev Ballen Image credit: plasticiti3s
It is customary to go erev (the day before) Rosh Hashana after the morning prayers to the cemetery and bow prayerfully at the graves of tzaddikim [righteous men]; charity should be given to the poor, and many fervent supplications offered to arouse the saintly tzaddikim, in their eternal resting place to intercede for us on the Day of Judgement. There is an additional reason: the place where tzaddikim are buried is sacred and pure, and prayers are more readily accepted when they are offered on sacred ground, and the Holy One, blessed is He, will show us kindness for the tzaddikim. But it should not be your intention to appeal to the dead who rest there, for that would be tantamount to "Inquiring of the dead," (Deuteronomy 18:11),[which is forbidden.] (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 128:13)
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