Rs Hejj

3d) Jewish funeral rites and mourning customs and the way in which these reflect our beliefs and support the bereaved

• Here we not only need to know all the laws and customs but how the laws and customs reflect our belief and comfort the mourner
• Judaism views death as a natural part of life. There are two basic principles in Judaism by which death and mourning rites are governed [pic 1]

        [pic 2]

[pic 3]

• It is seen as disrespectful to leave a body unburied for a long period of time which is why burial should take place as soon as possible after death – preferably within 24 hours. Reasons for a quick burial: “Burial should take place as soon as possible after death, preferably even on the same day. The reason for this is that death atones for the sins of man. Therefore, the body

should at the earliest moment be laid to rest. This principle is derived from the biblical verse (which speaks about hanging) “You may not allow his body to remain on the gallows overnight, nut you must bury it on the same day” [ Devarim]. If this is true of a criminal, it is all the more true of an innocent person.”     - Zohar

• 1. Before death - When death is imminent there is a ritual to be followed. 1) you should say the vidui (confession) prayer or the Shema, “Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is one.” 2) Members of the immediate family should stay with them until death. People don’t enter and should not leave this world alone.
• 2. Upon death – after death a candle is lit and placed by persons head, the chevra kedisha (burial society) will wash the body in a ritual way, the body will be dressed in a white sheet, as are all Jews, everyone is equal in the eyes of G-d. There’s a custom to place a tallit around a man’s shoulders.
• Keeping with principle 1, the deceased is never left alone and a shomer stays with them and recites stuff from book of psalms which thanks G-d for life. Jewish law says one is a mourner when one of these relatives die – father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, son or daughter
• When hearing of a relative’s passing – it is customary to tear a garment – this is called keriah. This act of tearing clothes is based on when biblical characters also did this. When Reuven came back to the pit and though Joseph – his brother – was dead, he tore his garments. Sign of respect.
• 3. The funeral (levaya) – the coffin must be made completely of wood so that the body won’t decompose before the coffin. This keeps with the commandment, “unto dust you shall return.” – Genisis. It is also normal that the coffin be very plain and non-ostentatious. Other things that happen at levaya: rabbi says eulogy (hespid), no idle chatter (kavod hmet). IMPORTANT: relatives help heap earth on coffin, this process is to help the mourner’s acceptance. Also people wear their tzizit in so they don’t mock the dead that can no longer wear tzizt.
• The levaya is full of symbols and rituals all in honour of the family or dead. The event is not meant to be ostentatious. We are all equal in g-ds eyes.
• 4. Periods of Mourning - there are different rituals for different stages of grief. [pic 4][pic 5]