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The Jewish Funeral. Learning Objectives. To know the customs and practices involved in the Jewish funeral and understand their meanings. To consider how these practices and customs help mourners to express their grief. Prayers for the dying.
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Learning Objectives • To know the customs and practices involved in the Jewish funeral and understand their meanings. • To consider how these practices and customs help mourners to express their grief.
Prayers for the dying • A person who is known to be dying will not be left alone. Prayers will be said, and when the person has died a candle will be lit and placed beside the head.
Upon hearing about a death, a Jew recites the words, "Baruch dayan emet," Blessed be the one true Judge. • The body is not left alone from until the burial. Why do you think it is important that someone always stays by the dead body?
Chevra Kaddisha • Every Jewish synagogue has a Chevra Kaddisha, a group of people who take over the arrangements for the funeral. • Men are washed by men and are traditionally wrapped in their tallith. Women are washed by women and wear white. • Traditionally the body is buried within 24 hours. How does it help a family if there is a group like the Chevra Kaddisha to arrange the funeral? Why do you think white is a traditional burial colour?
The Coffin • The body is usually buried in a plain wooden coffin to show they are all equal in death. • The tallith used to wrap the deceased man will have had its fringes cut. This symbolises that the person no longer needs to follow the 613 mitzvot (commandments).
At the Cemetery • Jewish cemeteries have prayer halls for funerals. • Prayers and a psalm are read in the prayer hall. • The rabbi will give a eulogy for the dead person. • A small tear will be made in the clothes of the mourners to symbolise their grief at the death of a loved one.
Burial • The coffin is lowered into the grave as the rabbi recites Psalm 91. • Everyone present shovels some earth into the grave to help fill it. This is supposed to show that they have accepted the death of the person and are ready to get on with their own lives.
The Jewish Cemetery • The Jewish name for a cemetery is Bet ha-Hayyim. • All headstones face Jerusalem. Why?
Shiva • Following the funeral the mourners will eat a meal of eggs and bread. The egg represents new life and the bread is the staff of life. • Mourners now start a 7 day period of mourning called Shiva. • Friends and family will come to the home to talk about the person who has died and offer support to the immediate family. It is traditional to bring food for the mourners. • Prayers will be said every morning and evening.
Shiva customs • The family will sit on low chairs. • They will not comb or cut their hair or shave, and all mirrors will be covered. • They wear slippers or soft shoes. • They wear their torn clothing. • They will not listen to music. Why do you think they have these customs? How do they help a family?
Yarzheit - One year later • A headstone will be erected on the grave. Headstones are not ornate and are usually of a similar size to show that everyone is equal before God.
A special candle which burns for 24 hours will be lit and prayers said.
It is customary to place a small stone on the grave before leaving rather thanflowers.
Some families will have a small plaque engraved with the deceased’s name placed in their synagogue
Your Task • Complete your comic strip on Jewish Death Rites • Write a detailed explanation to the question ‘How do you think Jewish funeral customs help mourners to cope with their grief?’
