Mors 200 Arts Final - Jewish Funeral Rites

Thought to date back to the 16th century

The first monotheistic religion

Founded by Abraham

Foundation for Christianity and Islam

Based on the doctrine of one God, acient scriptures (Old Testament) and talmud

Oral techings of the Torah.

The Orthodox

The Reform

The Conservative

Continue the acient Jewish traditions and beliefs.

Allow greater flexibility and have adapted to modern practices.

Fit somewhere in between the Orthodox and Reform.

Still follow ancient traidtions

Accepted gradual chnges as a natrual growth of the religion

All services and arrangements are under the direct supervision of the local Rabbi and a funeral director.

Rabbi should be notified immediately

If the death occurs on the Sabbath (Saturday), the Rabbi should be notified immediately after the end of the Sabbath.

The group leader of the Chevra Kasisha Society should also be notified.

None made from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, unless death occurs in a public place and/or if the remains interfere with public health.

If death was a violent cause, all blood stained clothing should be removed with the remains and placed in the casket with the remains. (to return the entire body back to the elements froom which it was created).

Role begins when death has been definitely established.

Straw is placed on the floor and then covered with a sheet

Chevra Kadisha unless the remains and carefully position the body on the sheet face up with feet facing the door

The windows in the room are opened.

Deceased is addressed by name in Hebrew and asked by participants to forgive any indignity.

Prayers are recited while deceased is positioned.

Limbs straightened, eyes closed and mouth and jaw may be tied with a handkerchief or piece of cloth.

Block or pillow is placed under the head

Candle is lit and placed at the head of the deceased.

All mirrors are covered

Need not be done before the Tahara

Only observant Jews may handle the body

Body should be covered at all times and handled with dignity and respect.

A watchman who may remin in the room wiht the body within visual distance from the time of death until the funeral.

Recites poems and traditional prayers in the presence of the deceased.

Smoking, eating and unnecessary conversation are forbidden in the room with the body.

Men or women may serve this role

While deceased is refrigerated, this person should be able to see the door of the unit.

The Shomer keeping watch over the deceased from the time of death until the time of the funeral.

If civil laws require embalming, they supercede laws and regulations of the synagogue. If embalmed, blood is placed in containers and placed in the casket along with the body.

Begins with the rite of washing (Tahara)

Aron

Items prior to shrouding

Leader may acquire necessary sundries needed prior to completing this task.

In the event the deceased dies from a communicable disease, those performing this may wear protective garments and rubber gloves.

If deceased is male, Chevra Kadisha would be men

If deceased is female, Chevra Kadisha would be female.

Coffin or casket. A plain wooden pegged box without ornaments or lining. Contains no metal parts or animal glues. Holes may be bored in the bottom allowing the deceased to be closer to the earth.

Tachrichim

Broken pottery

Isreal earth

Wooden instruments

Pails and pitchers

Sheets torn into strips for washing

Tallis for men

Responsibility of Chevra Kadisha to shroud the body.

The Tachrichim should be made of white linen without binding, hems, knots or pockets.

Consists of seven garments:

Mitznefes (headdress)

Michnasayin (Trousers with closed feet)

K’sones (A shirt with sleeves)

Kittel (A robe with collar and sleeves)

Avnet, Gartel (A sash)

Tallis (A prayer shawl)

Sovev (A small linen bag used as a headrest)

Consists of eight garments:

Bonnet (Covering for the hair)

Michnasayin (Pants with closed feet)

K’sones (a blouse)

Kittel (A long robe)

Gartel (a sash)

Apron

Face cover

Sovev (a linen sheet)

Filled with straw and Isreal earth and is placed in the casket as a headrest.

Isreal earth spread on the bottom (casket floor)

Person articles added after body is inside

Clothes or jewelry which were on the body at the time of death should be placed in

After the casket is closed, it will not be opened again.

Casket is removed from the area of preparation, feet first to the site of the funeralization process.

After being in contact with the remains, being in the same roo or at the cemetery, one’s hands should be washed prior to re-entering one’s residence.

Funeral held at funeral home or cemetery, very few at the synagogue.

If at the funeral home- aaron is placed parallel to the front of the chapel or stateroom and covered with a pall. Menorah is placed near the casket.

Flowers are not usually used- if someone unfamiliar with the customs sends flowers, Rabbi and the funeral director should determine with the family what should be done.

The cortege (levaya) may stop at the synagogue (funeral director should escort the Rabbi).The Rabbi says a prayer as the funeral director opens the door to the coach. Provies one last contact with the synagogue for the deceased.

After the prayer the funeral director escorts the Rabbi back to the Coach.

Cortege proceeds to the cemetery

Rabbi may stop the casketbearers 7 times to pray

Jewish cemetery or Jewish section

Site around the grave is usually plain with no artificial grass, mechanical lowering device or sometimes a tent.

Final prayers are recited

Family and friends recite the Kaddish

Clothing of the family may be cut or torn

Casket is lowered into the ground

Rabbi reluctantly shovels earth onto the casket and then lays the shovel down to be picked up by members of the family who also shovel dirt onto the casket until the casket is covered.

Mourners should wash their hands 3 times by pouring water onto them with a vessel, beginning with the right hand. Then they are air dried.

Certain mourning periods

May rend (tear) clothing day of the death or at the committal site- generally has been replaced with a rending of a symbolic ribbon worn on the clothing.

Mourners expected to refrain from work, festivities, or amusement during this time.

Shivah

Sholoshim

Yarhrzeit

The observance of this begins on the day of the burial and ends on the seventh day after burial.

A thirty day mourning period during which the mourners abstain from all festivities or amusement following the death of a relative.

The anniversary date of a death. A yarhzeit candle is burned in the home for a 24 hour period. For the death of a parent, the mourners will abstain from all restivities for a period of 12 months.

Verbal permission is required

Removal and preparation is not prohibited

Not necessary to contact the Rabbi at the time of death unless it is desired by the family.

Prior to completion of funeral arrangements, the Rabbi should be contacted to confirm the time and place of the service.

No restrictions usually placed on embalming

Verbal permission at time of first call, followed by written permission at the arrangement conference.

Rabbi or family may prefer the body not be embalmed.

Any clothing desired by the family and Rabbi

Family may request a shroud under the regular clothing or in place of clothing

Casket is the choice of the family- no restrictions on material or type

Casket placement follows customary placement in funeral home

Open or closed casket is up to determination of family and Rabbi

A Star of David may be placed within the head panel, behind the casket, or on top of the casket.

Placement of the candle is optional

Flowers are optional (local customs and family instructions).

Funerals not held on the Sabbath (Saturday)

May be in the funeral home, the residence of the deceased, the temple or at the grave site.

Rabbi, often accompanied by a Cantor, will lead the service

If the funeral service takes place somewhere other than the temple, the cortege will not normally stop at the temple on the way to the cemetery.

May take place at the cemetery of the family's choosing.

Use of artificial grass, a tent and mechanical lowering device are permitted

Rabbi will say special prayers and lead the mourners in the recitation of hte Kaddish.

No

Discouraged.