Orientation To Death: *Life is unpredictable and short, so do the best you can. Repent all days like it is your last, and don't sit around and wait. Focus on this world in order to understand death. Most important in the phase of our existance is life here on Earth. Afterlife is secondary in importance to this life. Non-Orthodox believes in the immortality of the soul, and that it returns to God when we die. Immortality of the soul means that it lives on in the hearts of people that you were close to. Heaven? -No authoritative answer about Heaven. It is left to individuals to interpret it for themselves. Hell? -There may be one, but it is not taken seriously. Orientation toward afterlife: Judaism believes in an afterlife, but doesn't emphasize it. Orthodox- believe in actual resurrection, and that there is a very literal Holy Land of Jerusalem, and the rebuilding of the temple. Cremation is highly discouraged, as well as embalming and autopsy (except in extreme cases) as nothing is supposed to be done to hasten or delay the decomposition of the body. Any amputations of limbs during the life must be buried in the individual's future grave to ensure the unity of the body in death. Funeral rituals: There is a wide range of funeral rituals. Burial takes place at the funeral. Shoveling the earth makes the point of finality. Judaism discourages viewing of the corpse, as it is not really the person that is lost, and we remember them as they were in life. Jewish funerals and mourning take place as soon as possible (preferably within 24 hours). Funeral tearing of clothing (now symbolized by wearing ribbon) symbolizes renting of the heart. Wear ribbon on the left side for parent and right side for other relatives. Death of a parent is the worst, followed by the obligation to mourn for siblings, children, and spouses. Caskets: Plain pine box (with no metal used). This is used because nothing should be done to hasten or slow the decomposition of the body. Also, the body can not be buried with anything of value (this is more relaxed in Reform Judaism). After the funeral: The family of the deceased is brought food, but mourners don't have a meal of consolation. The 7-day mourning period starts on the burial day. Shivah- at the end of the 7-day mourning period, the mourner walks around the block to symbolize re-entry into their own life. Children- Under 30 days old, there is no funeral required, although parents are still urged to mourn children they lose in miscarriages, for psychological purposes. Tombstones: Written in both Hebrew and English (or other 1st language spoken). Here lies interred...May his/her soul be bound on life. Often date of birth is not on tombstone with the death date. This is because it is the completed life that is important, not the beginning of the life. There is RARELY a mausoleum, and almost always a burial in the earth. Prayers for the dead: Kaddish (as shown above)- Rememberance of the dead. Lel Male- Pleads for God to give repose to the soul. Can the dead intercede with lives in the living? Although some pray to their ancestors for intervention, it is not taken seriously on more than a personal level. Special cemeteries or sections of the cemeteries: Others are allowed in the same cemeteries (such as spouses of Jews), as long as a Jewish ritual is performed. Often, a cemetery is founded before the synagogue is built. What sets Judaism apart from Catholicism and Mormonism? There is an emphasis of THIS life, and a contribution to the world. There is no concept of "salvation," or Original Sin. The eulogy is central. Why do you think belief in an afterlife has increased in the US over the past 3 decades? The Rabbi we interviewed believes that the belief in the afterlife has increased because: 1. A raise in insecurity 2. Less amount of certainty 3. A stronger belief in patriotism There has been an attempt to emphasize spiritiality in the Jewish faith. Spirituality equals doing good deeds in your community. |
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| Death? You never know when it's gonna sneak up on you! |
| This is what a Rabbi from Temple Bethel (in San Antonio) and other sources said about death in the Jewish Tradition: |