Rabbi Carl Astor Archives

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The halakhah does not generally permit autopsies, due to honoring the dead. However, there are two important exceptions to that rule.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 28, 2023 Confronting Death Death and Dying

Kohanim were forbidden to come into contact or share indoor space with the bodies of the dead, apart from their closest of relatives.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 28, 2023 Death and Dying Funerals

The period from the time of death until burial is known as aninut - the customs of the mourners during the initial stages of bereavement. ...

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 26, 2023 Death and Dying Lifecycles

What do I do when I go to a shivah? Remember that conversation should be about the deceased, not the mourners or the visitors.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 26, 2023 Death and Dying Lifecycles

What are the Jewish laws and rituals regarding funerals? Generally, a ritual washing, burial, and a funeral, each with their own customs.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 26, 2023 Death and Dying Funerals

Shloshim are the thirty days that follows the week of shivah and is considered a period of reduced mourning.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 26, 2023 Death and Dying Lifecycles

The word shivah refers to the seven days of mourning that follow the burial of a parent, child, sibling, or spouse.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) February 26, 2023 Death and Dying Lifecycles

There are several ceremonies that families use to welcome and name a newborn girl in the synagogue or in the home.

Rabbi Carl Astor, The Observant Life (Book) June 21, 2022 Baby Naming Lifecycles

Brit Milah refers to the covenant of circumcision, both the ritual act and the festive occasion surrounding a baby boy’s circumcision.

The Observant Life (Book), Rabbi Carl Astor June 20, 2022 Baby Naming Brit Milah