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Tag: Death
Reflections on Death (1973)
Heschel writes in 1973 in "Reflections on Death": Life here and now is the task. Every moment can be an achievement.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
September 22, 2024
CJ Journal - 1945-1959
Confronting Death
Mourning a Miscarriage
While there are no specific rituals for mourning a miscarriage, there are practices and rituals to use in that time that can help healing.
Rabbi Miriam C. Berkowitz
June 19, 2024
Children
Death and Dying
Jewish Viewpoints on Serious Illness
We give thanks to God every day for the gift of life, but recognize that we are mortal and that illness and death will come.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 10, 2023
Health
Illness
Mourning Practices for the Loss of a Parent
The period of mourning for one’s parents is a full twelve months, and serves a deeply therapeutic function for the mourner.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 8, 2023
Death and Dying
Lifecycles
When Death is Imminent
Judaism does not recognize any gray area between life and death. Whenever possible, a dying person should not be left alone.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 8, 2023
Confronting Death
Death and Dying
Yahrzeit: The Jewish Anniversary of Someone’s Death
Yahrzeit should be a day given over to remembering and honoring an individual for whom one once sat shivah and is learning to live without.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 8, 2023
Death and Dying
Lifecycles
What is Yizkor?
Yizkor consists of a collection of readings and recitations revolving around two central prayers: Yizkor prayers, and the El Malei Rachamim.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 4, 2023
Death and Dying
Lifecycles
Tombstone Customs in Judaism
Tombstone customs in Judaism stem from the religious obligation to mark a grave. This is traditionally done with tombstones or stone markers.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
February 28, 2023
Death and Dying
Lifecycles
What Does Jewish Law Say About Autopsies and Organ Donation?
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 and Funerals
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
How to Comfort Mourners During Shivah
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
Jewish Laws and Rituals for Funerals
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
What is Sheloshim?
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
What is Shivah?
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
What is the Jewish Afterlife?
What does Judaism say about the afterlife? Exploring the inherent conflicts between the different ideas and why that's a good thing.
Emily Jaeger
December 25, 2022
Death and Dying
Every Day