In Judaism life is cherished and valued above all else. The Talmud states that people are descended from a individual individual which means taking a individual life is destructing the universe and salvaging a individual life is salvaging the full universe. In the Talmud there are 613 commandments and it clearly states you can non salvage a individual by slaying, devotion, incest and criminal conversation. But it frequently requires a individual to go against the commandments in order to salvage a life ( if it is necessary ) . For illustration if a adult female ‘s life is on the boundary line so abortion is allowed ( in the Judaic society an unborn babe is non considered human life ) . As mentioned before life is “ so ” valuable the Judaic society can non make anything that may rush decease such as Euthansia, self-destruction, and assisted self-destruction. However in an incident where “ drawing the stopper ” is necessary when a patient is deceasing distressingly so the Judaic jurisprudence accepts this behaviour. We can detect that the Judaic cherishes its life and in many ways explains this through the Talmud.

In Judaism, decease is non viewed as a calamity even though it may come early or subsequently. Death is accepted as a natural procedure, decease can be understood as another portion of God ‘s program. Judaism believes in hereafter, one who lived a worthy life will be rewarded. Mourning patterns are extended in Judaism, they are non represented as fright or antipathy for decease but have two intents 1. Kavod ha-met which means regard for the dead. 2. Nihum avelim, to soothe the life who will lose the dead.

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How to care for the “ dead ”[ 2 ]

After a individual dies there are four procedure ( rites ) that must be done.

The eyes must be closed

Body is laid on the floor and must be covered.

Candles are illuminated following to the organic structure.

The organic structure is ne’er to be left entirely as a mark of regard. These people who are following to the dead are called shomerim[ 3 ]significance guards or keepers.

The shomerim may non eat, imbibe or execute a commandment in forepart of the dead because it would be considered as mocking the dead. There are unpaid service called chevra kaddisha[ 4 ]in the community to take attention of the dead and this is considered a baronial act since it is a service for person who can ne’er refund them back.

The dead organic structure presence is considered ritual dross therefore the kohen[ 5 ]( priest ) can non be present during this ritual ( cadaver[ 6 ]) . Peoples who are at the presence of the dead organic structure must rinse their custodies when the rite is over, this does non stand for physically cleanness but it symbolizes the remotion of religious dross.

During the readying of the entombment, the organic structure is cleaned and wrapped in linen shroud. The lined shroud and the casket must be simple so that the rich and the hapless can hold the same process ; it implies a hapless should non have less award than a rich individual. The organic structure can non take any variety meats or fluid during the readying.

The dead organic structure is non cremated hence some usage caskets that have drilled holes so that the organic structure can go portion of the Earth nevertheless caskets are non required. During the funeral the organic structure is non shown by Judaic jurisprudence, harmonizing the jurisprudence demoing an unfastened coffin is disrespect to the dead. After the funeral, gravestones are prepared up to 12 months so that the dead is non forgotten.

Burial in Judaic Cemetery

At certain times they provide a separate topographic point for the dead nevertheless it is non compulsory in the bible or in the Talmud ( it is a usage for the ancient Jews ) . In the bible Genesis 23 Abraham secret plans a private entombment for his married woman Sarah. The Talmud provinces that a good adult male can non be buried following to a evildoer. Besides a Jew can non be buried to a non Jew under the Judaic jurisprudence. However there was one incident where Jews and Christian were buried together when they fought together in World War II. They were buried in the national graveyard in Arlington where Jews and gentiles were buried side by side.

Mourning Procedure

In the Judaic society mourning patterns can be broken into several procedure. During the mourning pattern they are allowed to show their heartache towards their loss. When a close comparative such as parent, sibling, partner and kid hears the decease it is a tradition to initial show their heartache by rupturing one ‘s apparels. The place during the bereavement pattern is of import, for illustration if the parent passed off the tear is made over the bosom and over the right side is the relations. The rupturing off the apparels is called keriyah.[ 7 ]The griever ‘s sole is responsible for the dead from the clip of the decease to the entombment, this is called aninut.[ 8 ]The people who are responsible for the dead are except from all the commandments in the Talmud since the readying is the first precedence, this procedure takes one to two yearss.

During the aninut period households are left entirely and phone calls or visits can non be made. After the entombment, close relations, friends, neighbours prepare a repast for the household which is called se’udat havrah’ah ( repast of commiseration ) . Eggs and staff of life is prepared for the household which the nutrient represents a symbol of life, this repast can non be shared with non-family members. After this procedure, phone calls or visits are permitted.

The following period is shiva[ 9 ], which means seven yearss. During the shiva period close household members gather in the asleep house and this normally begins on the twenty-four hours of the entombment and continues for seven yearss. The tradition is all the household members sit on the floor and during this clip they do non have on places, cut their hair or shaving, are dismissed from work, do non anything that comforts them ( even bathe ) , have sex and they have to have on the same apparels. Prayer service takes topographic point during the shibah.

The following phase is the shloshim[ 10 ]and this means 30, since this procedure takes 30 yearss after the entombment has taken topographic point. Family members, relations and close friends can non go to parties, ceremonials, or do non shave or cut their hair. And the concluding phase is called avelut,[ 11 ]which merely involves the parents. The household can non go to any festivals or jubilation for 12 months and for 11 months they have to declaim the griever ‘s Kaddish daily. After the 12 months household are forbidden to hold formal bereavement pattern. However one time a twelvemonth on the day of remembrance of the decease, household members are allowed to detect the Yahrezeit and tapers are lit for 24 hours. During this clip sons recite the Kaddish and take an aliyah which is the Torah approval reading. When sing a house of mourning it is a tradition to state “ may the Lord comfort you with all the grievers of Zion and Jerusalem.

Afterlife in the Torah

Judaic sacred text and literature have small to state about what happens after decease. Christianity and Islam texts have more to state about the hereafter and lucubrate much more than Judaism. However the Talumd and Torah specifies a individual to carry through one ‘s responsibility during his/her life and if the individual succeeded when he/she will be rewarded and if they fail so it states there will be penalty at the terminal.

The Hebrew linguistic communication uses the word Olam Ha-Ba which means the universe to come and for hereafter they use the word Gan Eden nevertheless the Torah, the most of import Judaic text, has no clear mention to afterlife at all.

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