BURIAL RITUALS IN JUDAISM In the religion of Judaism the way they take care of their dead are quite unique. The belief in life after death is apparent but unusual as to how they reach it. In this paper, I will talk about how this religion deals with death, prepares for burial and practices funeral rituals. In Judaism, life is valued above almost everything else. Jews feel that life descends from a single person, thus taking a single life is like destroying an entire world, and saving a life is like saving an entire world. (Britannica Online) Of their 616 commandments, only the prohibitions against murder, adultery, incest and idolatry are so important that they cannot be violated to save a life. Judaism not only permits, but often requires a person to violate the commandments if necessary to save a life. A person who is extremely ill, fore example, or a woman in labor, is not permitted to fast on Yom Kippur, because fasting at such a time would endanger the person’s life. Doctors are permitted to answer emergency calls on the Sabbath, even though this may violate the day’s whole meaning. Abortions, when necessary to save the mother, are mandatory.
In Jewish law, the unborn are not yet considered human, thus the mother’s life is far more important. Because life is so valuable, we are not permitted to do anything that may hasten death, not even to prevent suffering. Euthanasia, suicide and assisted suicide are strictly forbidden by Jewish law. Their laws are so strict that you are not even allowed to move a dying person’s arm or leg if it would shorten their life. However, when death is imminent and certain and the patient is suffering, Jewish law does permit one to take away artificial life support. After life comes death, and in Judaism death is not a tragedy even when it occurs early in life or through unfortunate circumstances. Death is a natural process. Our deaths, like our lives, have meaning and are all part of God’s plan. In addition, Jews have a firm belief in an afterlife, a world to come, where those who have lived a worthy life are rewarded. Mourning practices in the Jewish faith are extensive, but they are not an expression of fear or distaste for death. Jewish practices relating to death and mourning have two purposes: to show respect for the dead, and to comfort the living who will miss the deceased.
The Essay on Terminally Ill Euthanasia Life Death
Whether or not euthanasia should be legalized is one of the most debated issues in the United States. Euthanasia provides a way for humans in unbearable and incurable situations to be relieved of their pain. In June 1997, the US Supreme Court ruled that there is neither a constitutional right nor a constitutional prohibition to euthanasia. This permitted Oregon to experiment with legalizing it. ...
The care for the dead is quite elaborate. After a person dies, the eyes are closed, the body is laid on the floor and covered, and candles are lit next to the body. The body is never left alone until after burial, a sign of great respect. The people who sit with the dead body are called shomerim, from the root Shin-Mem-Resh, meaning ‘guards’ or ‘keepers.’ (Britannica) Respect for the dead body is a matter of great importance. For example, the shomerim may not eat, drink or perform a commandment in the presence of the dead. TO do so would be considered mocking the dead because the dead can no longer do these things. (Lamm) Most communities have an organization to care for the dead, known as the chevra kaddish. These people are volunteers. Their work is considered extremely meritorious because they are performing a service for someone who can never repay them. In preparation for burial, the body is thoroughly cleaned and wrapped in a simple, plain linen shroud. The sages decreed that both the dress of the body and the coffin should be simple so that a poor person would not receive less honor in death than a rich person. The body is not embalmed and no organs or fluids may be removed. The body must not be cremated but buried in the earth. Coffins are not required, but if they are used they must have holes drilled in them so the body comes in contact with the earth. The body is never displayed at funerals; open casket ceremonies are forbidden. According to Jewish law, exposing a body is considered disrespectful because it allows not only friends but also enemies to view the dead, mocking their helpless state. (Lamm)
The Essay on Forbidden Mourning
Simile and Metaphor in John Donne's "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" Valediction: a farewell address forbidding his wife to mourn, strikes me as an extraordinot nary title for this poem. Donne's title has an implied meaning that contradicts how this poem leads the reader to believe it's a love poem he writes to his wife before leaving on a journey to France. A love so strong, so pure, that the ...
When the body is buried and the person is gone for ever, the mourning phase begins. Jewish mourning practices can be broken into several periods of decreasing intensity. These mourning periods allow the full expression of grief while discouraging excesses of grief and allow the mourner to gradually return to life. When a close relative first hears of the death, it is traditional to express the initial grief by tearing one’s clothing. The tear is made over the heart if the deceased is a parent, or over the right side of the chest for other relatives. This tearing of clothing is referred to as keriyah. (Lamm) The mourner recites the blessing describing God as “the true Judge,” an acceptance of God’s taking of the life of a relative. From the time of death to the burial the mourner’s sole responsibility is caring for the deceased and preparing for burial. This period is known as anoint. The family is left alone and allowed the full expression of grief. After the burial close friends prepare meals for the mourners. These meals are only for the family. The biggest part of the mourning procedure is the prayer. This prayer is commonly known as a mourner’s prayer.
It is based on variations of the Kaddish prayer and routinely recited on various occasions, but he prayer itself has nothing to do with death. The prayer is recited during the mourning period of twelve months. According to Jewish tradition, the soul must spend some time purifying itself before it can enter heaven. The maximum time required for purification is twelve months, even for the most evil person. To recite the Kaddish for twelve months would imply that the parent was the type whoneeded twelve months of purification. To avoid this implication, the Sags said that a son should recite the Kaddish for only eleven months. After the twelve months of mourning are completed, the family is allowed to continue with their normal activities. For most families, the twelve month period allows them a chance to grieve and honor their loved one, yet also sets limits to how long they will dwell upon their loss. Since life is the most important thing, it would not be proper to constantly dwell upon the loss of our loved one. This dishonor’s the life of the deceased as well as dishonor’s God’s plan for this world and the world to come. WORKS CITEDBritannica Online. Judaism Search. Coward, Harold. Life and Death in World Religions. Maryknoll, New York. 1997 Hopfe, Lewis M. Religions of the World, 6th ed. Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1994 Lamm, Maurice. The Jewish Way in Death and Mourning. New York Publishing 1995. Pulled off the internet Judaism search Olson, James. Ethnic Dimensions in American History. St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1994
The Essay on The Many Faces Of Death
The Many Faces of Death Death is seemingly a defined term, but its not. Through usage of language can be made to represent physical, spiritual or emotional death. Only by closely examining the exact language used can one understand the death taking place, and the effects that stream into everyones life. Willy Loman dies, this is known to be true. He crashes his car in order to show Biff how ...
