Jewish Funeral Service: Key Elements
Keriah (Tearing the Garment) Immediate relatives—specifically children, parents, siblings, and the spouse of the deceased—are obligated to publicly express their profound grief by performing Keriah, the tearing of their clothes over the heart. This act is a powerful and visible manifestation of a torn heart. This ritual is typically performed just before the funeral service […]
The Spiritual Path of Return: Understanding Jewish Burial Traditions
For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19)—these profound words were spoken by G-d to Adam, the very first creation. Echoing this eternal truth, King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes (12:7): “And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to G-d who gave it.” In Jewish […]