The Mourner’s Kaddish
Jewish belief in the afterlife is affirmed in almost all of the Jewish rituals of mourning. Of these, by far the best known is the recitation of the Kaddish prayer by the mourner. In…
Helping A Mourner
If you wish to assist a family in mourning, ask a non-mourning family member who is organizing the shiva how you can help.
Shiva Call
Consoling the mourner (often referred to as paying a shiva call) is one of the most fulfilling, and challenging, mitzvot. One who is going to console mourners (menachem avel) should…
Sitting Shiva
Sitting shiva is the Jewish method of mourning the dead. A person has an obligation to mourn for his/her seven closest relations: spouse, father, mother, brother, sister, son or…
Emor 5782-2022
“Priests and Death: An Unusual Relationship” (updated and revised from Emor 5765-2005) by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week’s parasha, parashat Emor, continues the theme of holiness…
Tazria 5768-2008
"The Odd Ritual Practices of the Metzorah!" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald According to rabbinic tradition, the "tzah'ra'aht" affliction is not a bodily disease, but a physical…
Emor 5765-2005
"Priests and Death: An Unusual Relationship" by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald This week's parasha, parashat Emor, continues the theme of holiness from last week's parasha, parashat Kedoshim,…
Thirty Days, The Shloshim
While the seven-day mourning period called shiva is well-known in the general American culture, Jewish mourning is actually a richly layered time period designed, seemingly, to ease the…
The First Mourning
For those who suffer the loss of a close relative, Jewish tradition provides a distinctive mourning ritual, the most prominent aspect of which is shiva, the seven days of mourning.…