Post by Mark on Nov 22, 2008 7:34:41 GMT -8
The burying vs cremation question in Judaism is no question at all. The destruction of the body which the Most High created in His image is unthinkable. Human flesh was taken from the ground and to the ground it is returned, in honor, rather than simply disposed of as a useless husk. We are grateful for the Most High sharing this person, in his or her flesh with us for a time. We recognize that the person's life and mortal existance was gift to us. We return it to Him who has shared with us in love.
The story of Abraham burying his dead is an important example to us of the great value that should be found in this process. The payment for the burial place, the cave of Macpelah, was four hundred shekels of silver- considered probably 25 times a reasonable price. Abraham paid it without any reservation nor bargaining. His mission was to be unhindered by carnal thinking.
The care for the dead in Judaism is to simply and honorably put the body of the departed back into the hands of the Most High. The embalming process that is common today is meant to restore life-like pigmentation to the body and preserve. In Judaism, this hinders our goal of returning the flesh to the dust. The goal is to put the body in the ground within 24 hours of death. Jewish coffins are plain and often made of cedar (which will decompose rapidly). Holes are sometimes drilled in the bottom of the coffin in order to speed the process.
In ancient days, the tombs were typically cripts that were hewn from the rocky hills. "The valley of the shadow of death" is a section of the Kidron valley that is so narrow that the sun never reaches the bottom. It is a place that is full of ancient burial sites. One tradition is that a year after the body has been placed, and allowed to decompose, the grave is opened and the bones are gathered and placed in a metal box (still kept in the cript) so as to prevent them from scattering or falling into disarray.
The mourning process is refined in Jewish tradition to a practice of concentrated worship. Upon hearing the death of a loved one, all of the water in the home is poured out into the streets. In cases where the death is a result of prolonged illness, water has been saved up in anticipation of this. The mourner stands in the street and pours out the water, visually demonstrating the pouring out, the sense of loss, without any reservation. Often tears don't come as yet. The water is representative of grief that is too deep to yet come to the surface.
All of the mirrors in the home are covered with a black cloth. Mourning is not the same as self-pity. When we see the sadness on our own faces, this tends to be our focus. We want to focus on the One who gives life and takes it away.
The Mourner's Kaddish is recited each Sabbath during worship. It is traditional for the family, or those who share in the mourning process to stand during this prayer.
commands that we make a priority to care for our dead, even as a priority over other mitzvot. The priests, who can under no other circumstances come into comtact with the dead, are required to care for the dead of their own immediate family.
It is our nature and culture to put away death, to distance ourselves from it and the memory of it as much as possible. The church cemeteries that rest just outside the doors of the church or synagogue are unfortunately a thing of the distant past. It is important for us to consider this cycle of life an important arena for worship of the One who gives life and takes it again.
While the practices described in Judaism are traditional, not specifically described in written, the process is extremely important to our worship. The descriptions I have given should not be considered a conclusive guide; but a cursory description of the way we understand the process of worshipping in the care for our dead.
Barukh Dayan Emet
Blessed is the Righteous Judge.
Mark
Just a note of explanation as to the personal pertinence of this, on top of the reference to the portion of this week, my wife's father died two weeks ago. This is the first week-end that we have not been traveling either to sit with him or to honor him in the memorial service. It's been a rough month.
The story of Abraham burying his dead is an important example to us of the great value that should be found in this process. The payment for the burial place, the cave of Macpelah, was four hundred shekels of silver- considered probably 25 times a reasonable price. Abraham paid it without any reservation nor bargaining. His mission was to be unhindered by carnal thinking.
The care for the dead in Judaism is to simply and honorably put the body of the departed back into the hands of the Most High. The embalming process that is common today is meant to restore life-like pigmentation to the body and preserve. In Judaism, this hinders our goal of returning the flesh to the dust. The goal is to put the body in the ground within 24 hours of death. Jewish coffins are plain and often made of cedar (which will decompose rapidly). Holes are sometimes drilled in the bottom of the coffin in order to speed the process.
In ancient days, the tombs were typically cripts that were hewn from the rocky hills. "The valley of the shadow of death" is a section of the Kidron valley that is so narrow that the sun never reaches the bottom. It is a place that is full of ancient burial sites. One tradition is that a year after the body has been placed, and allowed to decompose, the grave is opened and the bones are gathered and placed in a metal box (still kept in the cript) so as to prevent them from scattering or falling into disarray.
The mourning process is refined in Jewish tradition to a practice of concentrated worship. Upon hearing the death of a loved one, all of the water in the home is poured out into the streets. In cases where the death is a result of prolonged illness, water has been saved up in anticipation of this. The mourner stands in the street and pours out the water, visually demonstrating the pouring out, the sense of loss, without any reservation. Often tears don't come as yet. The water is representative of grief that is too deep to yet come to the surface.
All of the mirrors in the home are covered with a black cloth. Mourning is not the same as self-pity. When we see the sadness on our own faces, this tends to be our focus. We want to focus on the One who gives life and takes it away.
The Mourner's Kaddish is recited each Sabbath during worship. It is traditional for the family, or those who share in the mourning process to stand during this prayer.
commands that we make a priority to care for our dead, even as a priority over other mitzvot. The priests, who can under no other circumstances come into comtact with the dead, are required to care for the dead of their own immediate family. It is our nature and culture to put away death, to distance ourselves from it and the memory of it as much as possible. The church cemeteries that rest just outside the doors of the church or synagogue are unfortunately a thing of the distant past. It is important for us to consider this cycle of life an important arena for worship of the One who gives life and takes it again.
While the practices described in Judaism are traditional, not specifically described in written
, the process is extremely important to our worship. The descriptions I have given should not be considered a conclusive guide; but a cursory description of the way we understand the process of worshipping in the care for our dead. Barukh Dayan Emet
Blessed is the Righteous Judge.
Mark
Just a note of explanation as to the personal pertinence of this, on top of the reference to the
portion of this week, my wife's father died two weeks ago. This is the first week-end that we have not been traveling either to sit with him or to honor him in the memorial service. It's been a rough month.
