What To Know If You Attend A Jewish Funeral Service
Posted on: 19 June 2015
Most religions have special requirements for how bodies are to be treated and funeral services are to be managed. The Jewish faith, however, has very specific guidelines for how to honor the dead within their religion. If you attend a Jewish funeral service, you may observe the following traditions:
There's little time between death and the service.
If you were surprised by how quickly the funeral service was planned and scheduled following the death, that's part of Jewish tradition. Preparations take such priority that the deceased's family and other mourners don't have to adhere to other commands, like observing the Sabbath or day of rest.
Some of this is because Jewish law doesn't allow the body to be embalmed. In addition, no organs can be removed (although an exception is made if the organs are going to be donated). Therefore, the body cannot be preserved for long.
You won't see an open casket.
Traditional Jewish law doesn't permit open caskets, as that could be disrespectful to the deceased, particularly if an enemy views the body.
Before the casket is closed, the body is prepared and traditionally wrapped in a simple linen garment. Modern-day Jews may not actually wear linen, but can be dressed simply in other clothing. The key is to keep it simple, as all people who have died should be respected and treated as equal.
The restrictions on embalming are carried over to not doing anything to the body. In non-Jewish funerals, often the deceased has special makeup, or the funeral director uses other techniques to enhance his or her appearance. This is not encouraged by Jewish law, either.
The casket won't be elaborate.
In carrying on the idea of keeping burials simple and similar for people of different backgrounds and financial means, the casket at a Jewish funeral is usually very simple. In fact, it may just be a plain wooden box, and usually won't have any metal so it can be completely biodegradable.
This comes from the verse in the book of Genesis when G-d tells Adam "for dust you are and to dust you shall return."
Special prayers are said.
As you might expect, Jews have special prayers that are said over the deceased. One of the most commonly recited is called El Malei Rachamim. This prayer uses the name of the deceased and reminds attendees that he or she is in G-d's presence. You will usually stand during this prayer.
For most parts of the Jewish funeral service, you'll be able to follow with the other attendees and mourners to understand the order of the service. Many less-religious Jews will also include secular traditions or those from other faiths. Funeral homes, like Shepherd Funeral Home, are often familiar with the practices of many religions, and may be able to answer additional questions you have prior to attending a Jewish funeral.
Share