The Jewish funeral consists of a burial, also known as an interment. Cremation is forbidden. Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose naturally, therefore embalming is forbidden.
“…the blood of a person is considered as holy as his life and deserves proper burial,” Greenberg writes. From the moment of death, the body is not left alone until after burial. This practice, called guarding/watching (shmira), is also based on the principle of honoring the dead.
Traditionally a Jewish burial is supposed to take place within 24 hours of death. This is done in accordance with the Torah, sacred Jewish scripture, which says, "You shall bury him the same day.... His body should not remain all night." Today, outside of Orthodox communities, funerals rarely occur this quickly.
Open-casket funerals or any display of the deceased is forbidden and seen as a violation of the deceased's dignity and privacy. According to Chabad.org, Jewish tradition states that, if possible, only fellow Jews should handle the body of a deceased Jew, carry the casket, and lower it into the earth.
Finally, above-ground graves are often seen as more dignified than those below ground, as they are more visible and less likely to be forgotten. For all these reasons, Jewish cemeteries are typically filled with above-ground graves.
When it comes to cremation, Jewish funeral customs will vary across Judaism movements. For example, Orthodox and Conservative Jews prohibit it as they believe the body should be buried in the ground intact. In contrast, reform Jews accept cremation, and it is becoming a very popular practice.
This is due to the design of the tabernacle and the belief that God's glory enters the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle in an east to west manner. Depending on the geographic location of the burial, many Jewish people bury their deceased facing west because they want to face the land of Israel.
Burial should take place as soon after death as possible; if not the same (or next) day, as described variously in the Hebrew Bible, then at most a few days later and only to allow close relatives to gather to pay their respects. In America, many Jewish communities limit the delay to three days at most.
WHY DO WE WASH OUR HANDS AFTER THE FUNERAL AT THE CEMETERY AND LATER AT THE MOURNER'S HOUSE? This is a symbolic, ancient custom of purification, performed after contact with the dead. It's intended to turn the attention back to the living and the value and dignity of life.
For open casket viewings family members are often given private time to view the body to allow them to grieve. Generally, you are not allowed to touch the body or make any comments about the person's appearance.
Shiva is held for family and friends to begin the healing process. The mirrors in the home may be covered. This is a Jewish custom because during the mourning period the family is not to concern themselves with their own reflection, so there is no need for mirrors.
Here are examples of things not to say: “How are you?” (They're not so good.) “I know how you feel.” (No you don't. Each person feels a unique loss.)
Jewish tradition requires that the person be buried in a plain, modest, casket. The casket must be made from material that will disintegrate in the ground, allowing the body to return to the bosom of the earth as quickly as possible, and enabling the soul to attain true and final peace.
Jewish law is very strict about burying the body right after death. Only a basic wooden casket may be used for burial within Jewish community. Embalming is never used, and open casket burial isn't approved of either. You will never see an open casket at Orthodox Jewish funerals.
Can non-Jewish people sit shiva? There aren't rules prohibiting non-Jewish people from sitting shiva. If you have a Jewish relative who has passed, it may be appropriate to sit shiva to honor their memory.
The Jewish funeral consists of a burial, also known as an interment. Cremation is forbidden. Burial is considered to allow the body to decompose naturally, therefore embalming is forbidden. Burial is intended to take place in as short an interval of time after death as possible.
After the body is cleansed, it is typically dressed in simple shrouds, demonstrating that everyone -- rich or poor -- is equal in death. Not all Jews, however, follow this custom and some are buried in their typical daily dress. Men are buried with a tallit, as are women if their practice was to wear one while praying.
The wash is done for a few reasons. Practically, it's important to get rid of extra fluids that might still be in the body and religiously, it's like the body is getting ready for a final prayer. Washing the bodies of the dead is considered a collective duty for Muslims.
Washing the body is done to remove any residual bacteria that may remain on the skin after death. Most bodies after death do not need more than a ritual washing with warm water infused with some kind of aromatic oil (lavender or rose are often used). Gently wash and thoroughly dry all parts of the body.
According to Jewish law, dead people must be quickly buried and burial requires covering in earth.
Therefore, graves were always dug six feet deep to prevent body snatchers from gaining access to the buried remains. Another issue that people were worried about was animals digging up graves. An ancient practice of burying dead people six feet underground may have helped mask the odor of decay from predators.
Grave recycling also refers to the process of exhuming bodies from graves and burying new ones in that cemetery plot. The exhumed remains are then: placed in a mass grave or a common ossuary; boxed and placed in a different part of the cemetery; or cremated and returned to family (Ferraz, July 18, 2018).
In the Jewish faith, it is extremely important to remember, honor and celebrate loved ones who have departed, but overall, Jews tend to visit cemeteries fairly infrequently, as dwelling on the deceased is not encouraged once a certain period of time has passed.
Organ donation is giving an organ to help someone who needs a transplant. In principle Judaism sanctions and encourages organ donation in order to save lives (pikuach nefesh).
In most cases yes. No rule in Jewish law prohibits the burying of ashes. Most cemeteries will agree to the request and the majority of families that cremate loved ones choose to bury the ashes afterward.