LPPM MMV "Sitting Shivah"

[Dave Monroe]

"... sitting shivah on an orange crate ..."


SHIVAH 

The psychological brilliance of Judaism is nowhere
more apparent than in its carefully ritualized
structure for dealing with grief. The open expression
of sorrow is permitted, even encouraged. Yet,
beginning with the family’s arrival at their home
after funeral, a process is set into motion that leads
the bereaved gently but firmly back to life and the
world of the living. The first stage in this gradual
process of healing is called shivah. 

What is the meaning of shivah? 

Shivah is a Hebrew word meaning "seven" and refers to
a seven-day period of formalized mourning by the
immediate family of the deceased.. Shivah begins
immediately after the burial and concludes a short
time after the morning service (Shacharit) seven days
later. 

Where is shivah observed? 

It is customary to observe shivah in the home of the
deceased. Where this is not possible, shivah may be
marked in the home of an immediate family member or
even a friend. Most importantly, however, the family
should be together during this time. 

For whom is shivah observed? 

Jewish law prescribes observance of shivah for one’s
parents, sibling, child, or spouse. 

How does shivah begin? 

Before mourners and friends enter the home, Orthodoxy
prescribes that they first wash their hands in a
ritualistic manner, using a pitcher of water and a
basin outside the front or back door. 

Why are the hands washed? 

This custom originated out of superstition and is
generally explained in one of three ways. In ancient
times, when an individual dies of mysterious causes,
the inhabitants of that city often washed their hands
at the cemetery, symbolically affirming that they had
not shed innocent blood. In later times, washing the
hands became a ritual designed to wash off evil demons
that some believed might have attached themselves at
the cemetery. A third rationale for the practice is to
cleanse oneself from the ritual impurity that fostered
the prohibitions against kohanim coming into contact
with the dead in any way. 

Reform Jews generally do not wash their hands on
returning from the cemetery, though some chose to
observe this custom. 

What happens next? 

Upon entering the house, a member of the family
generally lights a shivah candle, which is almost
always provided by the funeral home and which burns
for seven days. The shivah candle, also called the ner
daluk, "burning light," serves as a mark of respect to
the memory of the deceased. 

LOW STOOLS AND COVERING MIRRORS 

As friends enter the house of mourning, they often
find that it looks quite different from its ordinary
appearance. That is because Jewish law dictates
specific alternations as part of shivah. There are two
customs in particular that bear examination: 

Boxes or low stools in place of, or in addition to,
chairs.

The covering of all mirrors.

What is the purpose of low stools?

It is customary for members of the immediate family to
sit on low stools or boxes during the shivah period.
Indeed, it is probable that this practice resulted in
the expression "sitting" shivah. 

Why are all mirrors covered? 
There is no halachic prescription for covering
mirrors. We recall two superstitious fears: 

The soul of a person in the home might be "caught" in
the mirror and snatched away by the ghost of the
deceased.

Due to the supposed presence of the angel of death,
those seeing their reflections might place their own
lives in jeopardy

http://www.jewishfunerals.com/jewish_mourning.htm#3

http://www.jewishfunerals.com/jewish_mourning.htm#4

http://www.jewishfunerals.com/jewish_mourning.htm


		
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