The Distinct Customs of the Jewish Faith
The rich history and legacy of the Jewish faith includes traditions that originated thousands of years ago, including many of the customs associated with death and burial. Though there may be some unique practices in some traditions, many of the basic components of all Jewish funerals and burials have common elements.
Though a Jewish funeral is often held at a synagogue, it’s not uncommon for it to be at a funeral chapel or for the entire service to be held at the cemetery. Ostentation is frowned upon in Jewish funerals, so you won’t typically see an expensive and ornate coffin. Furthermore, because of the belief within the Jewish faith that the body should return to the earth as soon as possible, burial vaults are not used, and most caskets are constructed of wood, often with holes drilled in the sides and bottom to hasten the decomposition process. Flowers are generally not a part of a Jewish funeral—they are considered a form of ostentation, but they are also considered to signify the impermanence of life. The focus, at a Jewish funeral, is on the permanence of the soul.
Expect the service to be fairly short, lasting no more than an hour. Under Jewish law, the body must be committed to the ground as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. The interment will typically follow immediately after the memorial service. Cremation is either forbidden or frowned upon in most Jewish traditions, so the interment will always involve a coffin and a body.
Unique Characteristics of a Jewish Funeral
- The Keriah
Jewish mourners customarily tear or rend an outer garment, as a symbol of their loss. This practice, known as the keriah, may be done before or during the funeral service. The tear, usually about 3-4 inches long, is done on the left side of the mourner’s body after the death of a parent and on the right side for all other family members who have died. The keriah must visible to other mourners.
- The Hesped
Several eulogies, or “hespeds,” may be given, either at the start of a funeral or at the commencement of the graveside service. That follows the reference in Genesis 23:2, where the Torah says that Abraham came to “eulogize” Sarah. The hesped is believed to serve a dual purpose–it honors the deceased for his or her good works, but also facilitates the grieving process for surviving loved ones. On some occasions, though, a eulogy may be contrary to Jewish law. Hespeds are not permitted on Friday afternoons, on the Jewish New Moon or between Yom Kippur and Sukkot.
The opening eulogy is customarily given by the rabbi. Once all hespeds have been given, the service will include a number of prayers, hymns and psalms, ending with a traditional closing prayer. When the service is over, the mourners will follow the hearse to the burial site as part of a practice known as the levayah, or joining.
The Burial Service
Under Jewish law, the burial, or kevurah, must occur as soon as possible after death, typically within 24 hours. When the hearse arrives at the cemetery, the casket will be taken by pallbearers to the grave in seven stages. At each stage, the rabbi will read a different passage from the 91st Psalm. The pallbearers will pause between each stage (unless it’s a time when eulogies are not permitted—then there will be no pause, either).
At the graveside, the rabbi will lead mourners in the recitation of a hymn. Any special rites (military or fraternal, for example) will be conducted after the completion of the hymn. As the body is lowered into the ground, family members will then come forward to “fill the grave,” pouring handfuls of dirt into the grave, or shoveling dirt on the casket.
According to tradition, each mourner must throw three shovels full of dirt on the coffin. It’s common practice to put the shovel back into the earth, where it can then be picked up by the next person, rather than to pass it on by hand. This is to prevent mourners from passing their grief to one another.
At the completion of the burial, the Tziduk Hadin prayer is often recited. Mourners then console the family of the deceased with the following recitation:
“The omnipresent will comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem”
Gutterman’s—Five Generations of Service to the Jewish Community
At Gutterman’s and Gutterman Warheit, with funeral chapels in New York and Florida, we have worked with Jewish families in their time of loss for more than 125 years. We are well-versed in the different traditions within the Jewish faith, and can help you pay tribute to your loved one while honoring your customs. We handle all matters related to or arising out of the death of your loved one, from arrangements with the Chevra Kadisha to ritually prepare the body to the details of Shiva, from the choice of a monument or marker to the order of service, the creation of a Yahrzeit calendar or the preparation of an obituary.