Death and Mourning in Judaism Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shomrim

Judaism places a great emphasis on "respect for the dead", (kavod hamet). The deceased is not left alone, but is guarded by two people called "shomrim" (from the Hebrew word to guard). In addition, candles are placed by the head and feet of the deceased.

Answer: False

In Jewish tradition, funerals are held very soon after death. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, Jews believe that the deceased's soul cannot rest until the body has been put to rest. An additional reason probably is due to the fact that Jews do not embalm the dead, and in the hot climate of the Holy Land, bodies would have decomposed very quickly.

In fact, in Jerusalem the tradition is not to let a body lie over night, so funerals are held the same day as the death. The short period between death and the funeral is called "aininut", which means "intensive period".

The family members are charged with making the funeral arrangements during this time, and are exempted from other religious duties, like prayers. For practical reasons, it would be be inappropriate to visit the mourners during this time, when they are busy making funeral arrangements. Furthermore, the Talmud instructs us not to attempt to comfort the mourner when "the dead lay before them". People unfamiliar with Jewish tradition sometimes misinterpret the haste with which funerals are arranged, and mistakenly view it as disrespectful, when the opposite is just the case.

Answer: In a plain wooden coffin or without a coffin

Jews, both rich and poor, are buried wearing plain, white shrouds and in simple wooden coffins. The coffins contain no metal so that they can deteriorate over time, allowing ash to return to ash, and dust to dust. In Israel, most civilians are buried without coffins at all; the shroud-wrapped body is simply lowered into the grave. Mourners take turns shoveling small amounts of earth onto the fresh grave, as a way of taking an active part in laying their loved one to rest. Flowers are not traditionally used in Jewish funerals, although they are sometimes used in military funerals in Israel, or if the deceased held an important public office.

Answer: Chevra Kadisha

"Chevra Kadisha" is Aramaic for "holy society". The "Chevra Kadisha" washes and prepares the body before the funeral, and transports the body to the cemetery. Sometimes these societies are attached to a synagogue, or to a specific community. In the United States, for example, immigrants who came from the same small town in eastern Europe would often form a Chevra Kadisha to care for the deceased of their community.

Answer: It describes the greatness of G-d

The "Kaddish" prayer is an ancient prayer in Aramaic, not Hebrew. It begins "May we exalt and sanctify His great name ". There is nothing in the prayer that mentions death or mourning in any way. By reciting the "Kaddish", the mourner acknowledges, even in his greatest pain, G-d's omnipotence.

The "Kaddish" requires a "minyan", or a quorum of ten adult men (or men and women, in non-Orthodox Judaism) in order for it to be recited. Beat poet Allen Ginsberg wrote a poem in memory of his mother, Naomi, appropriately entitled "Kaddish".

Answer: The mourners prepare food for themselves and their guests

Visitors who come to a shiva house are there to comfort the mourners, and are not guests. For this reason, the door to the shiva house is left unlocked if at all possible, and visitors let themselves in, rather than being greeted by the mourners. Many rituals can be found in a shiva house, and some of these vary from community to community.

However, most mourners sit on cushions on the floor or low benches, to signify their grief. You might notice that they have ripped their shirt as an ancient sign of mourning, or are wearing a black ribbon.

There are many explanations as to why the mirrors are covered. One explanation is that the mourner is not expected to be worrying about his or her appearance. Mourners are not allowed to offer food to their visitors, on the contrary, they are not permitted to cook and serve themselves food. Family members or friends bring food to the shiva house and serve the mourners. If you have ever noticed a sign in a Jewish deli advertising "shiva trays", then this is the intention.

Answer: False

Public mourning is not permitted on the Sabbath and holidays, although the family will continue to grieve privately. It is not appropriate to make a shiva call on these days. The mourners can change the ripped shirt they have worn during the week. Sometimes the seven days of mourning are shortened, if a holiday falls in the middle.

Answer: They take a walk around their neighborhood

At the end of the seven days of shiva, a rabbi will usually offer words of comfort to the family, and then instruct them to end the shiva. The mourners can then take a short walk around their neighborhood, signaling that they have left the house of mourning and are returning to their community.

Answer: Parent

In may seem counter-intuitive, since in the normal course of things one can expect the death of a parent. However, the period of mourning following the death of a child, sibling or spouse is a total of one month, while it is a full year for a parent.

This is because of the special obligation to "honor your mother and father". During this period, a person resumes most of his or her normal routine, but will refrain from attending festive occasions like weddings or bar mitzvahs, or other events where music is played. People also do not purchase new clothing, homes, etc. during the extending period of mourning.

Answer: All of these

The Yiddish word "yartzeit" comes from the word "yohr", meaning "year", and "zeit", meaning "time", and is commonly used by Ashkenazic Jews all over the world. In Jewish belief, the living can elevate the soul of the departed by performing good deeds in their memory. Giving charity, organizing a lesson in Talmud or other holy text, or providing a meal after the synagogue service are traditional "good deeds" done in memory of a loved one. The "Kaddish" prayer is recited at synagogue, and if possible, family members will visit the grave. It is interesting to note that the cycle of Jewish mourning corresponds to the levels of grief described by psychologists. First, an intensive period where everything else is put aside, the "shiva", during which the mourners are comforted by friends and family, a period a less intensive mourning when one resumes normal activity, and then a yearly remembrance of the departed.

This quiz was written in memory of my mother.