Death & Mourning in Halacha: Funeral Traditions

(1) It is prohibited to leave the corpse [unburied] over night, unless they left him over night for the sake of his honour, [viz.,] to provide for him a coffin or shrouds, or [professional] lamenting women, or in order that relatives should [have time] to come, or to assemble [surrounding] townships [for his funeral].

(17) It is permissible to recite Biblical verses and [render] expositions in honour of the dead person within his four cubits, or on the cemetery.

(1) A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven:

(2) A time for being born^-b and a time for dying, A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted;

(3) A time for slaying and a time for healing,^-cA time for tearing down and a time for building up;

(4) A time for weeping and a time for laughing, A time for wailing and a time for dancing;

(5) A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones, A time for embracing and a time for shunning embraces;

(6) A time for seeking and a time for losing, A time for keeping and a time for discarding;

(7) A time for ripping and a time for sewing, A time for silence and a time for speaking;

(8) A time for loving and a time for hating; A time for war and a time for peace.

(1) A psalm of David. Adonai, who may sojourn in Your tent, who may dwell on Your holy mountain?

(2) He who lives without blame, who does what is right, and in his heart acknowledges the truth;

(3) whose tongue is not given to evil;^-a who has never done harm to his fellow, or borne reproach for [his acts toward] his neighbor;

(4) for whom a contemptible man is abhorrent, but who honors those who fear the Eternal; who stands by his oath even to his hurt;

(5) who has never lent money at interest, or accepted a bribe against the innocent. The man who acts thus shall never be shaken.

(1) A psalm of David. Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing. (2) God makes me lie down in green pastures; leads me to water in places of repose;^-a (3) and renews my life; You guide me in right paths for the sake of Your name. (4) Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness,^-b I fear no harm, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me. (5) You spread a table for me in full view of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my drink is abundant. (6) Only goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of God forever.

(1) A song for ascents. I turn my eyes to the mountains; from where will my help come? (2) My help comes from Adonai, maker of heaven and earth.

(3) God will not let your foot give way; your guardian will not slumber;

(4) See, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps! (5) Adonai is your guardian, Adonai is your protection at your right hand.

(6) By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night.

(7) Adonai will guard you from all harm; God will guard your life.

(8) Adonai will guard your going and coming now and forever.

(10) What a rare find is a capable wife! Her worth is far beyond that of rubies.

(11) Her husband puts his confidence in her, And lacks no good thing.

(12) She is good to him, never bad, All the days of her life.

(13) She looks for wool and flax, And sets her hand to them with a will.

(14) She is like a merchant fleet, Bringing her food from afar.

(15) She rises while it is still night, And supplies provisions for her household, The daily fare of her maids.

(16) She sets her mind on an estate and acquires it; She plants a vineyard by her own labors.

(17) She girds herself with strength, And performs her tasks with vigor.^-c

(18) She sees that her business thrives; Her lamp never goes out at night.

(19) She sets her hand to the distaff; Her fingers work the spindle.

(20) She gives generously to the poor; Her hands are stretched out to the needy.

(21) She is not worried for her household because of snow, For her whole household is dressed in crimson.

(22) She makes covers for herself; Her clothing is linen and purple.

(23) Her husband is prominent in the gates, As he sits among the elders of the land.

(24) She makes cloth and sells it, And offers a girdle to the merchant.

(25) She is clothed with strength and splendor; She looks to the future cheerfully.

(26) Her mouth is full of wisdom, Her tongue with kindly teaching.

(27) She oversees the activities of her household And never eats the bread of idleness.

(28) Her children declare her happy; Her husband praises her,

(29) “Many women have done well, But you surpass them all.”

(30) Grace is deceptive, Beauty is illusory; It is for her fear of the Eternal That a woman is to be praised.

(31) Extol her for the fruit of her hand, And let her works praise her in the gates.

(1) It is an important religious duty to lament the dead fittingly; and the religious duty [is fulfilled] when one raises his voice [in funereal lamentations] to utter over him [the dead] words which break the heart in order to cause much weeping, and to mention his praise. It is forbidden to over-praise him too much, save to mention his good characteristic features [to which] a little may be added, provided one does not overexaggerate. And if he possessed no good characteristic features whatever, one should not mention [this] regarding him. [With respect to] a Sage and a pious man one may mention their wisdom and piety [respectively]. And one who mentions [aught] regarding one who did not possess [it] at all, or exaggerates too much that which he did possess, causes harm to himself and to the dead.

(10) One who left instructions that no lamentation be made for him, is obeyed. But if one instructed not to observe for him the seven or the restrictions of the thirty [days of mourning] is not obeyed.

(3) In a locality where there are appointed pall-bearers to carry the bier, they [the pall-bearers] are forbidden to put on sandals lest [a thong] of one's sandal break with the result that he is prevented from [observing] the religious act. Gloss: There are localities where it is customary that the [immediate] mourners leave the house first and [then] the relatives and the bier after them, and the strangers place the corpse on the bier, and the [immediate] mourners and the relatives take the bier on their shoulders and afterwards [this is done by] the rest of the people. Some say that when they arrive with the corpse at the graveyard, they make halts with him [the corpse] every four cubits before he is buried. Thus is the common practice today,—to make halts with him two or three times before they recite Ẓidduk Haddin for him; and on days when Ẓidduk Haddin is not recited it is unnecessary to make halts with him.

(1) O you who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide in the protection of Shaddai— (2) I say of the Eternal, my refuge and stronghold, my God in whom I trust, (3) that God will save you from the fowler’s trap, from the destructive plague. (4) God will cover you with pinions; you will find refuge under God's wings; God's fidelity is an encircling shield.

(5) You need not fear the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day, (6) the plague that stalks in the darkness, or the scourge that ravages at noon.

(7) A thousand may fall at your left side, ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.

(8) You will see it with your eyes, you will witness the punishment of the wicked. (9) Because you took Adonai —my refuge, the Most High—as your haven, (10) no harm will befall you, no disease touch your tent.

(11) For Adonai will order God's angels to guard you wherever you go.

(12) They will carry you in their hands lest you hurt your foot on a stone. (13) You will tread on cubs and vipers; you will trample lions and asps. (14) “Because you are devoted to Me I will deliver you; I will keep you safe, for you know My name.

(15) When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will rescue him and make him honored; (16) I will let him live to a ripe old age, and show him My salvation.”

(14) Afterwards, Tzidduk Haddin is recited, beginning with "Hatzur Tamim Paalo" etc. ("The Rock is perfect in His ways"). This prayer is begun by one of the mourners. If there is no mourner present, it is begun by the most distinguished person present.

(21) He said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the Eternal has given, and the Eternal has taken away; blessed be the name of the Eternal .”