Death, Burial, and Bereavement
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Kaddish, a Brief History
When was the Kaddish written, and what was the circumstances that led to its being written? Kaddish was written by the Anshei K’nesses HaGedola, the Men of the Great Assembly, which was the first Sanhedrin (Supreme Torah Court) established by…
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Walking After Shiva
In my community the custom is for the mourners to walk around the block after completing the Shiva mourning period. Is it merely a custom or is it mandated somewhere? Any idea what, if anything, it is to represent aside…
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Purim for a Mourner
A dear friend lost his father a few months ago. I am aware that he is not to engage in anything celebratory for the following 11 months as part of the mourning customs. What is the story with Purim? Does…
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The Death of a Pet
My cousin’s beloved dog that she had for many years just passed away. She and her young children are having a difficult time. Any suggestions that might help? Thanks for the question. The passing of a pet is a difficult…
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Death of a Newborn
If a baby dies an hour after birth should a funeral take place? why or why not ? A baby requires a burial even if stillborn, however the laws of mourning do not apply unless the baby was at least…
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Funeral for a Jewish President
If a former Jewish president dies, how would the funeral be handled? Would he or she lie in state or would the funeral be the next day? When a Jew dies the tradition is to bury as soon as possible.…
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Death By Sneezing
Where in the Torah does it discuss sneezing & dying? Where did it originate? I was going to send you the simple references but found this answer on the web written by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky: “Behold, your father is sick.”…
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Helping Those in Mourning
I have a friend co-worker that just went through a terrible tragedy in his life, his parents both passed away under tragic circumstances. I wanted to get your perspective on how I could be of help him in recuperating from…