Concern For The Living

How does a Jew face that most difficult of life's passages"death? When God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us His Torah, He provided us with instruction in every aspect of life. Death is no exception. From the moment of death until the end of the mourning period, Judaism takes us by the hand and guides us step by step. In addition to delineating the many laws and customs surrounding death and mourning, Concern for the Living explores the complex rationale behind them, illuminating such time-honored practices as shivah, eulogies, Kaddish, the year of mourning, and yahrzeit observances. in its sensitive treatment of these hallowed traditions, Concern for the Living clarifies the profound significance of mourning and enables us to emerge from our bereavement with a clearer understanding of life's meaning. We come to realize that Jewish mourning practices combine both respect for the dead and concern for the living. - 1990