Despite his resignation and the fact that an arm-thick wax candle was buried the length of her body in the cemetery, Mrs P. did not recover. The events of the past year were read from the chronicle, recorded in Hebrew. They cared for the sick in alternate sessions and free of charge, keeping watch over them at night. Shortly before death the upper window in the patient's room was opened, symbolically representing the soul escaping into the heavenly regions. The grave was lined with four rough, unplaned boards, and when the body had been placed 16 inside, a fifth board made out of three parts was put atop, which the dug out soil was tipped onto.
Death is no end but a beginning.
In those days it was customary that the parents or wife, children, and siblings of the deceased wore old, threadbare clothes to the funeral. The first seven days after the funeral strict mourning was observed in the room where death occurred. They wore old, dark coloured clothes and slippers and sat on foot stools. Thus even when they were poor the family could earn nothing. The closed box was to collect the donations of those offering their condolences - they were equally welcome to throw money into the open box.