The practice of taharah , the ritual washing of the body, is on absolute must. It is wise to check to be sure that the funeral home director is acquainted with the details of the ceremony for washing. The taharah is accompanied by the recitation of prayers and psalms, appropriate to the situation. The body is washed thoroughly from head to foot and the deceased's face is never allowed to look downwards out of respect to the deceased. A detailed and concise description of the taharah procedure as well as other duties of the Hevra Kadisha can be found in Laman .
Jewish tradition recognizes the egalitarian nature of death.
Tradition demands that all Jews, rich and poor alike, should be buried in the same garment. The traditional garment, as it was originally by Raban Gamaliel , is takhrikhein , shrouds - simple, handmade, perfectly white and clean. The shrouds symbolize purity and dignity. Shrouds have no pockets and so no material wealth can be placed in them. Men should be buried with a tallit over the shroud - some authorities also state that one of the fringes should be cut.