The Irish standard., 1888-09-15

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JEWISH FUNERALS.
Curious Customs That Arc the Same Now
as in the Days Of Moses.
In their funeral rites and observances
the Jews have preserved many OF inc most
ancient customs of their race. says the 81
jones' Gazette. They still rend the upper
garments in token OF bereavement, as Jacob
did when informed of the death OF his favor
tie son; they still seat themselves for seven
days on the ground in sign OF mourning as
Job and his friends are represented in the
Scripture to have done. They still eat the
mourners' meal, as their ancestors did in
Palestine; they kindle the memorial light
to comfort the departed soul, as they did, in
all likelihood, ages before Judaism was
known; and they still recite in public the
mourners' prayer, every repetition of which
according to rabbinical notions-helps the
deceased step further out of purgatory.
The Jews rigidly exclude all relatives
Only strangers should be present when the
soul leaves the body As soon as death oc-
ours all the vessels in the house containing
water are enptied. On the continent, in
places where Jews reside, the emptying Of
the water vessels in the public roadway is
the usual mode of notifying that death has
occurred. The practice had it's origin, we
gather FROM the rabbinical books. in an Old
World superstition chat standing water in
such circumstances became the abiding
place Of certain evil spirits whose presence
in the house was prejudicial both to the dead
and to the living. In the interval between
death and interment the Jews lay the
corpse upon the bare ground with the feet
toward the door. The body is covered, but
nothing-saye occasionally little straw
may be placed under it. Then the two big
toes are tied together. On Sabbaths 1t is
not however, permitted to remove 8 body
on to the floor; itwould be work, But as it
is sometimes necessary that this should
nevertheless be done rabbinical ingenuity
has contrived means Of accomplishing it
without violating the sanctity of the day.
A loaf of bread is placed upon the corpse,
and the two together are lifted to the
ground It is held that only the bread has
been moved, and this is permitted on the
Sabbath,
Two or three hours before the interment
takes place, the ceremonial publication Of
the body known as the tahura takes place.
It consists merely in pouring seven def
uite measures of warm water over the
body, while repeating the words: II will
pour upon you cleansing waters, and We
shall be cleansad Of your uncleanliness; for
OF al your iniquities will purify you
The body is then placed in the coffin, at
tired i'll white cotton gown known as q
kittei. This attel is, in Northern Europe
presented to = bridegroom by his bride on
tke day of their wedding, and is worn by
bin on certain occasions, such as the Day
of Atonemeab and the Passover Eve cele-
bration. It is made by the female relatives
Of the bride, but she herself mast not take
part in the sewing OF it. In Poland, s5alicia,
and in Russia the bridegroom always wears
the death garment under the wedding can
opy during the performance OF the marriage
ceremony. Besides the kittsl, the body is
enveloped la the praying scarf or ts1itls used
by the deceased during life. When this is
done the relatives are summoned. One by
one they draw near and bend over the
coffin; q friend takes q sharp knife and
makes slit in one Of the outer garments Of
the mourner--on the right side il the de-
ceased be parent, on the lett it child.
The moursaer himself then 1snds the gar
ment according to tht, custom Of the coup-
Iry. Id bnc GlaSD hilS toWS Lc6H tNS tt1SSr
ments clean across; in England it is only
torn couple OF fingers breadth. The rent
must not be sewn up for a month, and the
mourning garment must be worn, for a
parent, fully eleven monbhs. The Spanish
and Portuguese Jews ran2 their undergar-
ments as we'll Except among the German
Jews-as they are called-~n this country,
the last offices Of the dead are performed by
Hn rev NfthnupQh
Badishah," or Z" Holy Brotherhood,'' an Or
ganization formed in every orthodox con-
cegation only for this purpose.
just as near relatives are excluded from
che death chamber, so are females prohib'
tied from attending a funeral Or interment.
why this should be so it is difficult to say.
The custom Of excluding women on such
occasions is certainly not an ancient one,
since we knew from the Talmud and later
rabbinical books that, Of old, women joined
in the funeral professions Of their people
chnn ting dirgos appropriate to the cere-
,nony. However, nowadays they are. not
permitted to join, and the obsequies are
attended by males only. In Northern E'1-
rope aud in parts Of Russia, q father is not
allowed to be present at the interment OF
the first Chile he is unfortunate enough to
lose. It il believed he will lose second ii
he does; though this will not in Itself suffice
to explain the existence Of Sc strange q
custom. The Polish Jews are, however,
peculiar in more than this. 1t is the uni
yersal belief of orthodox Hebrews that the
resurrection OF the dead will take place in
the Holy Land, and therefore all bodies
will have to make their way underground to
Palestine before the Day % Judgment. So,
to facilitate this task, the 'sChassidisn,n or
ultra picus Of Russia and Poland, put q
fork in the hands Of the deceased when be
is placed in the ground-for collins are
only used in the case of g. h'eho1' <iirst
born), or q ko7ae,s zone Of pTiestly family
in order that he may dig his way through
the ground with it and thus reach tbs:
Holy Land, where the resurrection takes
place.
On leaving cenetery-which is known
as the btthclam, "house of eternity" or
beth hairs, house of Efe''-it is customary
to pluas some Of the grass growing there
and throw it over the shoulder without
looking back, repeating the words: Lila
nnoyeth lnet5ach" Gle will destroy death
forever. Primarily the plucking of the
grass had no connection with the formula
that nowadays accompanies it; but the orig.