, 1888-09-02
JEWISH FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
Many of Their Most Ancient Rites Still
observed-Pesuliar Ceremonies.

ceremonies
In their funeral rites and observances
the Jews have preserved NAM of the
most ancient customs of their race. They
still rend the upper garments in token Of
bereavement, as Jacob did when in
formed of the death of his f~avorite 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 kipdIe the memo
rial light to comfort the departed soul,
as they did, in all likelihood, ages before
Judaism was known; and they still re-
cite in public the m%ourners' prayer, every
repetition of Notwithstanding to rab-
binical notions-helps the deceased a
step further out of p~urgatory. In the
west as in the east these customs are
practically the same-we mean among
J sshsN great bulk of observant Jews. The
very wealthy and the more highly Gull
tured members of the synagogue are in
these things, as in many others, a law
unto themselves.
The Jews rigidly exclude all relatives
from the chamber of a dying co-religion-
ist. Only strangers should be present
when the soul leaves the body. As soon
as death occurs all the vessels in the
house containing water are emptied.
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 a death has occurred.
The practice had its origin, we gather
from the rabbinical books, in an Old
World superstition that standing water
in such circumstance became the abid-
ing place of certain evil spirits whose
presence in the house was ~preiudicial
both to the dead and to the living. In
the interval between death and inter-
ment the Jews lay the corpse upon the
bare ground with the feet toward the
door. The body is covered, but nothing
saving occasionally a little straw-may
be placed under it. Then the two big
toes are tied together. On Sabbaths it is
not, however, permitted to remove a
body on to the floor; it would be work.
But as it is sometimes necessary that this
should nevertheless be done, rabbinical
ingenuity has contrived a means of &C
complishing 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. 1t is
held that only the bread has been moved,
and this is permitted on the Sabbath.
Two or three hours before the inter-
ment takes place the ceremonial puri6ca-
ton of the body known as the tahara
takes place. 1t consists merely in pour
ing seven definite measures of warm
water over the body, while repeating the
words: II will pour upon you cleansing
waters, and ye shall he cleansed of your
un%cleanliness; for of all your iniquities 1
will purify you" The body is then
placed in the coffin attired in a white cot
ton gown known as a kittel. This kittel
is, IN northern Europe, presented to a
bridegroom by his bride on the day of
their wedding, and is worn by him on
certain occasions, such as the Day OF
Atonement and the Passover Eve celebra-
ton. 1t is made by the female relatives
of the bride, but she herself must not
tax part in the sewing of it. In Poland,
Gaiicia, and in Russia the bridegroom al
ways wears the death garment under the
wedding canopy during the performance
OF the marriage ceremony. Besides the
klttel, the body is enveloped in the pray
ing scarf or talith used by the deceased
during life. When this is done the rela-
tives are summoned. One by one they
ASSA oAo OCL1h ONSI JIG CO1ll1, d
friend takes q sharp knife and makes a slit
in one of the outer garments Of the
mourner-on the right side if the de-
ceased be a parent, on the left if a child.
The mourner himself then rends the gar
ment, according to the custom of the
country. In the east the Jew tears the
vestment clean across; in England it is
only torn a 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 months.
The Spanish and Portuguese Jews rend
their undergarments as well. Except
among h German Jews-as they are
called-in this country, the last offices CT
the dead are performed by the members
OF what are termed ''Chevrah Kadishaw"
or "Holy Brotherhood" an organization
formed in every orthodox congregation
only for this purpose.
Just as near relatives are excluded
from the death chamber, SO are females
prohibited from attending a funeral or
interment. Why this should be SO it is
difficult to say. The custom of exclud-
ing women on such occasion is certainly
not an ancient one, since we know from
the Talmud and later rabbinicaI books
that, of old, ome Joined in the funeral
professions of their people, chanting
dirges appropriate to the
However, nowadays they are not per
united to join, and the ~obsequies are at
tended by males only. In Northern
Europe and in parts of Russia. IA father
is not allowed to be present at the inter
ment of the first child he is unfortunate
enough to lose. 1t is believed he will
lose a second if he does, though this will
not in itself suffice to explain the exist
ence of so strange a custom. The Polish
Jews are, however, peculiar in more than
this. 1t is the universal belief of ortho-
dox 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 he.