The Jewish Mourner's Companion (with complete liturgy) (Companion Series)
A COMPANION FOR LIFE-CHANGING TIMES FROM THE JEWISH LEARNING GROUP.     When a life-changing event occurs, the questions come fast and furious. Should the doctors use  extraordinary measures?  Can I donate a kidney to save the life of a sibling or parent?  What should we do if the worst happens? The Jewish Mourner s Companion answers these and many other questions.  The Jewish Mourner s Companion differs from other books on bereavement in several ways. For one thing, The Jewish Mourner s Companion is comprehensive. It covers everything from illness through burial and beyond, without being unwieldy or overwhelming. For another, it has been written in a clear yet sensitive style, so it s fit for the layman, yet it contains enough guidance for an officiating rabbi or chaplain.  And the Jewish Mourner s Companion provides a Jewish perspective that has been by illuminated by Jewish mystical insights.      For example, the section,  The Duty of the Moment,  describes the first actions that should take place after the passing of a loved one. Rabbi Goldstein writes:  --Kabbalah teaches that the separation of the soul and body is a very gradual process; and following passing, the soul hovers near the body.  The soul does not feel free to ascend to heaven until the body is prepared for burial in the traditional Jewish way and buried in the ground.  We therefore must do all we can to expedite this process, enabling the soul to rest in peace quickly.--    Similarly, Rabbi Goldstein brings meaning to kriah, the Biblical commandment for a mourner to tear one s outer garment. This is typically understood to express our grief at the loss of a loved one and the destruction of the family unit.  Rabbi Goldstein suggests that kriah serves an additional purpose.  In his view, it  creates an opening for the person to release the feelings of his heart.  (This beautiful explanation may be why the Rabbis  ruled that tearing a black ribbon does not qualify as kriah.)    The Jewish Mourner s --Leonard Estrin