Outline of Course 5 – Chevra Kadisha: Ritual Practices

I.                    Introduction

a.      Understanding Jewish Death and Mourning Practices and the Work of the Chevra Kadisha

b.      Custom vs halacha vs practice

c.       Values – interplay of both Kvod hamet and Nichum Aveylim

d.      Stage theory in mourning – Kubler-Ross

e.      Jewish concepts of ‘death’ – Gillman – Death of Death

II.                  Ritual and Prayer

a.      Ritual

b.      Prayer and the Chevra Kadisha

III.                Pre-death

a.      Bikkur Cholim – Kelman manual

b.      Mi sheberach

c.       Gomel – prayer at bedside and in synagogue

d.      Change of name

e.      Ethical Wills

f.        Life Histories

g.      Making arrangements

h.      Viddui

IV.                At-death

a.      The moment of death (hospital, at home, hospice)

b.      Keriya

c.       Shmira

d.      Tahara

e.      Aninut – Kelman manual

f.        Communication: family, friends, public (death notice); obituary; death certificate

g.      Autopsy, organ donation

V.                  Funeral service at location/graveside

a.      Order of service – if service before graveside in another location

2.      Psalms 23, 15, 18, Ecc. 3:1-8, Prov. 31

3.      Eulogies

4.      Ayl maleh – (eloha selichot)

5.      Pallbearers

VI.                At graveside

a.      purpose,

b.      reality,

c.       Cemetery rules

d.      geniza

e.      Walking to grave – Ps. 91

f.        Tzidduk hadin {or Ps. 16}

g.      Lowering the casket – Al mekomo [teach]

h.      Filling in grave

i.        Elogies, Psalms, readings – if no service beforehand)

j.        Ayl maleh

6.      Kaddish

7.      Shurot

8.      Mourners greeting

9.      Washing hands

VII.              After death

a.      Home preparations – water

b.      Seudat havraah

c.       Other meals

d.      Shiva – Kelman manual: 27-45

         i.      Logistics

         ii.      Tefilot

         iii.      Getting up and walking

         iv.      Water, mirrors, sitting, candle, study

         v.      Sephardic customs

VIII.            After Death

a.      Kaddish

b.      Shloshim

c.       Matzevah

d.      The year and Tehi nishmato

e.      How to mourn

f.        How to grieve

         i.      Camp

         ii.      Excessive grief

g.      How to remember

         i.      Yahrtzeit

         ii.      Yizkor

h.      Afterlife

i.        Resurrection

j.        Reincarnation

 

IX.                Review of all courses

a.      Values –

         i.      Kvod hamet; nichum aveylim; simplicity; accepting reality; expressing emotions; equality

         ii.      Communal responsibility

b.      Major texts

 

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