Funerals - Chevra Kadisha
Taharah / טהרהPurification — Taharah / טהרה. It is written in the Book of Ecclesiastes 5:15 — “Exactly as he came,
he must depart / כל עומת שבא כן ילך”. A newborn child is immediately washed after birth and enters this world clean
and pure. The one who departs this world must also be washed and made pure through Taharah / טהרה — purification, in
Hebrew.Traditionally in Judaism, we dress people for burial in shrouds instead of clothes. The shroud being made of white linen represents purity and it symbolizes that all are equal in the eyes of the creator. Also, in accordance with the Jewish tradition, Taharah is performed while reciting special prayers and relevant scriptural verses such as “Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean, from all your uncleanness and from all your idols, I will cleanse you / וְזָרַקְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם מַיִם טְהוֹרִים, וּטְהַרְתֶּם: מִכֹּל טֻמְאוֹתֵיכֶם וּמִכָּל-גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם, אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם” (וּמִכָּל-גִּלּוּלֵיכֶם, אֲטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם” (Ezekiel 36:25). Usually one person recites the prayers loudly enough to be heard by each participant.