There are numerous cultures in this planet today; however the Jewish view of death makes this culture unique from the rest. Jewish death and mourning rites have two basic principles: kevod ha-met, respectful treatment of the dead, and kevod he-chai, consideration for the feelings of the living. These two principles are highly regarded by the Jewish community (Kolatch 7-8). When a member of a Jewish family is seriously ill it is mandated that immediate family visit the sick during the first three days of sickness. After the three days are over other friends and family can visit. Visitation is not allowed for the first and last three hours of the day, because Moses a twelfth century scholar explained in his Misneh Torah, that medical attention should be given during those hours. The Rabbis of the Talmud (similar to a Catholic Priest) encourage the visiting of the seriously sick, claiming that this eliminates one sixth of the sick person’s pain. By not visiting would make the non-visitor a sinner. It is encouraged that a dying person confesses his or her sins if the person is on the verge of dying to cleanse themselves before they part. Judaism law demands that a terminally ill person should be companied twenty four hours a day to prevent the sick to be plagued with thoughts of death and more important, to keep the demons from taking charge of the patients soul when he dies. A candle is also lighted in the room of the terminally ill to scare off evil spirits and to make it known that a human soul is about to leave earth (Watson) After the death of a person the eyes are closed, so the person can finally rest in peace. Some Jews place the body of the deceased on the floor immediately after death. This is done to cool the body to slow the deterioration of the body and also fulfill the biblical prognostication “for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return”(Genesis 3:19). A candle is then lit and placed near the co...
