Rabbi Leivi Sudak
Rabbi Leivi Sudak is the rabbi of Lubavitch of Edgware. Each week, he enlightens us about religious rituals and traditions with his A to Z of Jewish customs.
C Is For...
Chevra Kadisha
Every Jewish community has a small group of extremely special people. They are known as Chevra Kadisha (Holy Society).
Members of Chevra Kadisha are the ones who take charge of burying the departed, but they are not to be confused with an undertaker or funeral director. They are people who set themselves aside from the pursuit of their personal comforts and interests, and engage in acts of kindness.
The true title is Chevra Kadisha Gomlei Chesed Shel Emes (Holy Society of People who Deliver True Kindness).
To most of us it appears that the acts of Chevra Kadisha solely regard the ‘tahara’ (preparation) and burial of the dead. However, in reality, the functions of Chevra Kadisha would be to undertake all aspects of welfare. Female Chevra Kadisha members would entertain new mothers during the early days after giving birth, helping them with their personal needs. General functions that Chevra Kadisha would undertake included Gmach (interest-free loan funds), Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick), older people’s homes, and anything else that could improve the living condition of a fellow Jew. Even today, some communities’ Chevra Kadisha members engage in a wide range of kind deeds. As an example, visit the website of the Johannesburg Chevra Kadisha on www.jhbchev.co.za.
Alongside the schochet, members of the Chevra Kadisha were recognised as special people from whom a special type of goodness radiated.
True kindness is a description reserved for doing a favour for the departed, as all other forms of kindness bear an (at least potential) expression of gratitude from the recipient. The communication that we receive from the person whom we have just assisted is gratifying. The deceased cannot even say ‘thank you’ to those who have served it.
Amongst the most notable Chevra Kadisha practitioners was Moshe Rabeinu (Moses), who personally concerned himself with the remains of Yosef (Joseph), whose last wish was that he be buried in the Holy Land and that the Jews should not leave his body behind in Egypt when the time of their redemption arrived.
Chevra Kadisha members are extremely conscientious. They are at all times concerned that their actions should not cause offence to the departed one. In addition to seeking the forgiveness of the departed, many have the custom of undertaking a fast each year as a penance, lest they had offended someone in their care. In many communities this fast takes place on 7 Adar, the Yohrzeit (anniversary of passing) of Moshe Rabeinu. This fast is broken with a collective Seudah (festive meal), when all the members of the Chevra Kadisha join together. Some Chevra Kadisha use this Seudah as an opportunity to review the personal needs of people living in their town and decide which needs they could address. Other Chevra Kadisha organisations invite members of their community to attend the Seudah and become members.
At the Jewish Museum in Camden (www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/visitus/camden.asp), you can see some of the ornate Chevra Kadisha cups of old European Jewish communities. These are large wine goblets that were used at these Seudah, where all the members would share from the same cup of wine.
Chevra means ‘collective’, as a People we are truly one Chevra.
Have a wonderful Shabbos!
