OU Torah is pleased to announce a new miniseries designed to enlighten readers as to the intense week of mourning for deceased relatives in Jewish law. Shiva by OU Torah Editor Rabbi Jack Abramowitz is a six-part series that will roll out at the rate of one installment per week starting on Friday, July 14, 2017. The six scheduled installments are:
The Obligation to Mourn
Does the Torah actually require us to mourn for close relatives or is it just something that people do naturally?
Where Does Shiva Come From?
If we are going to mourn, why do we do so specifically for a week?
Customs Observed in the Shiva House
Things in a house of mourning are a little bit different…
The Shiva Visit
Just because someone is mourning for a week, why should everyone come for a visit?
When Unable to Make a Shiva Visit
How to proceed if out of town, or if you only see a mourner on Shabbos.
A Practical Guide to Paying a Shiva Visit
The one everyone has been requesting: if making a shiva call is an awkward experience for you, how can you make it more productive?
Death is a part of life and being well-informed will help us better appreciate our mourning practices. Check out Shiva – as well as Kaddish and Yizkor – on OU Torah or by using the OU Torah app for iOS and Android.