Death, it is often said, is a part of life. For those who remain alive and experience the death of a relative or close friend, this is certainly true. Indeed, the tragedy of death provides a deep challenge for the surviving loved ones to confront; this is a challenge that is often hard to meet. Like all aspects of life, the Torah and its commentators relate to the death experience from all angles – from the perspective of the dying as well as that of the living. Rather than a hopeless “end,” Judaism provides us with a framework sensitive to the needs of both the deceased and the mourners. There are mitzvot to bury the dead, for immediate family to mourn, and for the community to comfort the mourners. We seek consolation from the fact that all of God’s deeds are perfect, He brought the person into the world to strive to reach his mission in life, and finally God took back the soul for an eternal existence in the World to Come.

 

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