Mourning

A guide to those aspects of Babylonian Talmud tractate Moed Katan that inform mourning and burial practices. A list of topics, by location within the tractate, and commentary taken or adapted from the work of Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’1 , with the Yachin Boaz Mishnayot and the Kahati commentary as other important sources. Includes excerpts from Moed Katan to illustrate the issues identified and provides transitional text, along with subheadings and occasional footnotes, to make for clearer readability and easier use.
 
It was recently the 10th anniversary of my mother’s death. And, as I have every year, I lit a 24-hour yahrzeit candle, went to Friday night services and recited Kaddish. For me this service isn’t like any other.
 
How did Jewish tradition view sickness and death during different eras and in different places? These two texts had more published editions than any other works in this area of manuals for the sick and dying. These texts are seen as basic and primary handbooks for subsequent writings of other handbooks on these topics.  
 
 
Relevant Teshuvot:

Miscarriage and Stillbirth