![]() ![]() It is not know if this is a matter of non-existence of Hevrot, or lack of found written recordings of such Hevrot. H evrei Kadisha is also understood in the sense of a brotherhood, which took upon itself the sacred duty of providing for the burial of all members of the community, is not known in Ashkenazi Europe before the 16 th century.While known in Talmudic time, we think Hevrei Kadisha rose again in Spain at the beginning of the 14 th century.Changes in ritual have also been initiated by exposure to new Taharah manuals.While customs may be consistent within a particular time within a particular community, customs do frequently vary in detail from community to community, from time to time. It was custom for membership to pass from father to son to grandson, and similarly from mother to daughter. Customs have been transmitted by word of mouth from generation to generation. ![]() Today some of the historical secrecy continues to surround both the societies and the work of Hevra members. Although the Hevra was generally understood to be more a secret society than a holy society, it also became one of most respected and honoured groups in Europe in Jewish community. H evra Kadisha is from the Aramaic, literally the holy brotherhood.It would appear that originally, such privilege of attended burial was extended to members only. Among Ashkenazi Jews, the Hevra Kadisha, a mutual beneficial society, was established to properly prepare a body for burial in accordance with Jewish law and custom.I want to gratefully acknowledge the efforts of the many Hevra members who came before me and who have contributed towards the development of this manual. I have reviewed over eighty Taharah manuals in an attempt to offer a full range of ways a Hevra could choose to do Rechitza, Taharah and Halbashah. Any errors included are entirely my responsibility. I have attempted to include at least some of the range of these differences included by the Hevrot I have studied. While the rituals of Re hitzah, Taharah and Halbashah may be consistent within each Hevra, variations within each category exist. This handbook is intended to be a reference text. It is my sincere hope that the following pages help clarify both what we do and the historical and mystical origins of our minhagim, our customs. While each Hevra member may be familiar with the rites and rituals of Taharah, a manual outlining these same rituals has long been overdue. Unlike brit milah or Bar/Bat mitzvah there are considerable misconceptions surrounding the work of the Hevra Kadisha.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |