Kriah
Kriah translates to mean “tearing”. It is a Jewish funeral custom that occurs just before the funeral ceremony in a private room and involves only the immediate family. On the Orthodox or more traditional side of Judaism, family members will make a small tear of their garments. On the more modern or Reform side of Judaism, family members opt to wear a black ribbon. For those who lost a parent the tear or Kriah ribbon should be on the left side of the chest over the heart. For those mourning another family member or spouse other than a parent, the tear or Kiah ribbon should be on the right side of the chest. If you opt to tear your clothing, it should start at the neckline and go vertically down about 3 inches. The video below helps explain how to perform the tearing.
The Kriah symbolizes the personal pain and grief felt from the loss of a loved one. It is always done while standing because it shows strength during a time of grief. Before the tearing takes place, the family recites the following prayer:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam dayan ha’emet.
This translates to :
Blessed are You, Adonai Our God, Ruler of the Universe, the True Judge.
The torn clothing or black ribbon is worn during the seven days of
shiva
(My Jewish Learning, 2018).
As guests enter and take their seats for their funeral ceremony, the immediate family remains in a private room. Once all guests are seated, the family then takes their seats at the front row. The funeral ceremony is fairly brief. The actual structure depends on the Rabbi or Officiant. It will usually consist of prayers, psalms, and inspirational readings. Before the closing of the funeral ceremony, the eulogy, referred to as the hespeid for Jews, is given by a family member, a friend, or the Rabbi. The hespeid is not meant to give a full life story, but rather it should only highlight some of the great qualities of the deceased. The funeral ceremony concludes with the congregation standing and singing the El Malei Rachamim prayer. The prayer expresses the hope that the deceased will be granted eternal peace. El Malei Rachamim translates to mean “God full of compassion”. Below we provide the English, Hebrew, and transliteration versions for the El Malei Rachamim prayer (Shiva.com, 2018).
Shiva