This morning, before going over to my friend to "get her up" from mourning, I quickly did an internet search to check if there's something to say, along with the "getting her up and out."
Aish's site had the clearest instructions:
The seventh and final day of shiva is observed for only a few short hours, although this counts as a whole day. After the last Shacharit service, the mourners sit low again for a short time. Then those who have come to comfort the mourners say to them, "Arise." The comforters then say:
No more will your sun set, nor your moon be darkened, for God will be an eternal light for you, and your days of mourning shall end. (Isaiah 60:20)
Like a man whose mother consoles him, so shall I console you, and you shall be consoled in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 66:13)
The mourners acknowledge that the shiva is over by leaving the shiva house publicly for the first time, taking a short walk around the block with those who have come to comfort them.
So, that's what we did. And then I walked her back to her door so she could go back to her life.
4 comments:
That was nice, that you were there for her. I have sad memories of that walk around the block, when I got up from sitting for my mother. It felt lonely, even if my husband and a friend were with me.
I did it for another friend, too. This friend's a widow and on her own.
I'm glad I had the time.
I was happy to find your blog. I, also, will be helping a friend get up from shiva. She lost her husband of 40 years last week. Neither of them have siblings and they did not have children.
Thank goodness for the internet! I went to both Aish and Chabad and preferred the Aish saying. Your blog validated my decision.
Thank you!
I'm glad that my post helped you. That's why I blog about things like Jewish mourning.
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