Introduction to Judaism - Death, Mourning, and Afterlife

(8) And Abraham expired, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

Those that are born will die, and those that are dead will live [again], and the living will be judged. [It is necessary] to know, to make known, and to become conscious that He is God, He is the Maker, He is the Creator, He is the Understander, He is the Judge, He is the Witness, He is the Litigant, and He is destined to judge. Blessed Be He, who has before Him no wrong, no forgetfulness, no respect of persons, no taking of bribes, for all is His. And know that everything is according to the reckoning. And do not let yourself count on the netherworld being a place of refuge for you, because against your will you were created, and against your will you were born, and against your will you live, and against your will you die, and against your will you are destined to give account and reckoning before the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be he.

(2) A person should always view himself as if he is about to die, lest he die an untimely death and be established in his sins – therefore a person should do teshuvah from his sins immediately and not say, “When I grow old I will do teshuvah,” lest he die before he grows old. Thus Solomon said in his wisdom, Let your clothing be white in every moment (Ecclesiastes 9:8).

Even if a person transgressed all his life and repented on the day of his death and died during his repentance, all his sins are pardoned, as it is written: "Before the sun grows dark, and the light goes from moon and stars, and the clouds gather after rain" (Ecclesiastes 12:2), that is, the day of death. This implies that if he remembers his Creator and repents before death, he is forgiven.

(16) Rabbi Yaakov says: This world is like a hallway before the world to come. Fix yourself in the hallway so you may enter the drawing room.

17) He [Rabbi Yaakov] would say: One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than all the time in the world to come. And one hour of pleasure in the world to come is better than all the time in this world.

(1) All Jews have a share in the World to Come, as it says, (Isaiah 60:21), “Thy people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.”

Rav used to say: The world to come is not like this world. In the world to come, there is no eating, drinking, procreation, business dealings, jealousy, hatred, or competition. Rather, the righteous sit with their crowns on theirs heads and enjoy the splendor of God.

Hillel says: Do not separate yourself from the community. Do not believe in yourself until the day of your death. Do not judge your fellow until you come to his place. Do not say something that cannot be heard, for in the end it will be heard. Do not say, "When I will be available I will study [Torah]," lest you never become available.

These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.

GEMARA: The Sages taught the following baraita: At first, the meal after the burial would be brought to the house of the mourner in various ways. The wealthy would bring the meal in baskets of silver and gold, and the poor would bring it in baskets of peeled willow branches. And the poor were embarrassed, as everyone would see that they were poor. The Sages instituted that everyone should bring the meal in baskets of peeled willow branches, due to the honor of the poor... Additionally, at first the wealthy would take the deceased out for burial on a dargash, and the poor would take the deceased out on a plain bier made from poles that were strapped together, and the poor were embarrassed. The Sages instituted that everyone should be taken out for burial on a plain bier, due to the honor of the poor. ... Likewise, at first taking the dead out for burial was more difficult for the relatives than the actual death, because it was customary to bury the dead in expensive shrouds, which the poor could not afford. The problem grew to the point that relatives would sometimes abandon the corpse and run away. This lasted until Rabban Gamliel came and lessened his own importance, by leaving instructions that he be taken out for burial in linen garments. And the people adopted this practice after him and had themselves taken out for burial in linen garments. Rav Pappa said: And nowadays, everyone follows the practice of taking out the dead for burial even in plain hemp garments [tzerada] that cost only a zuz.

From when does the period of mourning begin? From when the dead is buried and the filling of the grave with earth is finished, immediately the period of mourning begins...

These are [the relatives] for whom a person is obliged to mourn according to Torah law - one's mother and father, son and daughter, brother and sister [who share] his father. And from the words [of the rabbis], the husband mourns for the wife to whom he is wed, and similarly the wife for her husband. And one mourns for a brother and sister [who share] his mother.

The comforters are not permitted to begin a conversation [with mourners], until the mourners begins one first.

(1) It is a rabbinic positive precept to visit the sick, comfort the mourners, escort the dead, dower the bride, accompany the [departing] guests — — as well as to cheer the bride and the groom, and to assist them in whatever they need. Even though all these precepts are of rabbinic origin, they are implied in the biblical verse: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18); that is, whatever you would have others do to you, do to your brothers in Torah and precepts.

And Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “After the Lord your God shall you walk, and Him shall you fear, and His commandments shall you keep, and unto His voice shall you hearken, and Him shall you serve, and unto Him shall you cleave” (Deuteronomy 13:5)? But is it actually possible for a person to follow the Divine Presence?... Just as the Holy One, Blessed be God, visits the sick, as it is written with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision: “And Adonai appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1), so too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be God, consoles mourners, as it is written: “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11), so too, should you console mourners. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be God, buried the dead, as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6), so too, should you bury the dead.