What is טהרה (Tahara)?

Tahara is the physical and spiritual preparation of the deceased ( meyt/meyta) for burial. Just as Jews have ancient traditions for welcoming a newborn, there are prescribed customs for preparing the dead for burial.

Trained volunteers ( haverim ) from the Community Hevra Kadisha of Greater Boston perform the  tahara  with respect and tenderness, assisting the transition of the body and soul from this world. Women care for women, men for men and regard their participation as a privilege as well as an act of loving kindness.

Your rabbi or the funeral director at the Brezniak-Rodman Funeral Chapel in West Newton can arrange for  tahara to be done by the Community Hevra Kadisha of Greater Boston (call  617-969-0800)

HOW A TAHARA IS DONE

1. Team  prepares the room and  aron (coffin)  to perform the  tahara . Soil from Israel is sprinkled in the  aron . A sheet/shroud and a tallit are placed in the  aron . 
   
2. Team  asks met/ meta  for forgiveness before beginning.
   
3. Prayers and readings are recited during the  tahara  ritual.
   
4. Inspect the condition of  met / meta and  then perform the initial washing and grooming as required.
   
5. Elevate the  body off  the table using wooden boards (so no part of the body rests on the table).
   
6. Perform the Tahara ritual by pouring a continuous flow of three buckets of water (24 quarts) over the  met/meta . 
   
7. Carefully dry the  met / meta  and in preparation for dressing.
   
8. Dress the  met / meta  starting with the head covering, pants, inner shirt, and outer shirt ( kittel ). Ribbons are tied around the ankles. A special knot is used for all ties.
   
9. Met/ meta  is placed in the  aron (coffin). Remaining soil sprinkled over the  met/meta . Pottery shards are placed on the eyelids. Tallit is wrapped around the met and one tassel is either cut off or knotted to make the tallit pasul-  ritually unfit.  Met/ meta is wrapped in the sheet/shroud.
   
10.  Wooden cover is placed on the  aron .  Team  asks the  met / meta for forgiveness for any inadvertant indiscretions.