Periods of Mourning

While shiva is a very specific stage of mourning, there are stages before and after shiva that have particular significance.

Aninut
The period between death and burial. The mourner during this period is called the ‘onen.’ Before commercial burials, the mourner was fulfilling the needs of the deceased in preparation for burial and therefore was exempt from other religious duties such as morning and evening prayers and putting on ‘tefillin’.

Avelut
This is the Hebrew word for mourning, which consists of three periods: shiva, sheloshim, and the year of mourning.

Shiva
The traditional seven day period of mourning, following the burial, where mourners stay at home receive guests to offer them comfort and participate in daily religious services.

Sheloshim
The 30-day mourning period after the burial and including the first seven days of shiva.  It is observed by the immediate family and is designed to allow the mourner to get over the shock of the death.  The mourners return to work after the first seven days, but other restrictions remain such as refraining from attending weddings, dances or parties.

Year of Mourning
When the mourner is mourning a parent, the observances held in sheloshim are extended for one year from the day of burial.

Yahrzeit
The yearly anniversary of a death, which is commemorated with the lighting of a candle that burns for 24 hours, and the recitation of the Kaddish prayer.

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