Death is a highly uncomfortable and awkward subject. As a result, most people do all they can to avoid the subject altogether. While we would prefer to see ourselves as living forever, the Torah instructs us that, in fact, reflecting on our mortality and being mindful of our transience are critical to living an inspired life and making the most of each day. Indeed, it is for this reason that King Solomon, the wisest of all men, encouraged us to prefer spending time in a house of mourning to spending time in a house of celebration.
Overcoming the taboo and talking about death are not only important to inspire how we live life, but are actually acts of love and devotion to those whom we will ultimately leave behind. A few years ago, a woman in our community died suddenly. She was never married and had no children, but I remembered that she had a brother. I went to her home and rifled through paperwork in an effort to find his information so that I could inform him of the terrible news. It took a significant amount of time to make contact with him and even longer to ascertain what arrangements she had made.
The more the deceased has planned, organized, and communicated his or her wishes, the less speculation, conflict, and compounded pain the bereaved will face at their time of loss and grief. Put simply, it is not only negligent, but also unkind, not to have one’s “matters in order,” irrespective of how young or healthy he or she may presently be, or how uncomfortable it may be to think about and prepare for death.
None of us would ever intentionally cause or contribute to the pain or anguish of our family members. Yet failing to prepare likely will lead to complicating and, more likely, compounding the pain of our loved ones when we are gone.
For the sake of your family, please considering arranging the following as soon as possible:
1. ICE – Upon arriving at the scene of an accident or emergency, paramedics are trained to look on the patient’s cell phone for an ICE – an In Case of Emergency entry that lists emergency contacts. Access to the right person and the right information can be the difference between life and death. Add an ICE entry to your cell phone phonebook immediately and consider downloading an ICE app that will allow access to your emergency contact(s) even when your phone is locked.
2. Life Insurance – Both Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe Orach Chaim 2:111) and Rav Ovadiah Yosef (Yechaveh Daat 3:85) were asked if purchasing life insurance reflects a lack of faith and trust in God. They responded that as long as one remembers that it is God who empowered us with the wisdom to create life insurance and enabled us with this tool to protect our families, it is absolutely permitted and appropriate. They extend this endorsement to fire, theft, and car insurance as well. Nobody ever plans to be diagnosed with a terminal illness or to be the victim of a fatal accident. We cannot predict when our end will come, but we can plan so that the pain of our loss will not be compounded by financial instability, hardship and disaster.
3. Disability Insurance – Life insurance can help provide for one’s family members if one dies, but what would happen if he or she suffered a debilitating injury or an incapacitating illness precluding the ability to work and provide an income? Disability insurance is only a luxury if it is never needed. We pray it will never be a necessity, but we would be foolish not to have it in case.
4. Living Will & Health Care Proxy according to Jewish Law – A myriad of complicated questions can arise in medical treatment, particularly at the end of life. This legal document empowers the patient to determine in advance what choices he or she would prefer within the parameters of Jewish law and who is authorized to communicate those choices to medical professionals if the need arises. Moreover, rather than leaving wishes and desires ambiguous so that others are guessing and speculating, this document spells them out. Additionally, instead of conflict arising over how decisions are reached or which rabbinic authority should be consulted, the living will documents the decision-making process and sequence. The document can name a specific rabbi (or rabbis) or refer the decision to an organization, such as the Bioethics Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America. This is not a document reserved for the old or infirm. Every adult should have one on record and it should be reviewed and updated every few years and as circumstances demand – and discussed with your spouse, children or relatives, so your wishes are clear.
5. Will – Don’t leave loved ones guessing or fighting over how you want your assets divided. You work hard for your money and it should be properly distributed among family, friends, and charities in a thoughtful, intentional and halachik manner. You can use your estate to leave not only a legacy for your family, but a legacy gift to the community, Shul or schools that impacted your family. If you still have minor children, identify who will be responsible for them and ask their permission to stipulate such in your will. If you want to designate a specific piece of jewelry, art or memento to a particular person, specify that in your will or other document.
6. Ethical Will – When Yaakov anticipated his demise he called his family around his death bed in order to give them each blessings and charge them as a family. Throughout the millennia, prominent rabbis and leaders have recorded ethical wills communicating their values, vision, and passions to the next generation. Don’t just leave children and grandchildren financial assets. Leave them your vision for who they could become and the most important values you hope they will pursue.
7. Burial Arrangements – Where do you want to be buried, including Israel? Do you want a chapel service or a graveside service? Whom would you like to officiate? Does your family know that you want a Jewish burial according to Jewish law and for them to sit a full shiva and say kaddish? Have you bought a plot and purchased a “pre-need” package with a funeral home which is significantly less expensive that needing to buy it “at need?” Record your burial wishes in detail, including important biographical information that you would hope to be included in your eulogy, such as the major influences in your life and people and milestones that you were most grateful for or proud of. Are there particular relatives or friends or other people whom you would like to be invited to speak at your funeral?
8. Organized File – Perhaps most importantly, gather all of the above documentation and place it in a clearly designated place (paper and/or electronic) that your loved ones are aware of and have access to. Include your doctors, rabbi, and attorney and their contact information, your bank accounts, cemetery deed, safety deposit box (and location of keys), insurance information, financial advisors and brokers, inventory of assets and real estate, etc., so that nobody will be left guessing and searching for important information when it is needed. If you are one of those pack rats who hides money and jewelry in books or crevices around the house, tell someone where to look, so they do not get discarded with your other belongings or wind up with the next occupant of your house or apartment.
You may be reading this thinking it is excellent advice for someone else, for the elderly or the sick and infirm. But being responsible and planning appropriately are for every adult, every married person and certainly for every parent or grandparent. Don’t only consider making all of these arrangements yourself, but plan to speak to your children and grandchildren about their making such arrangements for themselves as well. Such preparations and arrangements are not taught in school. They rely on you to provide guidance and support in these areas. Not only is communicating these ideas to your children and grandchildren the right thing to do, but it is also in your interest, for their failure to plan, will likely become your emergency.
May we all merit to live full and meaningful lives realizing great longevity. In the meantime, let’s show our loved ones how much we care by making the proper preparations now, so they won’t have to later.
(11) Nancy, February 25, 2019 12:32 PM
A proper Jewish burial
When I was in (public) elementary school, I remember learning about cremation. At the time my religious education was nil, but I recall that the very concept of cremation repulsed me. A few years later my grandmother z"l died and her levaya was standing room only. In the midst of my considerable sadness I knew my family had handled her passing in the right way.
(10) Anonymous, January 10, 2019 1:30 AM
This is all very important
but to the one who is sick no one has the courage to tell them prepare for the worst.... and to those who are healthy.. they just don't get around to it....tell me how do you talk about it.?
(9) Pearl David, January 6, 2019 2:40 PM
Very informative and accurate article on burial
The explanations in this article are very articulated - and detailed - all areas are covered - thanks
(8) MESA, January 4, 2019 3:28 PM
It's bad that these things (along with other life skills) are not taught in high school. No one should go into adulthood without these things and yet so many of us do because we just don't know. Thank you for this article.
(7) Nalinaksha Mutsuddi, January 4, 2019 2:55 PM
Excellent article
Excellent. I liked it
(6) Laurie Dinerstein-Kurs, January 4, 2019 5:07 AM
addition?
There is one more (relatively new) item that should be considered. The document is called POLST - Physician's Orders for Life-sustaining Treatment.
Because a Dr. actually signs it...It is more forceful and powerful than a simple living will. It considerably lessens others ability to challenge it.
(5) Anonymous, January 3, 2019 6:47 PM
article takes easy stance
Ignores observant Jew caring for lesser observant parent - re treatment and final days. Ignores difficult halachot re assisting parent less aware near end, issurim re planning for death.
(4) Anonymous, January 3, 2019 6:24 PM
One more thing!
One more thing for this article, having just buried my mother, this article omitted one essential task. The funeral home required a written statement from the deceased as to whether she wanted a burial or cremation. Since my mom hadn’t left anything written, her disposition was postponed and all of her children had to be contacted to sign a form saying they consented to the disposition chosen by her estate executor. These written, signed, witnessed documents are so important!
(3) Sherry Vered Anthony, January 3, 2019 3:25 PM
Specifying Our Wishes Can Help Prevent Cremation
I'm a frum Funeral Director in NYC. It kills me the amount of times uneducated relatives select cremation because they don't know what the Nifter wanted. I spend the majority of my day educating relatives on the proper way a Yid should be BURIED regardless of frumkiet. A Jew should have a TAHRAH and be BURIED. Period.
(2) myron sugerman, January 3, 2019 2:32 PM
RABBI EFREM GOLDBERG IS GENIUS -
BEFORE I KICK THE BUCKET I WOULD LIKE TO MEET THIS RABBI SO THAT I CAN THANK HIM FOR THIS EXCELLENT PIECE OF WORK.
(1) H.E.Brown, January 2, 2019 5:50 AM
Death
Excellent advice. I've seen a lot of my friends that weren't prepared. Talk about a mess and sadness for their family. I have everything in order for my family. Just waiting for my turn to pass on. Only thing is I got in the long line waiting for my turn.