Chevra Kadisha societies prepare the
deceased for internment by performing a ritual purification known as the
Taharah. Doing kind deeds for someone who has just died is done with the
knowledge that your kindness cannot be repaid by that person and has long been
regarded as the ultimate act of unselfishness. Taharahs are performed for men
by men and for women by women. Ecclesiastes stated, "As he came, so shall
he go." Just as a newborn child is immediately washed and enters this
world clean and pure, so shall a person who departs this world be cleansed and
made pure.
What is a Taharah?
With utmost dignity and respect the deceased is washed and then dressed in
Tachrichim, the traditional burial shroud. Prayers are recited, asking that
forgiveness and eternal peace be granted to the departed. This process is the
essence of the Jewish funeral.
Here are a few links to taharah instructional videos