Podcasts about Mourner

In this Prayer Podcast episode, Rabbi Wolbe explores Kaddish's wisdom, recited after the Korbanot section in morning prayers and at all transition points. He outlines five types (Half (Chatzi), Full (Shaleim), Mourner's (Yasom), Rabbi's/Siyum and Burial), their purposes (e.g., sanctifying Hashem's name, elevating souls), and Aramaic origins (e.g., angel-proof, elevative). Talmudic stories (e.g., Rabbi Yossi and Elijah) illustrate Kaddish's mercy-evoking power, recited seven times daily (Psalms 119:164). It bridges spiritual worlds, counters evil, and requires a minyan (10 adults) as a davar shebekedusha, Holy Endeavor. Customs like standing vary (Ashkenaz vs. Sephardic), but unity is key. The episode previews Pesukei D'Zimra._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #40) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on October 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 30, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #Faith, #DivineProvidence, #GlorifyingGod, #Unity ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Prayer Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe explores the profound wisdom behind Kaddish, a central prayer recited in the morning service after the korbanot (offerings) section. He outlines its five types, origins, and spiritual significance, emphasizing its role in sanctifying Hashem's name and bridging spiritual worlds. Recorded around October 2025 (post-Sukkot, aligned with Parshas Noach), the lecture connects Kaddish to daily prayers, mourning, and Torah study, highlighting its Aramaic composition and Talmudic stories.Five Types of Kaddish: Rabbi Wolbe details the variations using a handout (available via Google Drive link): (1) Chatzi Kaddish (half Kaddish)—a punctuation between prayer sections; (2) Full Kaddish (Kaddish Shalem)—post-Amidah, requesting peace; (3) Mourner's Kaddish—elevates the deceased by proclaiming Hashem's oneness; (4) Rabbi's Kaddish (Kaddish de Rabbanan)—after rabbinic study, blessing scholars (includes Siyum Kaddish for completing a tractate); (5) Burial Kaddish—graveside, unique in mentioning resurrection. Kaddish means “holy” or “sanctified,” declaring belief in Hashem's oneness and providence (Ezekiel 38:23: “V'hitgadilti v'hitkadishti”), making Hashem known globally (0:21–4:06).Purpose and Transition Role: Kaddish sanctifies Hashem's name publicly, not just for the deceased but as a moment of truth prompting reflection on life's fleeting nature. It bridges the four spiritual worlds in prayer (e.g., after offerings, before Pesukei D'Zimra), and between life and death in mourning. Recited seven times daily (three morning—Shacharis, two afternoon—Mincha, two evening—Ma'ariv, per Psalms 119:164), it evokes divine mercy and counters evil forces (klipot, per Zohar) (4:06–6:15, 20:05–21:56).Aramaic Language: Three reasons: (1) Angels don't understand Aramaic, allowing uninterrupted elevation and removal of spiritual barriers; (2) Post-First Temple sages composed it in Aramaic for accessibility during exile as it was the common language; (3) Zohar teaches reciting in a secular language elevates it, as all languages (post-Babel, Genesis 11) should glorify Hashem, countering division (7:40–14:49).Talmudic Story (Berachos 3a): Rabbi Yossi enters Jerusalem's ruins to pray; Elijah teaches: avoid ruins for danger, pray on roads, use short prayers while traveling. Elijah reveals a heavenly voice lamenting the Temple's destruction, renewed thrice daily, but softened when Jews recite Amen Yehei Shemei Rabba in Kaddish, evoking Hashem's sorrow for exiling His children. This highlights Kaddish's power to evoke divine mercy and elevate prayers (7:40–13:24).Spiritual Power: The phrase Yehei Shemei Rabba is to be recited with all our strength (28 letters, koach—strength) as it forgives sins, including idolatry, when said with full intent (e.g., screaming or focused concentration). During the Ten Days of Repentance, an extra word adjusts to maintain 28 letters (mi kol). Kaddish is a davar shebekedusha (holy matter), requiring a minyan (10 adults, per Abraham's Sodom negotiation (Genesis 18), as Hashem dwells with 10. Instituted by the Men of the Great Assembly post-Temple, it sources Ezekiel (38:23) for restoring Hashem's name. It's recited at Siyum or Torah study to sanctify Hashem publicly, not just personally (13:24–23:48).Customs and Variations: Stand during Kaddish in Ashkenaz (honoring sanctification); sit in Sephardic. Follow the congregation to avoid standing out. Rabbi Wolbe previews Pesukei D'Zimra and notes Kaddish's shofar-like power to break barriers before Rosh Hashanah (post-October 8, 2025) (28:01–29:15)._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Dr. Leonard & June GoldbergDownload the Prayer Podcast Worksheets:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iBVevW1ydyjSeyeO0iCcina7e8vix3Lt?usp=sharingThis episode (Ep. #40) of the Prayer Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on October 28, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 30, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Prayer, #Tefillah, #Siddur, #Kaddish, #Faith, #DivineProvidence, #GlorifyingGod, #Unity ★ Support this podcast ★

In his first-ever podcast conversation, Aimee sits down with Rabbi Elon Soniker, author of Uriel's Light, to talk about faith, family, and finding meaning after unimaginable loss. Rabbi Soniker shares the story of his son, Uriel, his brief but powerful life, and the light that continues to shine through his memory. Together, they explore what it means to grieve as a parent, as a rabbi, and as part of a community that often doesn't know what to say or do in the face of perinatal loss. This powerful conversation moves through so many of the questions we all wrestle with: How can faith and pain coexist without canceling each other out? How do we grapple with unimaginable pain when there are no easy answers? How can people show up for families after miscarriage, stillbirth, or other losses? How do we talk to children about death or loss without frightening them? Rabbi Soniker's honesty, humility, and spiritual insight offer comfort and clarity — reminding us that grief and light can, in fact, exist together. More about Rabbi Elon Soniker: Rabbi Elon Soniker is the Rav of Congregation Anshei Shalom in West Hempstead, NY, and Judaic Studies Principal at Ohr Yisroel in New Jersey. Rabbi Soniker recently published a book titled "Uriel's Light: Reflections on Tragedy and Emunah" in honor of his son Uriel z"l. The book contains letters, divrei Torah and reflections written during the brief life and the year following the passing of his baby son. Rabbi Soniker lives in West Hempstead with his wife and children. Resources Mentioned: View Rabbi Elon Soniker's book Our Son Uriel's Light: Reflections on tragedy and Emunah Pain is a Reality; Suffering is a Choice, by Rabbi Asher Resnick Connect with us: -Check out our Website -Follow us on Instagram and send us a message -Watch our TikToks -Follow us on Facebook -Watch us on YouTube -Connect with us on LinkedIn

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL! In this episode, Deacon Harrison Garlick and Dr. Joseph Boyne explore G.K. Chesterton's short story 'The Chief Mourner of Marne,' discussing its themes, characters, and moral implications. Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for our reading schedule!Check out our COLLECTION OF GUIDES TO THE GREAT BOOKS.They delve into the significance of transformative texts in education, the role of Father Brown as a detective, and the interplay between Gothic literature and Halloween motifs. The conversation highlights the importance of Christian charity and the complexities of forgiveness, ultimately reflecting on the deeper meanings within Chesterton's work and the nature of storytelling.Keywords: G.K. Chesterton, Father Brown, The Chief Mourner of Marne, Halloween, Gothic literature, Christian charity, transformative texts, literature analysis, podcast, education

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe concludes the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, covering halachot 14–22 of the mourner's Kaddish, completing the first book of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. He emphasizes the spiritual significance of Kaddish in elevating the deceased's soul by declaring Hashem's oneness, while noting that modern practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together reduces the relevance of precedence rules but underscores communal unity. Key points include:Recap of Kaddish's Purpose: Kaddish, recited by descendants, elevates the deceased's soul, as per Midrashic stories, by glorifying Hashem's name. The mourning stages—shiva (7 days, most intense), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual anniversary)—dictate Kaddish priorities, with shiva mourners taking precedence.Halacha 14–15 (Chazan Priorities): Leading prayers as chazan provides greater merit for the deceased than Kaddish alone, originally instituted for minors unable to lead. Shiva or shloshim mourners have precedence in leading services, except on Shabbos/Yom Tov unless they were the regular chazan. If two equally entitled mourners are capable chazans, they cast lots, splitting the service (one leads until Ashrei, the other from Ashrei onward). A chazan doesn't forfeit Kaddish rights but should yield to minors or less capable mourners.Halacha 16–18 (Multiple Mourners): Mourning for both parents on the same day doesn't grant extra Kaddish rights; one Kaddish covers both. Kaddish is recited for 11 months, not 12, to avoid implying the deceased was a great sinner (judged for 12 months in Gehenna). Counting starts from burial, not death, with adjustments for leap years (e.g., stopping on the 9th of Kislev). Rabbi Wolbe shares his grandfather's request for 12-month Kaddish, approved by Rabbi Elyashiv, reflecting humility, and notes his grandfather's rejection of eulogies to avoid exaggerated claims, as eulogies are scrutinized in heaven.Halacha 19–21 (Community and Women): If no parental mourners are present, someone who previously lost parents recites Kaddish for all deceased Jews. Other relatives (e.g., grandparents, siblings without children) may recite Kaddish if permitted by parental mourners. Women typically don't recite Kaddish in synagogue but can do so in a home minyan, ideally with others. A yahrtzeit observer unable to recite Kaddish (e.g., while traveling) can recite it at the next Ma'ariv, as Rabbi Wolbe illustrates with an email about arranging a minyan in Galveston for a cruise passenger's yahrtzeit.Halacha 22 (Greatest Merit): The greatest merit for parents is not just Kaddish but children living Torah-observant lives daily, honoring parents posthumously (per the Zohar, citing Exodus 20:12). Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes actions like keeping kosher or Shabbos as greater than Kaddish, sharing a story of a bumper sticker (“good” above grass, “bad” below) to highlight the opportunity to do good while alive for ancestors' merit.Community and Sensitivity: Rabbi Wolbe stresses avoiding disputes over Kaddish precedence, as fights dishonor the deceased. He praises communal efforts, like arranging minyans for travelers, and reflects on the psychological benefits of shiva for healing, noting the custom of walking around the block post-shiva to reenter life._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 14, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 9, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe concludes the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, covering halachot 14–22 of the mourner's Kaddish, completing the first book of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. He emphasizes the spiritual significance of Kaddish in elevating the deceased's soul by declaring Hashem's oneness, while noting that modern practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together reduces the relevance of precedence rules but underscores communal unity. Key points include:Recap of Kaddish's Purpose: Kaddish, recited by descendants, elevates the deceased's soul, as per Midrashic stories, by glorifying Hashem's name. The mourning stages—shiva (7 days, most intense), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual anniversary)—dictate Kaddish priorities, with shiva mourners taking precedence.Halacha 14–15 (Chazan Priorities): Leading prayers as chazan provides greater merit for the deceased than Kaddish alone, originally instituted for minors unable to lead. Shiva or shloshim mourners have precedence in leading services, except on Shabbos/Yom Tov unless they were the regular chazan. If two equally entitled mourners are capable chazans, they cast lots, splitting the service (one leads until Ashrei, the other from Ashrei onward). A chazan doesn't forfeit Kaddish rights but should yield to minors or less capable mourners.Halacha 16–18 (Multiple Mourners): Mourning for both parents on the same day doesn't grant extra Kaddish rights; one Kaddish covers both. Kaddish is recited for 11 months, not 12, to avoid implying the deceased was a great sinner (judged for 12 months in Gehenna). Counting starts from burial, not death, with adjustments for leap years (e.g., stopping on the 9th of Kislev). Rabbi Wolbe shares his grandfather's request for 12-month Kaddish, approved by Rabbi Elyashiv, reflecting humility, and notes his grandfather's rejection of eulogies to avoid exaggerated claims, as eulogies are scrutinized in heaven.Halacha 19–21 (Community and Women): If no parental mourners are present, someone who previously lost parents recites Kaddish for all deceased Jews. Other relatives (e.g., grandparents, siblings without children) may recite Kaddish if permitted by parental mourners. Women typically don't recite Kaddish in synagogue but can do so in a home minyan, ideally with others. A yahrtzeit observer unable to recite Kaddish (e.g., while traveling) can recite it at the next Ma'ariv, as Rabbi Wolbe illustrates with an email about arranging a minyan in Galveston for a cruise passenger's yahrtzeit.Halacha 22 (Greatest Merit): The greatest merit for parents is not just Kaddish but children living Torah-observant lives daily, honoring parents posthumously (per the Zohar, citing Exodus 20:12). Rabbi Wolbe emphasizes actions like keeping kosher or Shabbos as greater than Kaddish, sharing a story of a bumper sticker (“good” above grass, “bad” below) to highlight the opportunity to do good while alive for ancestors' merit.Community and Sensitivity: Rabbi Wolbe stresses avoiding disputes over Kaddish precedence, as fights dishonor the deceased. He praises communal efforts, like arranging minyans for travelers, and reflects on the psychological benefits of shiva for healing, noting the custom of walking around the block post-shiva to reenter life._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 14, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 9, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, focusing on the laws of the mourner's Kaddish, specifically halachot 5–12, which address priorities for reciting Kaddish when multiple mourners are present. He notes that while these precedence rules are less relevant today due to the common practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together, they remain significant for understanding halachic priorities. Key points include:Recap of Mourning Periods: Rabbi Wolbe reiterates the four mourning stages—shiva (7 days), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual commemoration)—with shiva mourners having the highest priority for Kaddish, followed by shloshim, year-long mourners, and yahrtzeit observers.Halacha 5–6 (Kaddish Allocation): Yahrtzeit and shloshim mourners take precedence over those in the first year, but some Kaddishes (e.g., Rabbi's Kaddish, post-Aleinu Kaddish) are reserved for yahrtzeit or shloshim mourners. If both a yahrtzeit observer and a shloshim mourner are present, the shloshim mourner recites first, as their obligation continues the next day, while a yahrtzeit observer's opportunity is limited to the anniversary day.Halacha 7–8 (Resolving Conflicts): When two mourners of equal status (e.g., both in shloshim) want to recite Kaddish or lead services, they cast lots (e.g., rock, paper, scissors). The winner of the evening (Ma'ariv) Kaddish yields the morning (Shacharis) Kaddish to the other, with lots cast for the afternoon (Mincha) Kaddish. Residents take precedence over guests with the same mourning status, but guests (e.g., yahrtzeit or shloshim) are granted at least one Kaddish, even over a resident in the first year.Halacha 12 (Resident vs. Guest): A resident is defined as someone with a permanent home in the community, regardless of tax status, or someone whose deceased parent was a local resident. Guests include those with homes elsewhere or temporary residents (e.g., students, boarders with living parents). A mourner who regularly prays at another synagogue is not considered a guest and is directed to recite Kaddish there.Community Support: Rabbi Wolbe shares an example of Houston's Jewish community arranging a late-night minyan for a visitor needing to recite Kaddish, highlighting communal responsibility to support mourners.The episode pauses at halacha 12, with the promise to continue in the next session, and opens the floor for the "Ask Away" segment, encouraging listener questions._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 7, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 5, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe continues the discussion of Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, focusing on the laws of the mourner's Kaddish, specifically halachot 5–12, which address priorities for reciting Kaddish when multiple mourners are present. He notes that while these precedence rules are less relevant today due to the common practice of all mourners reciting Kaddish together, they remain significant for understanding halachic priorities. Key points include:Recap of Mourning Periods: Rabbi Wolbe reiterates the four mourning stages—shiva (7 days), shloshim (30 days), the first year, and yahrtzeit (annual commemoration)—with shiva mourners having the highest priority for Kaddish, followed by shloshim, year-long mourners, and yahrtzeit observers.Halacha 5–6 (Kaddish Allocation): Yahrtzeit and shloshim mourners take precedence over those in the first year, but some Kaddishes (e.g., Rabbi's Kaddish, post-Aleinu Kaddish) are reserved for yahrtzeit or shloshim mourners. If both a yahrtzeit observer and a shloshim mourner are present, the shloshim mourner recites first, as their obligation continues the next day, while a yahrtzeit observer's opportunity is limited to the anniversary day.Halacha 7–8 (Resolving Conflicts): When two mourners of equal status (e.g., both in shloshim) want to recite Kaddish or lead services, they cast lots (e.g., rock, paper, scissors). The winner of the evening (Ma'ariv) Kaddish yields the morning (Shacharis) Kaddish to the other, with lots cast for the afternoon (Mincha) Kaddish. Residents take precedence over guests with the same mourning status, but guests (e.g., yahrtzeit or shloshim) are granted at least one Kaddish, even over a resident in the first year.Halacha 12 (Resident vs. Guest): A resident is defined as someone with a permanent home in the community, regardless of tax status, or someone whose deceased parent was a local resident. Guests include those with homes elsewhere or temporary residents (e.g., students, boarders with living parents). A mourner who regularly prays at another synagogue is not considered a guest and is directed to recite Kaddish there.Community Support: Rabbi Wolbe shares an example of Houston's Jewish community arranging a late-night minyan for a visitor needing to recite Kaddish, highlighting communal responsibility to support mourners.The episode pauses at halacha 12, with the promise to continue in the next session, and opens the floor for the "Ask Away" segment, encouraging listener questions._____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #63) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on September 7, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on October 5, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #Mourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities, #etiquette ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe addresses Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, focusing on the laws of the mourner's Kaddish and the role of the chazan (prayer leader) for mourners. He explains that reciting Kaddish and serving as chazan are significant acts of merit for deceased parents, ideally performed by one person for clarity, though modern practice often involves multiple mourners reciting Kaddish in unison to avoid confusion. Kaddish declares Hashem as the master of the universe, reminding us of life's purpose and the transient nature of existence. Rabbi Wolbe contrasts the reflective clarity gained at a mourner's house, which prompts introspection about life's purpose, with the distractions of a wedding celebration, as per the Talmud's teaching. Key halachic points include:Merit of Kaddish: The Midrash highlights that a child's recitation of Kaddish saves parents from harsh judgment, making it customary for children (or community members, if no children exist) to recite Kaddish, lead prayers (especially after Shabbos), or take the Maftir Aliyah.Precedence Rules: Mourners within the seven-day Shiva period take precedence over those in the 30-day shloshim, the year-long mourning, or annual Yahrtzeit observers. Shiva begins from burial, not death, and Kaddish obligations persist even if a festival interrupts Shiva, unlike other mourning practices.Minors and Yahrzeit: A minor in Shiva shares Kaddish opportunities with yahrtzeit observers, but an adult in Shiva takes precedence, potentially reciting all Kaddishes except one allocated to others via a lot. Modern congregations typically have all mourners recite together, bypassing strict precedence.Mourning Periods: Rabbi Wolbe outlines four mourning stages—Shiva (seven days, with the first three for intense grief), shloshim (30 days), the year, and annual yahrtzeit—noting the psychological wisdom of Shiva's structure for processing loss. He advises silence when visiting mourners unless prompted, sharing personal anecdotes about insensitive comments made during Shiva for his daughter's and sister's losses, emphasizing the need for sensitivity.The episode pauses at halacha six, to be continued, and opens the floor for questions in the Ask Away session. Rabbi Wolbe underscores the spiritual and psychological significance of Kaddish and mourning practices, urging listeners to approach them with purpose and sensitivity.To have your questions featured on the Ask Away series, please submit your questions at askaway@torchweb.org_____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #58) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on August 31, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on September 30, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#AskAway, #Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #JewishMourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode of the Everyday Judaism Podcast, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe addresses Siman 26 of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, focusing on the laws of the mourner's Kaddish and the role of the chazan (prayer leader) for mourners. He explains that reciting Kaddish and serving as chazan are significant acts of merit for deceased parents, ideally performed by one person for clarity, though modern practice often involves multiple mourners reciting Kaddish in unison to avoid confusion. Kaddish declares Hashem as the master of the universe, reminding us of life's purpose and the transient nature of existence. Rabbi Wolbe contrasts the reflective clarity gained at a mourner's house, which prompts introspection about life's purpose, with the distractions of a wedding celebration, as per the Talmud's teaching. Key halachic points include:Merit of Kaddish: The Midrash highlights that a child's recitation of Kaddish saves parents from harsh judgment, making it customary for children (or community members, if no children exist) to recite Kaddish, lead prayers (especially after Shabbos), or take the Maftir Aliyah.Precedence Rules: Mourners within the seven-day Shiva period take precedence over those in the 30-day shloshim, the year-long mourning, or annual Yahrtzeit observers. Shiva begins from burial, not death, and Kaddish obligations persist even if a festival interrupts Shiva, unlike other mourning practices.Minors and Yahrzeit: A minor in Shiva shares Kaddish opportunities with yahrtzeit observers, but an adult in Shiva takes precedence, potentially reciting all Kaddishes except one allocated to others via a lot. Modern congregations typically have all mourners recite together, bypassing strict precedence.Mourning Periods: Rabbi Wolbe outlines four mourning stages—Shiva (seven days, with the first three for intense grief), shloshim (30 days), the year, and annual yahrtzeit—noting the psychological wisdom of Shiva's structure for processing loss. He advises silence when visiting mourners unless prompted, sharing personal anecdotes about insensitive comments made during Shiva for his daughter's and sister's losses, emphasizing the need for sensitivity.The episode pauses at halacha six, to be continued, and opens the floor for questions in the Ask Away session. Rabbi Wolbe underscores the spiritual and psychological significance of Kaddish and mourning practices, urging listeners to approach them with purpose and sensitivity.To have your questions featured on the Ask Away series, please submit your questions at askaway@torchweb.org_____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #61) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on August 31, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on September 30, 2025_____________DONATE to TORCH: Please consider supporting the podcasts by making a donation to help fund our Jewish outreach and educational efforts at https://www.torchweb.org/support.php. Thank you!_____________SUBSCRIBE and LISTEN to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at https://www.TORCHpodcasts.com_____________EMAIL your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Please visit www.torchweb.org to see a full listing of our outreach and educational resources available in the Greater Houston area!_____________#AskAway, #Halacha, #Jewishlaw, #JewishMourning, #Kaddish, #Mourner, #Shiva, #Yartzeit, #Condolences, #Grief, #Sensitivities ★ Support this podcast ★

Mourner's Kaddish by Congregation Emanu-El

We continue our series on the Parker books by Donald E. Westlake, published under the nom de guerre Richard Stark, which follow the various criminal activities of hard-boiled heister Parker and the shady characters surrounding him looking to screw up the score. Coming after the 'Outfit Trilogy' that kicked off the series, 1964's The Mourner is one of the weirder entries, focusing specifically on the eponymous MacGuffin: a lost historical statue sitting in the art collection of an embezzling expatriate from a small Slavic country who has himself been targeted by a secret policeman whose desire for a new life of luxury in America will mess everything up for Parker and his partner Handy McKay.  Support our Patreon: www.patreon.com/thepinksmoke The Pink Smoke site: www.thepinksmoke.com John Cribbs on Twitter: twitter.com/TheLastMachine The Pink Smoke on Twitter: twitter.com/thepinksmoke Christopher Funderburg on Twitter: twitter.com/cfunderburg Intro music: Unleash the Bastards / "Tea for Two" Outro music: Marcus Pinn / "Vegas"

The Mourner's Comfort - Matthew 5:4

In this powerful episode of The Dig In Podcast, Pastor Johnny Ova sits down with Prof. Juliana Claassens, Old Testament scholar and author of Mourner, Mother, Midwife, to explore the rich and often overlooked feminine metaphors for God found in the Hebrew Bible.Together, they discuss:God as mourner, mother, and midwifeHow Scripture speaks to trauma, injustice, and healingThe impact of patriarchal theology and how to expand our image of GodWhy reframing divine metaphors matters for faith, justice, and human dignityWhat female resistance in the Old Testament reveals about liberation and divine presenceThis episode is a deeply moving conversation about lament, hope, and the liberating face of God that has the power to comfort, challenge, and transform.

In this episode of Seekers of Meaning, Rabbi Paul Kipnes discusses his book, The Secret Life of the Mourner, detailing his personal grief journey after his father's death. He highlights poetry's therapeutic role, the importance of rituals, and community support while exploring complex emotions and relationships in mourning, ultimately promoting the necessity of articulating feelings. [Read more...] The post The Healing Power of Poetry in Mourning: Insights from Rabbi Paul Kipnes – SOM 8/1/2025 appeared first on Jewish Sacred Aging.

Birkat Besamim - For a Mourner by Rabbi Avi Harari

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Mourner's Comforter - Preface Subtitle: The Mourner's Customer Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 7/6/2025 Length: 2 min.

A new MP3 sermon from The Narrated Puritan is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Anointed Messenger and the Work Subtitle: The Mourner's Customer Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Narrated Puritan Event: Audiobook Date: 7/6/2025 Bible: Isaiah 61:1 Length: 37 min.

No heart, however broken, needs any balm but Jesus to work its perfect cure. Sorrows, which like Noah's flood, drown all, are soon assuaged by a word from his lips. Get him and keep him, O bruised and bleeding heart, and thou art healed. For broken hearts the broken-hearted Savior died, and for them he lives and pleads. Look to him, mourner, and the black horror of despair shall end.

“What would it look like if we did take care of everyone?” - Beth BaranyIn this episode of "How To Write the Future" podcast, authors and writing teachers, Beth Barany and her husband Ezra Barany, explore how speculative fiction can highlight social issues. They discuss strategies for crafting compelling stories that inspire social change without being preachy, while emphasizing the importance of world-building and creating positive narratives.ABOUT EZRA BARANYEzra Barany loves riveting readers with thrillers, but by order of the Department of Motor Vehicles he must place a warning on every book cover, “Do not read while driving.” His first two books in The Torah Codes series were award-winning international bestsellers. The second two books in the 4-book series wowed readers too! In his free time, he has eye-opening discussions on the art of writing novels with his wife and book coach Beth Barany. A high school physics teacher, Ezra lives in Oakland with his beloved wife and two cats working on the next book in The Torah Codes series. Ezra, not the cats. For a free short story in The Torah Codes series, “The Mourner's Kaddish,” do please go to http://www.thetorahcodes.com/.ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.RESOURCESSupport our work for creatives! Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/bethbaranyGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

The Mourner's Kaddish - Honoring Parents After Death by Rabbi Avi Harari

“ So I haven't yet pulled in any ethical or moral dilemmas that would be interesting, maybe in a future story.” - Beth BaranyIn “How to Craft AI and Robot Characters in Your Fiction” ****Beth Barany discusses how to create compelling AI and robot characters with unique traits to engage readers. She is joined by her husband, Ezra Barany, also an author and writing teacher, and together they share the benefits of joining their mastermind program for science fiction and fantasy writers.Content Warning: brief mention of suicideABOUT EZRA BARANYEzra Barany loves riveting readers with thrillers, but by order of the Department of Motor Vehicles he must place a warning on every book cover, “Do not read while driving.” His first two books in The Torah Codes series were award-winning international bestsellers. The second two books in the 4-book series wowed readers too! In his free time, he has eye-opening discussions on the art of writing novels with his wife and book coach Beth Barany. A high school physics teacher, Ezra lives in Oakland with his beloved wife and two cats working on the next book in The Torah Codes series. Ezra, not the cats. For a free short story in The Torah Codes series, “The Mourner's Kaddish,” do please go to http://www.thetorahcodes.com/.ABOUT BETH BARANYBeth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.RESOURCESSupport our work for creatives! Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/bethbaranyGET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadec. 2025 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

“ Of course, you want to think of what they want, the goal, why they want it, the motivation; what's in their way, the conflict, but also their strengths and also their secrets.” - Beth BaranyIn this episode of How To Write The Future, “Essential Tips for Writing Space Opera,” podcast host Beth Barany gets interviewed by her husband and fellow author Ezra Barany about what a space opera is and explain how you can create that type of story. Beth shares how she was inspired to write her Janey McCallister sci-fi mystery series, shares how to build complex interstellar societies.ABOUT EZRA BARANYEzra Barany loves riveting readers with thrillers, but by order of the Department of Motor Vehicles he must place a warning on every book cover, “Do not read while driving.” His first two books in The Torah Codes series were award-winning international bestsellers. The second two books in the 4-book series wowed readers too! In his free time, he has eye-opening discussions on the art of writing novels with his wife and book coach Beth Barany. A high school physics teacher, Ezra lives in Oakland with his beloved wife and two cats working on the next book in The Torah Codes series. Ezra, not the cats. For a free short story in The Torah Codes series, “The Mourner's Kaddish,” do please go to http://www.thetorahcodes.com/.ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCASTThe How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.RESOURCESSupport our work for creatives! Buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/bethbaranyFantasy Character Groups Made Simple with Ezra Baranyhttps://writersfunzone.com/blog/2025/04/14/fantasy-character-groups-made-simple-with-ezra-barany/GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HEREFree World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTESQuestions? Comments? Send us a text!--CONNECTContact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580Email: beth@bethbarany.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany/CREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT: https://get.descript.com/0clwwvlf6e3jMUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy.If you pay any attention at all to political news, it's been hard to avoid Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson's recent bombshell of a book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, which offers behind-the-scenes reporting from the White House, halls of Congress, the campaign trail, and beyond about Joe Biden's health, mental and physical, and the efforts to conceal just how bad it had gotten from his Cabinet, Congress, and, most damningly, the American people. Much of the coverage of the book has focused on a handful of sensational examples—Biden supposedly not recognizing George Clooney at a fundraiser, or forgetting the names of staffers who'd worked for him for decades—but that's unfortunate. What's most shocking is the book's cumulative force, the sheer number of details that make it undoubtedly clear Biden was not fit to run again in 2024, or, for that matter, be President. As you won't be surprised to learn, Matt eagerly read Original Sin, and he and Sam discuss what the take-aways from the book should really be, what it says about the state of the Democratic Party, what it reveals about the media, and more.Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again (2025)Matthew Sitman, "The 'Weekend at Bernie's' Primary," Commonweal, Mar 3, 2020Sam Adler-Bell, "The Tragic Legacy of the Mourner-in-Chief," New York Magazine, Jan 14, 2025Edmund White, City Boy: My Life in New York During the 1960s & 70s (2009)— My Lives: A Memoir (2005)— A Boy's Own Story (1982)— The Beautiful Room is Empty (1988)— The Farewell Symphony (1997)— Nocturnes for the King of Naples (1978)

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“The more that you have that evolving relationship with the natural world, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have. The more we rely on that black-and-white thinking of either being in grief or being out of it, where we have a loss and we have to move on, or we don't and we're fine. The more that happens, the more difficult it is to flow into what we really need in terms of emotional flexibility to get through the staggering changes that are starting to happen regarding climate issues.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion,Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Oceanthatshe made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“We are in a complex and delicately balanced relationship of connection to everything else on the planet. We begin to recognize, write into, and speak into the complex interdependence and interconnection of every gesture that we make on the planet. Most storytelling that I really respond to, whether it's from my own culture or from previous civilizations, acknowledges that we are in this complex relationship where every gesture we make is connected to the lives of every other creature on the planet. The more narratives we allow to be complex in that way and interconnected, the more we begin to change our brain chemistry around how we protect ourselves and everything that is in relation to us. The more that you have that evolving relationship with it, that's dynamic and alive to the moment you're in, and that's not afraid of the feelings of fear, hopelessness, grief, or pain that attend paying close attention to the world as it is evolving around you, the better we are able to be flexible in the relationship we need to form with fixing what we can and holding onto what we have.”Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Guernica, The LA Review of Books, Al Jazeera, and the anthology Elementals. She has received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and a 3Arts Make a Wave grant. Her work includes her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary, the short film Becoming Ocean that she made with Scott Foley, and her novel All the Water in the World.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 38:5) writes that a mourner does not wear Tefillin on the first day of mourning. If, for example, one's family member passed away, Heaven forbid, on Sunday night, and the funeral takes place on Monday, the mourner does not wear Tefillin on Monday, and he resumes wearing Tefillin on Tuesday. Often, the burial takes place the day after the passing. Hacham David Yosef (contemporary), in his Halacha Berura (vol. 3, p. 215), brings different views among the Poskim as to when the mourner resumes wearing Tefillin in such a case. The Maharit Sahalon (1559-1638) maintained that if the burial takes place the day after the death, then the mourner wears Tefillin after the burial, that same day. Since this is not the day of the loved one's passing, Tefillin is required. Others, however, including the Elya Rabba (Rav Eliyahu Shapira, Prague, 1660-1712), Mas'at Binyamin (Rav Binyamin Aharon Selnik, Poland, 1530-1620) and Peri Megadim (Rav Yosef Ben Meir Teomim, 1727-1792), disagreed. In their view, the day of the burial is treated like the day of death, and so the mourners do not wear Tefillin that day. As for the practical Halacha, Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that given the difference of opinion among the Poskim, in such a case one should wear Tefillin on the second day, but in private, and without reciting the Beracha. An exception to this rule is when the family member passed away on Shabbat, and is buried on Sunday. Since the burial cannot take place on Shabbat, Shabbat is not considered the first day of mourning. Therefore, Tefillin are not worn the following day, Sunday, even after the burial. This is the ruling of Hacham Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer, vol. 2, Y.D. 27:8), based on the Kanhag ("Kenesset Ha'gedola," Rav Haim Benveniste, Turkey, 1603-1673). On the second day of mourning, the mourner must not put on his Tefillin until after Netz Ha'hama (sunrise). This is because fundamentally, Tefillin are not worn even on the second day, but due to the rule of "Miskat Ha'yom Ke'kulo" ("part of the day is like the entirety of the day"), the mourner waits a few moments into the second day, and then resumes wearing Tefillin. Thus, on the day after the burial, the mourner must ensure not to put on Tefillin before sunrise. In the wintertime, sunrise can be as late as 7:20am or so, and so mourners must be cognizant of this Halacha and make a point of not putting on their Tefillin on the day following the burial until after sunrise. Summary: Mourners do not wear Tefillin on the first day of mourning; they resume wearing Tefillin after sunrise on the day following the burial. If the burial did not take place on the day of the family member's death, then the mourner puts on Tefillin after the burial, in private and without a Beracha, unless the family member died on Shabbat and was buried on Sunday, in which case the mourner does not put on Tefillin until after sunrise on Monday morning.

A situation recently arose concerning a family in Montreal who lost a relative, Heaven forbid, living in Miami. The family in Montreal did not to travel to join the other relatives at the funeral, which was held two days later, and they therefore faced the question of when to begin Aveilut (mourning). Does the period of Aveilut begin only after the funeral, in which they case they should call the relatives in Miami to find out when the funeral concluded and then begin Aveilut, or should they begin immediately? Although generally mourning observances begin only after the funeral, perhaps in this case, when the relatives are not attending the funeral, they should begin observing Aveilut immediately upon hearing of the unfortunate news. This issue is subject to a debate among the Halachic authorities. Many authorities, including the Sedei Chemed (Rabbi Chayim Chizkiya Halevi, Israel, 1832-1904) and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Israel, 1910-1995), ruled stringently, and held that the period of Aveilut cannot begin until after the funeral. Others, however, including Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (Russia-New York, 1895-1986), in his Iggerot Moshe (Yoreh Dei'a, vol. 1, 253), held that relatives who do not travel to the funeral begin observing Aveilut immediately upon learning of the passing. This is the view taken by Rabbi Shemuel Wosner (contemporary, Israel), in his work Shevet Ha'levi. Rabbi Shemuel Pinchasi, in his work Chayim Va'chesed (3:13), cites both opinions. Chacham Ovadia Yosef (ibid) ruled that in situations where Yom Tov begins after the person's death but before the funeral, relatives who do not travel for the funeral may follow the lenient position and begin the Aveilut immediately. In such a case, following the stringent view would require delaying Aveilut until after Yom Tov, which might cause considerable difficulty. A person in this situation may therefore follow the lenient position and begin Aveilut immediately upon hearing of the relative's passing, such that the onset of Yom Tov will cancel the rest of Aveilut. In all other situations, however, Chacham Ovadia requires delaying Aveilut until after the funeral. As for the final Halacha, from my consultation with several leading Rabbis in our community it emerges that we follow the lenient view, and allow mourners who are in a different city and are staying there, to begin observing Aveilut immediately. This applies to all cases of a person who does not attend a relative's funeral when in a distant location. Summary: If a person loses a family member, Heaven forbid, in a distant location, and he does not travel to the funeral, some authorities maintain that he may begin Aveilut immediately, whereas others require that he delay Aveilut until after the funeral. The general practice in our community is to allow the individual to begin Aveilut immediately.

A person who loses an immediate relative, Heaven forbid, has the status of "Onen" from the time of the family member's passing until the burial. During this period of "Aninut," he is exempt from all Misvot, including the recitation of Berachot. In order to ensure that he focuses his attention fully on the burial needs of the deceased, Halacha exempts an Onen from Misva obligation. In fact, it is improper for an Onen to perform Misvot, as this diminishes from his focus upon the needs of the deceased. One exception to this rule is wearing a Tallit Katan. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Jerusalem, 1910-1995) ruled that since the Tallit Katan is part of the mourner's normal attire, he may wear it even as an Onen, as it will not diminish from his focus on the burial. This is no different, Rav Shlomo Zalman noted, from Misvot that one fulfills in his thoughts, which may be fulfilled during the period of Aninut. May an Onen give charity? Rav Shlomo Zalman ruled that if an Onen wishes to give charity to benefit the soul of the deceased, then not only is this permissible, but to the contrary, it fulfills the objective of Aninut, which is to care for the needs of the deceased. It would therefore certainly be appropriate and even admirable for an Onen to give charity to benefit the soul of his deceased family member. If an Onen mistakenly recites a Beracha, those who hear the Beracha should not answer "Amen." Since the Beracha was unwarranted and should not have been recited, it does not warrant the response of "Amen." This is the view of Tosafot (Talmud commentaries by Medieval French and German scholars) in Masechet Mo'ed Katan (28). If a person becomes an Onen, Heaven forbid, during the period of Sefirat Ha'omer, may he count the Omer, so that he will not miss a full day of counting? In most cases, this question does not arise, because a person does not normally remain an Onen for an entire twenty-four-hour period. If a family member passed away at night, before one counted the Omer, it is likely that the burial will take place before sundown the following day, in which case he should count the Omer after the burial, when he is no longer an Onen. He would count the Omer without a Beracha, just as one does if he forgot to count at night and counts during the day. The question arises, however, in a situation where the burial did not take place before sundown on the following day, such that one remained an Onen throughout the 24 hours when the Omer could have been counted. If he does not count the Omer at some point during that day, he will then be unable to continue counting with a Beracha. Is he allowed to count the Omer despite his status as an Onen, or must he miss a day of counting? The Bei'ur Halacha (commentary by Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), in Siman 489, cites the view of the Noda B'yehuda (Rav Yechezkel Landau of Prague, 1713-1793) allowing an Onen to count the Omer without a Beracha in such a case, so that he does not miss an entire day of counting. Hacham Ovadia Yosef, however, disagrees, noting that if an individual is exempt from the obligation of Sefirat Ha'omer, then even if he counts, he will be considered to have missed a day of counting. If one counts the Omer when the Misva does not apply to him, then he is not considered as having fulfilled that day's obligation of counting, since he did not perform a Halachically mandated counting. As such, he will in any event be considered to have missed a day. Therefore, according to Hacham Ovadia, one should not count the Omer in a state of Aninut, even if this means that he will be unable to continue counting with a Beracha. Hacham Ovadia notes that this is the view taken by several other authorities, including the Shalmeh Sibur and Rav Haim Palachi. Summary: A person who loses an immediate relative, Heaven forbid, should not perform Misvot or recite Berachot until after the burial. If he mistakenly recites a Beracha, those who hear the Beracha should not answer "Amen." He may, however, wear a Tallit Katan, and give charity to benefit the soul of the deceased. If this happens during the Omer period, he should not count Sefirat Ha'omer, even if this means that he will miss a full day and thus be unable to continue counting with a Beracha. In most cases, however, the burial will take place before sundown, thus allowing the mourner to count the Omer before the end of the day.

It is forbidden to extend the greeting of "Shalom" to a mourner within twelve months of the passing of his or her father or mother, Heaven forbid. A person who has recently suffered such a loss is not in a position to experience "Shalom," and this greeting is thus inappropriate during this period. A mourner is allowed to extend such a greeting to others; the prohibition applies only to others greeting a mourner with the word "Shalom." It is permissible to extend other kinds of greetings to a mourner, such as "good morning," "good health," and the like. The Sages enacted this prohibition only with regard to the specific greeting of "Shalom." With regard to the common greeting of "Shabbat Shalom" on Shabbat, the Shulhan Aruch, in the laws of mourning, records a custom (based on the Talmud Yerushalmi) to allow extending the greeting of "Shabbat Shalom" to mourners on Shabbat, and this is, indeed, the accepted practice. It is also permissible to extend to a mourner the greeting of "Shalom Alechem" that is customarily exchanged after Birkat Ha'lebana. The reason for this greeting is that since we recite several verses about the downfall of our enemies ("Tipol Alehem Emata Va'fahad…"), we greet one another with "Shalom Alechem" to make it clear that we did not have one another in mind when we expressed our hopes for our enemies' demise. Thus, this greeting is intended not as a friendly gesture, but rather to avoid possible misunderstandings and ill-will, and it is therefore permissible to extend this greeting to a mourner. Furthermore, this greeting is formulated in the plural form – "Alechem" – and thus refers to the entire congregation, and not only to the particular individual that one addresses, and for this reason, too, one may extend this greeting to a mourner. It is forbidden to give a mourner a gift throughout the twelve-month period after a parent's passing. There is no greater "friendly greeting" than a gift, and one therefore may not give a gift to a mourner within twelve months after the passing of his or her parent. This discussion applies only to one observing Abelut (mourning) over a father or mother, Heaven forbid. In the case of one who lost another family member, Heaven forbid, these restrictions apply only during the first thirty days, but not afterward. Summary: It is forbidden to greet a mourner with the greeting of "Shalom," or give a mourner a gift, within twelve months of the passing of his or her parent. It is permissible, however, to extend other greetings, and to greet a mourner with the greeting of "Shabbat Shalom" on Shabbat, and with the "Shalom Alechem" greeting customarily extended after Birkat Ha'lebana. In the case of the passing of another family member (as opposed to a parent), these Halachot apply only during the first thirty days.

Thousands line up to pay their respects to Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica as the pontiff's final hours and last words are revealed. Also, wildfires in New Jersey grow to over 3,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of thousands of residents. Plus, the Trump administration reiterates its support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid secure messaging controversy. And, spring allergy season has arrived — what to know and how to best treat your symptoms.

  Navigating Grief May collapse make us all kinder and kinned…. Caroline welcomes the return of Eiren Caffall, author of “the Mourner's Bestiary,” And now, her novel, “All the Water in the World,' “The World As it Was” “The World As It Is” And the World that is coming for all of us…. Eiren Caffall is a writer and musician. Her work on loss, oceans, and extinction has appeared in Orion, Writer's Digest, Guernica, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Literary Hub, Al Jazeera, The Rumpus, and the anthology Elementals: Volume IV. Fire, (The Center for Humans and Nature, 2024). She received a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant, a Social Justice News Nexus fellowship, and residencies at the Banff Centre, Millay Colony, Hedgebrook, and Ragdale. Her books include her memoir The Mourner's Bestiary (Row House Publishing, 2024) and her novel All the Water in the World (St. Martin's Press, 2025).       *Woof*Woof*Wanna*Play?!?* · www.CoyoteNetworkNews.com · The Visionary Activist Show on Patreon The post The Visionary Activist Show – Navigating Grief appeared first on KPFA.