When a death occurs, shomrim (body watchers) sit with the deceased 24 hours a day except on Shabbat, from the time the body arrives at the funeral home until the funeral. Shomrim simply spend 2 to 2½ hours at the funeral home, providing a mindful presence for the deceased in their final hours before burial. It is traditional to read Psalms, but meditation or other Jewish reading, especially on death and mourning, is appropriate. You can sit in the same room with the casket or outside the room if you prefer.  You need not actually "watch" the casket. Cook Walden Funeral Home provides kippot and appropriate reading materials. It is a great opportunity for quiet time and reflection.

 

The mitzvot of shmirah and taharah (body wash) have the distinction of being the last acts of kindness you can perform for a fellow Jew. They are considered particularly noble mitzvot because the person you are helping cannot possibly thank you—it is a gift given with no expectation of compensation of any kind. In fact, it is traditional not to thank someone for doing these mitzvot. There are no gender-related restrictions to shmirah; both men and women can sit for a man or for a woman. Cohanim (descendants of high priests) may not serve as shomrim through Congregation Agudas Achim.

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