2007-12-02 08:59:07 · 7 answers · asked by LtJb85 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
it is proper to cover the mirrors (with sheets, or fogged spray provided by the funeral home) in the shiva house for the following reasons:
• During shiva, a mourner is striving to ignore his/her own physicality and vanity in order to concentrate on the reality of being a soul.
• A mirror represents social acceptance through the enhancement of one's appearance. Jewish mourning is supposed to be lonely, silent; dwelling on one's personal loss. Covering the mirrors symbolizes this withdrawal from society's gaze.
• Prayer services, commonly held in the shiva house, cannot take place in front of a mirror. When we pray, we focus on God and not on ourselves.
• Physical relations between a husband and wife are suspended during the week of shiva, and thus the need for physical beauty is removed.
2007-12-02 09:09:41 · answer #1 · answered by Teakatoo 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I went back for an uncle's funeral. The family was Jewish. All the mirrors were covered with towels. I had taken an overnight flight and felt I had to get myself lookilng okay. We were heading to the funeral. I pulled the towel aside and refreshed my makeup. When I joined the family I asked them about it and one of them said the first to see their image would die. Well, I was not the first to die. So it didn't work the way they said.
2007-12-02 11:18:12 · answer #2 · answered by Simmi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Long ago, mirrors were believed to potentially trap the soul of the deceased. The mirror is covered to allow the soul to travel freely into the afterlife.
2007-12-02 09:09:22 · answer #3 · answered by deadletter graveyard 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So the demons can't get out and snatch their souls. There is all kinds of weird stuff going on in the mirror if you watch closely, especially at night when you put the lights out.
Hope this helps.
2007-12-02 09:03:23 · answer #4 · answered by 2kool4u 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you Jewish? I remember an episode of "The Facts of Life" when Natalie's father died and they covered the mirror because they were Jewish. Sorry I can't be of more help.
2007-12-02 09:04:02 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's so the soul will not be trapped on Earth or in limbo during wanderings....
2007-12-02 09:03:58 · answer #6 · answered by cmb5283 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did you try asking them your self?
2007-12-02 09:05:29 · answer #7 · answered by Slim 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋