Jewish Priests (Kohanim) and Caring for the Dead

Although priests cannot have any contact with death, exceptions are made for their immediate relatives.

Advertisement

Commentary on Parashat Emor, Leviticus 21:1-24:23

Parashat Emor recounts the ritual laws that govern priests‘ behavior toward the dead. Priests are not to have any contact with death. Priests do not touch corpses nor can they be in the immediate presence of the dead. This means that priests do not attend funerals, go to the cemetery or care for the dead. The only exception is for their closest relations (parents, siblings, wives, and children).

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik teaches that for Judaism, the world is the scene of a cosmic battle of life against death. God creates life and loves it. Death is the enemy, the antithesis of God. The Temple, representing perfection and the pure presence of God, is totally devoted to life. Therefore, no form of death can enter the Temple. Human beings who come in contact with the dead can enter into the Temple only after they are purified, i.e., they are born again to life.

Achieving Tikkun Olam

Judaism is the religion of human partnership with God to achieve tikkun olam (repair of the world). Since God is completely on the side of life, Jews must be totally on the side of life. Ideally, every act should advance and nurture life and/or fight and reduce death. In this imperfect world, Jews compromise with death. We live with it, we treat its victims, we show honor to the dead by caring for and burying them.

READ: The Centrality of Honoring the Dead (Kavod Ha’met)

Support My Jewish Learning

Help us keep Jewish knowledge accessible to millions of people around the world.

Your donation to My Jewish Learning fuels endless journeys of Jewish discovery. With your help, My Jewish Learning can continue to provide nonstop opportunities for learning, connection and growth.

But priests are people totally dedicated to God. They work in the Temple, the place dedicated totally to God. By shunning contact with the dead, priests represent the fundamental Jewish opposition to death, the infinite commitment to work hard so life wins.

Why then are priests allowed — in fact commanded — to care and mourn for their immediate relatives? To insist that they have no contact with their loved ones in death would be inhumane. Prohibiting this care would uphold life by overruling the deep natural love the priest has for immediate family. Principles — even noble principles like treasuring life — cannot be upheld by dehumanization, by repudiating loved ones.

The priest represents the Jewish ideal of perfection. Some day when the world is perfect, all Jews will be priests to humanity (Exodus 19:6). Jews should advance life; every act, every moment of life should be devoted to the living. But the commitment to life must be built on love, mutual care and respect for family ties that bind and make us human. If we abandon family or repudiate intimacy — even for the sake of God or to advance life — we serve death, not life.

Provided by CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, a multi-denominational think tank and resource center.

Sign up for a Journey Through Grief & Mourning: Whether you have lost a loved one recently or just want to learn the basics of Jewish mourning rituals, this 8-part email series will guide you through everything you need to know and help you feel supported and comforted at a difficult time.

Looking for a way to say Mourner’s Kaddish in a minyan? My Jewish Learning’s daily online minyan gives mourners and others an opportunity to say Kaddish in community and learn from leading rabbis.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Discover More

Balaam the Prophet

The infamous story of the prophet with the talking donkey demonstrates the Bible's awareness that powers of divination were not limited to Israelite seers.

Advertisement