Death

Our tradition encompasses all of life, day and night, light and dark. Even in the most difficult of situations--the imminent and then actual loss of a loved one--our Torah is there to strengthen us, to guide us, and to help us grow and see beyond our ...

Question: Why would G‑d take a father by a massive heart attack as he's dancing at his daughter's wedding? None of the upwards of 50 Rabbis at the wedding could save my brother-in-law, nor could the doctors. I don't understand how this can happen. I ...

The Rebbe, who has redefined virtually every aspect of life, has also redefined death

Fresh snow covers the ground, thinking I’m too young to know. On the other side of the pit four Russians dressed like railroad or construction workers look me up and down. I try not to look back.

The events recounted in the Torah section of Chayei Sarah all take place after Sarah's death. Not only that -- they seem to all underscore the fact of her demise. Yet "Chayei Sarah" means "the life of Sarah"!

"Our father Jacob did not die," said Rabbi Yochanan. Asked Rabbi Yitzchak: "Was it for no reason that the eulogizers eulogized, the embalmers embalmed, and the buriers buried?"

It may seem odd that I am writing such a detailed letter. But I have noticed that it’s been very hard for people to talk about this, so I decided to step forward on my own and tell this story . . .

Is it a bad, harmful deed? Is it the very face of death? Is it mere stupidity? Is it a potent opportunity for conquest and growth? Turns out, it's all four.

From every incident in a person's life, one can acquire profound insight into the service of the Creator. So says the holy Baal Shem Tov. Fortified by this idea, I began my descent in the morgue elevator of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at ...