Death and Mourning

Dear Rabbi, What’s the reason for Judaism teaching that although we should mourn for someone who has passed, we should not mourn excessively? Thanks

Sir, In Finland nowadays growing number of dead bodies are cinerated i.e. burnt to ashes. What is Jewish opinion about this ? I mean religious opinion. Finland is mainly atheistic country today probably due to Luther doctrine. Will those people go to Hell after their death because their bodies are burnt and those people themself also by freewill want that their body is burnt to ashes after their dead ? Best regards, Kari Laiho Finland

Hi Rabbi, I am very bothered by something that happened to my wife. My mother in law passed away after an illness and my parents attended the funeral and shivah. On Friday afternoon they insisted that we move out of their home before the coming Monday, even though they knew of her illness. is there a halakha or advice from Rabbis about how to treat the aveil (mourner)? Are parents allowed to make requests of a business nature during shivah?

Is it problematic at all in Halacha with Jews reciting yizkor prayers for non observant parents who have died? Or no, even if they weren’t particularly observant or religious is it still preferable to say after they’ve passed?

I have heard of a new and emerging medical technology called organ farming. There are many people across the world who die every day due to the shortage of organs. Organ farming is where a genetically manipulated cow or pig (mostly a pig) is implanted with an embryo has been changed to have some human stem cells, so that the animal they give birth to is a pig but with say, a human liver. This organ would also have a better chance at lasting in the persons body, as the stem cell would come from the human who needs the liver. I am interested in what the Jewish perspective would be on this medical technology, and if it is accepted as a possible option for a Jew who urgently needs an organ.

I am a 66 years old healthy woman. I am Orthodox but lately I can't seem to understand why we live and life is good but then we have to die. Thinking about this makes me very anxious. In Judaism is it wrong to think like this?  

Does the service leader announce, "we are saying yahrzeit for" and say the mourner's names first followed by "has yahrzeit for" followed by their relation to the deceased (i.e. "their mother") and then the deceased name? Or do they announce, "we are saying yahrzeit for" ...the deceased's name, followed by the relationship (i.e. "mother of") then the mourner's name?

My beloved teacher died and he had no living relatives. Am I permitted to sit shiva for him?

I heard that in Jewish tradition, a prophet can resurrect dead people as long as not more than 2 days. After 2 days, in third days or more, only God can resurrect. Is it true?

When I was in shul this past Shabbat, an elderly gentleman collapsed and was not breathing and his heart stopped beating. Some members of Hatzalah were there and took immediate action. After Shabbat, I learned that the gentleman, whom I did not know personally, was officially pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. I am a kohein. This congregation has lots of Kohanim. Does that mean the Kohanim were improperly exposed to a corpse?