TAHARA and the SHROUD
By Rose Sheridan
With a Quote From Zalman Goldstein (c)
With a Quote From Zalman Goldstein (c)
- Tahara
- Source:Chabad.org
- Preparing the Body for Burial
- By Zalman Goldstein ©
- Excerpt From Article:
One of the most important elements of a proper Jewish burial is the Tahara, preparing the body by the Chevra Kaddisha for its final rest, until the Resurrection of the Dead in the era of Moshiach. There is no mystery to the Tahara. It is a simple, yet dignified ritual that allows the person to meet his Maker with the utmost respect and dignity.
A proper Tahara includes cleansing, ritually washing, and dressing the deceased's body. Those who perform this Chesed Shel Emet (true act of kindness) recite special prayers, beseeching G‑d to lift the soul into the Heavens and eternal rest.
REPEAT:
A proper Tahara includes cleansing, ritually washing, and dressing the deceased's body.
This ritual washing of a dead body has been practiced by the Jewish people from the beginning of their existence.
Surely the close friends of Yeshuah-Jesus were not in such a frantic race against sundown, that they just wrapped a long cloth over His Head, and put His Body in the tomb without any kind of cleansing.
After the Manner of Jews is to Bury
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. John 19
John 20
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
John 11:44 King James Version (KJV)
The Resurection of Lazarus
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
These verses tell us:
Jesus was prepared for burial the same way all Jews were prepared for burial.
First step, Wash the body. Someone qualified to touch a dead body washed the Body of Jesus. This would most likely have included shaving and washing the Head. There was no blood left on the body to stain the burial cloth.
There were at least two pieces of cloth. One was wrapped tightly around the body. The other was wrapped tightly around the Head.
The cloth wrapped around the body was wrapped tightly in such a way that Lazarus had to be untied before he could move freely after resurrection.
The shroud of Turin is not the burial cloth of Jesus. It is obviously a very clever painting to be used as a stage prop in an Easter Morning Passion Play.
It was never tied down to anything, much less a dead body. There are no tie-down marks on the cloth.
The painter of the figure on the cloth made the arms and the fingers much to long. They are totally out of proportion to the length of human arms and fingers.
Test: Lie flat on the floor. Put your elbows slightly away from your sides. Then cross your hands over your genitals, as in the figure on the cloth. It is impossible. The human body does not have those measurements.
You can stop gasping in awe and wonder. That cloth never touched the Body of Jesus. It is just an old worn out cloth once used as a canvas for a painting.
He rose anyway, and is now clothed in Heavenly Majesty as Eternal King of Kings.
That is all the proof you need.