Jews have been honored throughout the ages for their exemplary behavior regarding the living. Even more extraordinary, has been their universal habit of compassion toward the dead. In his groundbreaking book, Rabbi Spiro considers traditional Jewish customs of mourning from a uniquely psychological point of view. His in depth analyses cover periods from biblical, Talmudic, medieval, all the way through to modern times. By focusing on recognizable psychological struggles such as anxiety, ambivalence and guilt, he sheds new light upon the meaning of rituals like Shiva - "the week of mourning." Though the book deals with a subject that has been called "the last taboo," its focus is on the living, providing life-enhancing guideposts for rabbis and religious leaders of ALL faiths as well as positive help for anyone who has ever found themselves in the position of comforting the bereaved.