Shiva (Hebrew: שִׁבְעָה ‎, romanized: šīvʿā, lit. 'seven') is the week-long mourning period in Judaism for first-degree relatives. The ritual is referred to as "sitting shiva" in English. The shiva period lasts for seven days following the burial.

During shiva, a mourner traditionally stays at home or at the home of the deceased or the home of other mourners, wears torn clothing or a torn black ribbon pinned to one’s clothes (a practice known as kriah) and doesn’t go to work or school. Find more details about kriah and other mourning practices.

Shiva, as it relates to Jewish mourning, is the seven-day mourning period for the immediate family of the deceased which consists of spouse, child, parent or sibling.

During this Jewish mourning custom, the entire physical environment of the mourner is transformed to acknowledge the immediacy of death. Pronounced: SHI-vuh (short i), Origin: Hebrew, seven days of mourning after a funeral, when the mourner stays at …

A shiva is traditionally observed in the home of the deceased, but may also be observed in the residence of an immediate family member. In today’s world, many families are dispersed and live in cities throughout the country.

The Mourning Pattern (Sitting Shiva) Judaism, with its long history of dealing with the soul of man, its intimate knowledge of man's achievements and foibles, his grandeur and his weakness, has wisely devised graduated periods during which the mourner may express his grief, and release with calculated regularity the built-up tensions caused by ...

A major component of shiva is the prayer service, during which the mourners recite the kaddish memorial prayer for the deceased. Read what to expect (and how to act) at a shiva call. How Long Is Shiva?