"ומצדיקי הרבים ככוכבים לעולם ועד"

Throughout the generations, Jews ascribed great value to participating in this great Mitzva - that of handling the deceased, ensuring their dignity, for no reward. Indeed, dozens and hundreds of "Hevra Kadisha" organizations have operated in Jewish communities, doing their holy work diligently.

At times, members of the community would even fight over the right to become members of the "Hevra Kadisha", and if they lost, they would appeal to the tribunal for an order to allow them to take part in this holy work. In recent generations, times have changed. It appears that more and more cases of unnatural death need to be addressed, with the deceased in bad condition due to an accident, a terror attack, or having deteriorated due to the time passed since the time of death.

ZAKA volunteers take upon themselves this holy work. They are exposed to these difficult sights as they carry out their duties with diligence and courage to bring the deceased to proper burial with dignity.

מספרים חכמינו: "רב המנונא איקלע לדרומתא. שמע קול שיפורא דשכבא. חזא הנך אינשי דקא עבדי עבידתא. אמר להו: ליהוו הנך אינשי בשמתא. לא שכבא איכא במתא?! אמרו ליה: חברותא איכא במתא. אמר להו: אי הכי שריא לכו" (מועד קטן כו ע"ב).

Rabbi Hamnuna found himself in the South. He heard the sound of a Shofar announcing the death of a person, and saw people carrying on as if nothing had happened. He told them: Are these people ex-communicated? There is a deceased person in the city! (They should therefore suspend their work and care for the needs of the deceased.) He was then told: There is a Hevra (Kadisha) in the city. To which he replied: If that is the case, you may carry on your work. Thanks to their work, day and night, before and after Sabbath and holidays, ZAKA Tel Aviv volunteers are those who relieve the public of its duties as stated by Rabbi Hamnuna. They do this to honor God, not for any reward.

Volunteers meet people at sensitive times. They are therefore required to demonstrate special sensibility, empathy, and careful handling. The required sensitivity is doubly important since, in many cases, the volunteer comes to the family's home shortly following the time of death, and the deceased is still placed before the grieving family. It appears that ZAKA Tel Aviv is one of a handful of organizations whose volunteers meet families at this terrible time and assist the living and the dead with dedication, sensitivity, and dignity.

בפנקס תקנות "חברה קדישא" ברידינקען - ברומניה, נכתב: "אנשי החבורה זה לזה יהיו מרוצים / ולמצווה זו יהיו נחוצים / ולא יהיה מושבם חס ושלום מושב לצים / ואם שנים מהם יהיו נצים / תיכף זה לזה יהיו מרוצים / ולא יהיו כצאן אשר אין להם רועה המה נפוצים / רק יהיו תמיד אגודה אחת מקובצים".

אשרי מי שזכה להימנות בין מזכי הרבים שומרי משמרת הקודש, ויהי חלקנו עמהם.