It is said that all souls of the deceased keep a foothold in the world of the living at their graves. While half of their soul is in the World to Come, the other half sits upon their gravestone.

The souls gossip about the goings on of the community. Scholars will study together as they did in life. The souls will even sneak into the House of Prayer after the living have finished their Zabah prayers to hold their own service.

At least those were the ongoings of the dead in Zuli, where we had buried generations, according to my grandparents. While one should never pray for a full cemetery, any empty one means we have been separated from our ancestors. My beloved grandparents and my father of blessed memory are buried with only a few dozen others in Fida, where I can never return.

One week before the Mourning Moon becomes full, a Rafa Shepard begins the process of inviting the souls of the deceased to enjoy a meal with the living by encircling the cemetery with a string. The Shepherd of Souls then cuts the thread into enough pieces for each family, crafting each into a candle. Other Rafa often help in the tedious task of candle making.

On the night of the full moon, the entire community gathers in the House of Prayer. They light the candle in the Eternal Flame. This allows each spirit to come fully down from heaven. In the light of the candle, you can see the outline of their corporeal form. Each family returns to their home, serving the deceased’s favorite foods. The souls visit until the wick is gone.

My grandparents’ memory of the Mourning Full Moon in Zuli used to be a time of joy tinged with sadness. Now it is a time of sadness tinged with a hint of joy. Too few of our ancestors join our tables.

Commentary #

After 137 years, the Mourning Full Moon is again a time of joy tinged with sadness. We dine with our ancestors as they watch our children shriek with joy. -Rosh Rafa Malki